Chapter 149
Lavinia always had a pretty open–minded outlook on life. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have embraced her commitment to being single. So, there was nothing to hide from Miranda.
As they chatted, William returned. He gazed at Lavinia. “All sorted.”
Lavinia gave him a nod. “Go ahead, do your thing.”
William glanced at her briefly, acknowledging her words before heading over to his desk. He handled his work at a table nearby. Most of his time was spent either working or assisting Miranda with her tasks. Recently, Lavinia had been assigning William to help Miranda more often, lending her his support.
Miranda cast a glance at William. He was sitting there all proper, giving no hint of being anything more than an assistant. No secret affair vibes at all. She mused, were the elders these days really this playful?
Well, Lavinia did look incredible for her age, appearing barely in her thirties with a grace and beauty that seemed untouched by time. If anything, age had only added a sophisticated allure to her. So, to Miranda, it wouldn’t be surprising if Lavinia were dating a younger guy of over twenty years old.
“I didn’t expect there to be so many people trashing Arabella and the Hawke family,” Lavinia said, a note of surprise in her voice. “I didn’t even need to hire any trolls to stir things up.”
Miranda curled her lips slightly. “It’s a classic case of ‘the bigger they are, the harder they fall‘. Arabella cared too much about her status, so that’s all anyone else saw too. The more she pushed it, the worse the backlash. People only see what you show them.”
The whole scandal about Arabella being a fake heiress wouldn’t have caused such an uproar if the Hawke family hadn’t gone overboard in promoting her. Their endless tales of sibling love and the brother–sister bond had been everywhere over the years, practically brainwashing everyone.
So, when the truth came out, both Arabella and the Hawkes were harshly criticized. The more one shoved an image down people’s throats, the worse the fallout when it crumbled. It’s a common story online, after all.
And Arabella’s behavior on reality TV, especially her attitude towards Miranda, had been broadcasted for all to see. This only made her fake heiress image crash harder.
Lavinia pondered Miranda’s words and nodded. “You’re right. Her fans were drawn to the persona she crafted, the whole ‘family darling‘ act, not any real talent. So when her fake identity was exposed, some felt deceived.”
Miranda had anticipated Arabella’s downfall. It was part of her plan, after all. Watching them lose everything they valued, feeling fear, panic, and despair, was the punishment she felt the Hawke family deserved. Jail time alone wasn’t enough.
“Hmph, the Hawke family wants to win you back. Fat chance! They only see your value now,” Lavinia said with indignation.
Miranda raised an eyebrow, noncommittal. She wasn’t sure about their newfound appreciation of her, but she was certain Arabella must be fuming, probably wishing for Miranda’s demise.
As for the Hawke family, Alistair’s recent visit had revealed their changed attitude towards her. It wasn’t remorse, though. You couldn’t expect that from a beast. They just saw her as less trouble compared to their troublesome adopted daughter.
With the Zade family drama, the plastic surgery scandal, and the embarrassment Arabella had brought them, could they still pamper her like before?
“Don’t worry about that family. They’ll end up behind bars eventually,” Miranda said, taking a sip of her tea.
Upon hearing it, Lavinia glanced at Miranda, surprised by her calm demeanor, as if discussing the weather.
“Oh, by the way, I need to attend classes for a few days.”
Lavinia was taken aback, and then thrilled. “What? Sweetheart, you’re finally going to school?!”
22:20
Chapter 149
Miranda didn’t quite understand Lavinia’s excitement but nodded nonetheless. Godmom had gone through the trouble of arranging her enrollment, so she might as well go.
Besides, the old Miranda had always dreamed of college; hence, she might as well make it come true. And her attending to the school gave her a chance to dig around for info about Cathy and Sunny. Though, that was more of a side quest. She didn’t necessarily need to be at school to investigate.
Lavinia was almost bouncing with excitement. “Fantastic! I can finally dress you up in the school outfits I’ve been planning!”
