?Chapter 127:


    Elliana had a real gift for mimicry. The gentle, innocent expression she wore now looked nearly identical to Trinity’s usual act. But Lance saw through the fake apology without even trying.


    “Elliana, this is no ident. You’re clearly doing this on purpose. Why are you pretending to be all sweet and harmless?” Lance snapped.


    Right then, tears sprang to Elliana’s eyes as if on cue. “If you won’t forgive me, then I guess you just don’t want me to live here with the Evans family anymore. That’s fine. I’ll go pack my bags and leave. That way, you won’t have to say it out loud.”


    “You!” Frustration boiled over as Lance clenched his teeth. “When did I ever say I wanted you gone? You’re twisting everything! Are you seriously trying to fool everyone with this little act?”


    Hearing this, Elliana swiped at her tears in a dramatic flourish, then gave him a wicked smile before heading up the stairs.


    Lance stood frozen, something clicking in his mind a moment toote. Embarrassment crept over him as he turned his head toward Trinity. A bright red flush spread across Trinity’s cheeks. Now she didn’t know what to do. Slipping back into her usual act confirmed her employment of those low tricks, but dropping the act was out of the question. Elliana had backed her into a corner and made her look ridiculous. At this point, nobody could ignore thebel stuck on Trinity—maniptive and two-faced.


    “Trinity, don’t take it too seriously. I know you’re not that kind of person,” Lance said awkwardly.


    Trinity pressed her lips together, nearly tempted to cut Lance out of her life entirely. Still, she swallowed the irritation bubbling inside her and kept up the appearance of a fragile, wounded woman. “It’s okay, Lance. I know you didn’t mean any harm. But Elliana still sees me the wrong way. What can I do to make her forgive me?”


    “Ha!” Jeff let out a sharpugh. The same kiddo who had always stood up for Trinity now stared at her with pure disdain. “Lance, maybe it’s time you started looking at yourself for once.”


    Lance narrowed his eyes and snapped, “What are you even talking about now?”


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    Lifting his chin, Jeff met Lance’s re with a look full of contempt. “Elliana couldn’t have made things clearer, and you still don’t get it? Such a moron.”


    “’You!” Lance clenched his jaw, furious, but couldn’t do anything to Jeff. Trinity poured more emotion into her performance, tears running freely down her face. “Jeff, you used to care about me so much. Why have you suddenly misunderstood me so deeply?”


    Before, seeing her cry would have made Jeff rush to her side. But now, he gave her a look full of disgust and rolled his eyes. “It’s not that I suddenly misunderstood you. I just finally woke up and saw your true colors.”


    He turned his attention to Lance with a re that made his opinion crystal clear. “Too bad some people still choose to fall for the obvious maniption like fools. If that’s what you want, go ahead. It’s your decision.”


    Without waiting for a reply, Jeff turned on his heel and walked up the stairs, leaving Trinity and Lance standing in a silence that neither of them could shake.


    “Trinity, do you want to move out of the Evans residence?” Cole asked out of nowhere. His voice stayed steady and emotionless, but something about it weighed heavily in the room.


    Trinity’s body went rigid as her posture straightened. A strained smile stretched across her tear-streaked face. “Not at all, Cole. I’m fine living at the Evans residence.”


    Cole’s face didn’t shift. His eyes remained fixed on her as he replied, “Anyway, you’re always free to return to the Craig family’s residence.” The words hit her like a p across the face. Heat rushed to her cheeks as the sting of humiliation settled in. Coming from the heir of the Evans family, that statement felt like a formal dismissal. But walking away wasn’t what she wanted. If she nned to stay, the only option left was to bite her tongue and swallow the shame.


    Trinity bowed her head, keeping her lips sealed.


    Without another nce at her, Cole turned toward Ruben and said, “I’m sorry, Grandpa. Please forgive me foring home sote.”


    “I thought you weren’ting back at all. I assumed you had given up your ce in this family,” Ruben said, his voice cold and his expression even colder.


    Cole understood the anger in his grandfather’s words, though he couldn’t offer a proper exnation. All he could do was soften his tone as he said, “Grandpa, that was never my intention.”


    Ruben narrowed his eyes at Cole and, after a pause, lifted his cane and brought it down on Cole’s leg. “You ungrateful brat! You abandoned Elliana without a second thought.”


    “Thought. And yet, she’s the one who stood up and saved the Evans family when we needed it most!”


    Cole stood there in silence, quietly brooding over how unfair the scolding felt. This wasn’t about him abandoning Elliana. She had rejected him—twice. But he couldn’t say that out loud.


    “Elliana sacrificed her treasured Venacure, a keepsake from her mother, to help the Evans family through this crisis. Venacure was priceless and held deep sentimental value for her. Do you understand the magnitude of her sacrifice?” Ruben raised his cane and struck Cole again. “Do you have any sense of gratitude?”


    Cole lifted an eyebrow, his frustration barely contained. He wasn’t blind to what Elliana had done. He understood it all. But knowing didn’t change the fact that she didn’t want anything to do with him. With a stern re, Ruben asked, “After all she’s done, don’t you think the very least you can do is consummate the marriage with her?”


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