Chapter 55
When Sebastian dropped that line, Miranda finally realized he could be quite the tough cookie. After all, not just anyone would dare to provoke someone like Elian.
Elian’s grip on Miranda’s wrist was firm, keeping her rooted in place.
“Mr. Everhart, you’ve grown quite sharp–tongued since I last saw you,” Elian remarked with a chilly tone.
Sebastian chuckled. “I’m nothing compared to you, Mr. Ashcroft.”
William whispered something to Lavinia, who cast a glance at Elian and Sebastian. Her eyes sparkled with
interest.
This kind of showdown…
She quickly pulled out her phone to capture the rare moment, while William was like, “…”
Where was the fierce and no–nonsense President Lancaster he knew?
”
Miranda yanked her hand free, giving the two of them a look. “Why don’t you both just dance it out?” With that, she lifted her dress slightly and walked away.
What a headache. Why did they have to drag her into their squabble?
Elian withdrew his hand and watched her leave, a possessive, affectionate smirk playing on his lips. “That’s just how my sister is.”
Sebastian adjusted his glasses slightly, his eyes cool and calculating. “You two aren’t even related by blood, so let’s not play the relative card.”
It was no secret that Miranda was Lavinia’s adopted daughter. But what mattered was that Lavinia publicly recognized her as a Lancaster, making her a Lancaster through and through.
So, Miranda and Elian shared no blood ties.
Elian’s smile vanished, his voice dropping to an icy warning. “Don’t even think about it.”
But to Sebastian, his threatening words showed no effect. He gazed at Elian, his lips slightly tugged. “Why not?”
Elian’s gaze turned steely, his entire demeanor shifting.
After Miranda left, she was quickly surrounded by the Lancaster family’s relatives. Amidst their admiration and warmth, she spent the rest of the evening.
This was the night that truly cemented Miranda as the new darling of high society.
Meanwhile, a scandal involving the Hawke family became the talk of the town. Rumors swirled about Arabella being an impostor, just an adopted daughter.
The Hawkes neither confirmed nor denied the buzz, but Arabella wasted no time reporting and taking down any such posts she found. The last thing she wanted was for people to know her real parents were plain folks like Tim and Luna.
Dorian was using all his resources to dig into how Miranda ended up as a Lancaster. But no matter how hard he tired, he found nothing.
“She went straight to the Lancaster villa after getting out of jail,” Dorian mused. “But how did she even get the chance to meet Lavinia?”
Alistair shook his head. “It’s strange. For those three years before prison, she was always with us. We knew her every move. She never even went to events with us. How could she have met them?”
He frowned deeply. “And the person who picked her up after prison was President Lancaster’s secretary.”
00:22
Chapter 55
It was only at the previous night’s event that he recognized William and realized the Lancasters had fetched Miranda when she was released.
The two brothers were left scratching their heads, wondering what on earth had happened during Miranda’s imprisonment.
Miranda had dazzled at the event, sparking a mix of emotions in their hearts.
There was even a sense of… imbalance. As if something that should have belonged to them now belonged to someone else.
They’d always focused their attention on Arabella, never giving Miranda a second glance. Besides before, Miranda hadn’t been someone who’d attract attention, and even though she was their biological sister, they hadn’t actually cared for her.
But now.
Even they couldn’t help but be drawn to the brilliance she exuded. If only she hadn’t seemed set against targeting the Hawke family and Bella.
“Keep an eye on her from now on. I’m worried she might retaliate against our family and Bella, Dorian said lightly. “After last night, the other families might start distancing themselves from us because of the Lancasters.”
Alistair nodded absentmindedly. “Alright.”
He wanted to mention how uncomfortable it had been to hear Bella call Miranda an impostor. But he kept quiet after a moment of thought.
Bella was their beloved sister, after all. The four brothers had sworn to protect her no matter what happened in the future.
