?Chapter 142:


    “Elliana, I’ve prepared a gift for you too,” Trinity said brightly, her smile radiant and polished.


    Elliana hesitated for the briefest moment, her instincts whispering caution—but she reached for the box nheless. After all, she was the new matriarch of the Evans family now. The position demanded grace under pressure, poise in the face of veiled barbs. Unlike Jeff, who often charged ahead recklessly, she understood the quiet power of restraint.


    All eyes followed Elliana as she lifted the lid. Inside, nestled in tissue paper, was a sleek ss jar of beauty cream.


    Trinity leaned in slightly, her tone chipper but precise. “I had a friend specially source this for you. It’s made using traditional techniques—really good for skincare and scar fading. If it works, I’ll have her send more. That way, you won’t have to rely on heavy makeup to cover up anymore.”


    Elliana’s eyes rose to meet Trinity’s—calm, unreadable. Trinity was calcting to the core. Cloaked in sweetness, Trinity’s “gift” was nothing more than a dagger wrapped in silk—not to show care, but to subtly humiliate her, to remind everyone that she’d once been deemed ugly.


    The cream came in an ornate jar—luxurious, refined, the kind that whispered of prestige. But Elliana, with her background in medicine, only needed a single breath to catch the truth. Beneath the perfumed exterior, the concoction was utter garbage. Worse, it was harmful.


    “Miss Craig, thank you,” Elliana said with a soft smile. “This cream looks divine. Far too generous for me alone. Let’s experience its magic together.”


    Before Trinity could react, Elliana had dipped a finger into the cream and, with graceful precision, smeared it across Trinity’s cheek.


    Trinity recoiled with a shriek. The cream seared instantly, like acid on delicate skin. “What the—Ah!”


    Trinity clutched her face and bolted from the room, the sound of running water soon echoing from the bathroom.


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    The room exchanged confused nces. What just happened?


    Elliana returned to her seat and gently ced the jar on the table, a cool smirk ying at her lips. Since Trinity wanted to y dirty, she would respond with elegance and precision, letting the whole room witness who woulde out on top.


    Momentster, Trinity reappeared, her skin flushed and inmed despite her frantic efforts to rinse it off. She looked like a wilted flower—fragile, blotchy, and on the verge of tears.


    Jeff’s voice cut through the tension. “Trinity, what the hell did you give Elliana? Beauty cream or acid? Were you trying to hurt her?”


    “N-NO!” Trinity stammered, trembling. “I—I didn’t know the cream would be so harsh! I swear, I spent a fortune on it! My friend must’ve tricked me—or maybe it’s just my skin. Maybe I’m allergic…” Tears spilled down her cheeks as she turned desperately to Elliana. “Please, you have to believe me. I wasn’t trying to hurt you. I just made a mistake. I really only wanted to help…”


    Elliana didn’t spare Trinity a nce. She rose, calm andposed, and made her way toward the stairs.


    Jeff shot Trinity a disgusted look and followed Elliana.


    Left behind, Trinity stood trembling, searching the room for support. “I—I didn’t mean for this to happen. I really didn’t…”


    Lance, ever clueless, stepped forward and ced a hand on her shoulder. “It’s alright, Trinity. We know your heart. No one here doubts your intentions.” But the others remained silent.


    Elliana didn’t return to her room right away. Instead, she slipped into the quiet sanctuary of the pet room, where her beloved cat, Darling, was curledzily atop a velvet cushion.


    She crouched beside the feline, gently running her fingers through its soft fur. The tension of the evening melted away with each purr. Jeff trailed after her, lingering at the door before stepping inside.


    “Elliana,” he began, his voice more solemn than usual, “you don’t have to worry about being thrown out of the Evans residence anymore. I had a talk with Cole this morning.”


    Elliana raised an eyebrow at him. “What kind of talk?”


    Jeff rubbed the back of his buzzed head, suddenly shy. “I told him that if he really doesn’t like you, he should divorce you. Then I’ll marry you.”


    Elliana blinked. For a moment, her brain refused to process the words. Was this kid seriously out of his mind?


    “Elliana, I know the Jones family treated you horribly, and if Cole kicks you out, you’ll have nowhere to go. But don’t worry—if he doesn’t want you, I do. Just give…”


    Ten years. I’ll be eighteen by then. Tall, good-looking, strong. I’ll protect you from anyone who tries to hurt you.


    Then, more hesitantly, he added, “You don’t mind an age gap, right?”


    Elliana stared at him, and then slowly, her lips twitched—half amusement, half disbelief. “I do mind.”


    Jeff froze, like a puppy who’d just been gently swatted with a rolled-up newspaper.


    Before Jeff could fully register her answer, Elliana reached out and smacked him on the head.


    She stared at him like he’d just announced he nned to fly to the moon using cardboard wings. “What on earth is going through that head of yours?” she snapped. “You’re just eight years old! Have youpletely lost your mind?”


    Without waiting for a reply, she spun on her heel and walked off.


    Jeff scrambled after her. “Wait! I meant—”


    “Get lost!” Her voice cracked like a whip.


    Jeff stopped dead in his tracks, stunned into silence. He hadn’t meant to upset her. He just wanted to show he cared—that he wasn’t like the others who only made things worse for her. Why did she and Cole both react as if he were the viin? What had he done that was so wrong? But Elliana didn’t look back. She didn’t consider his feelings or his confusion. She’d said her piece and left it at that.


    Back in her bedroom, Elliana shed the weight of the day beneath a steaming,forting shower. The hot water dulled the tension in her shoulders and cleared the fog from her mind. Tomorrow, she’d be visiting Barbara for a follow-up consultation—and she still had to dig deeper into the mystery of the Scorpion King.


    Outside, the cityy cloaked in darkness. And in one of its many hidden corners, a dangerous scheme was quietly taking shape, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.


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