"Next time, I''ll take you all to the top floor," Yelena bragged.


    "The top floor?" Her friends stared at her with envy.


    "I''ve only been there once with my dad, and we just sat in the main hall. I can''t even imagine going to the very top."


    "It''s nothing," Yelena said, lifting her water ss, lying without batting an eye. "From now on, we can go whenever we want."


    As she spoke, her eyes unexpectedly met Juniper''s meaningful gaze. Juniper was leaning back in her chair, slowly eating pistachios, but her eyes were locked on Yelena.


    Yelena''s heart skipped a beat. She was so startled that her hand trembled, nearly dropping her ss.


    "Yelena, look, it''s J," one of the girls pointed out. "And Juniper."


    Yelena didn''t dare say a word.


    “Oh, Juniper''s here?” another girl sneered, lowering her voice. “No wonder the home-wrecker''s daughter can afford a ce this fancy."


    "Exactly," her friend added, sipping her juice. "In our social circle, every heiress and wife is legitimate. A girl like J isn''t even worthy of cleaning my shoes."


    Although the girls were whispering, Yelena heard every word clearly. The repeated phrase "home-wrecker''s daughter" felt like a series of ps across her own face.


    "The home-wrecker''s daughter?" Just as she was reeling, Juniper suddenly spoke up, swirling her ss. "Funny you should mention that. I know a story about a home-wrecker''s daughter. Want to hear it?"


    "Yes!" J responded enthusiastically, ying along perfectly. "I want to hear it!"


    "Alright." Juniper took a small sip of her juice, her lips moving slowly. "Actually, you know the real home-wrecker''s daughter."


    "What do you mean?" The other girls werepletely lost. What did she mean by the real one?


    Yelena''s breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of her chest. Was Juniper really going to say it? The news would spread through their Social circle like wildfire. All her


    dreams of marrying into a powerful


    family or bing a famous


    actress would turn to dust.


    “She is...” Juniper finished thest of her juice and wiped her lips, thenpletely


    changed direction. "I''ll tell you on our way out."


    "Okay."


    Seeing the absolute terror on


    Yelena''s face brought J a deep


    sense of satisfaction. So, this is


    what it felt like to be put on the spot?


    The difference was, J was innocent etena however, was getting exactly what she deserved.


    As Juniper and J left, Yelena finally let out the breath she had been holding, trying to appear calm as she wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.


    "Yelena, you look so pale. What''s wrong?" a friend asked.


    "What do you expect when you run into the girl who ruined your family''s reputation?” another friend chimed in. "And what was Juniper talking about, saying someone else is the real mistress''s daughter?"


    "Besides J, who else could it be?" Yelena''s fingers clenched into tight fists, her nails digging into her palms. The pain helped her to calm down and think clearly. She couldn''t wait any longer. She had to get rid of Juniper, and soon.


    After the gathering, Yelena rushed home to find her mother, Deirdre. When Deirdre


    heard what had happened, she exploded with rage.


    “Juniper?” Deirdre spat. "Who the hell does she think she is, trying to ckmail you?"


    "Mom," Yelena pleaded, her face still pale with fear. "We need to hire someone to kill her. I can''t take this anymore!"