?Chapter 289:


    “Let it go? I’m supposed to let Elliana walk away like she won?” Bonnie snapped, her words sharp and bitter.


    With a steady hand, Trinity gave her grandmother’s fingers a light pat. “Rx, Grandma. I’m not letting her off the hook. She’s going to regret this.”


    Watching Bonnie’s chest rise with uneven breaths, Trinity quickly reached for a ss and pressed it into her hand.


    Trinity’s voice dropped lower, but her words cut with purpose. “Once those SAT resultse in, I’ll be sitting at the top of Ublento’s rankings. My name’s going straight to the top of Ublento Medical University’s eptance list—full schrship, mentorship under Dr. Atkinson, the whole deal. And when that happens, I’ll have plenty of ways to put Elliana in her ce.”


    Hearing that, something shifted in Bonnie’s eyes. The tension in her shoulders began to ease. She gave Trinity’s hand a tight squeeze, her voice thick with emotion. “You’ve always been exceptional. Ever since you were little, I knew you’d be the one to carry the Craig name forward. We need you to take back everything we’ve lost. I want you to marry into the Evans legacy and snag the Evans family…”


    “Matriarch.”


    “I haven’t lost sight of that,” Trinity replied, her tone like steel. “You can bet on me.”


    A proud nod from Bonnie followed, her expression cooling into satisfaction. “When the scorese out and you’re Dr. Atkinson’s protégé, it’ll be our moment. I’ll throw a grand celebration, and Elliana will be front and center—to watch you rise while she chokes on envy.”


    Trinity’s eyes lit up, ambition zing beneath the surface. She could already picture it—the apuse, the admiration, the victory. That vision didn’t feel far away. Elliana’s time at the top was ticking down fast.


    Right at that moment, the sound of music rose and swept through the venue.


    On the stage, the emcee appeared with a microphone in hand, his voice booming through the hall. “Ladies and gentlemen, the time hase! Please wee today’s hero and heroine!”


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    As the final word echoed, the grand doors swung open with perfect timing.


    Little girls in white scattered rose petals across the carpet, clearing the way for Hester and Boris as they walked forward arm in arm. Apuse filled the space as guests leaned in from both sides of the aisle, offering cheers and well-wishes.


    Without missing a beat, Elliana slipped out her phone. Her fingers flew across the screen as she sent a short message to Hailee, saying, “Get ready. Your moment’s about to start.”


    Seated in the back of the car, Hailee felt her heart drum against her ribs, her mind running ahead to what awaited inside.


    Coming from an ordinary background, she’d never set foot in a high-society event, let alone nned to stir things up. Nerves were inevitable.


    Just then, her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her thoughts. She grabbed it in an instant. The message was from Elliana. After skimming it, she let out a slow breath and turned to Paulina in the front seat. “I’m going in.”


    Paulina nced at the girl in the striking red dress and offered a kind smile. “Would you like me to join you in?”


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