However, not long after their conversation in the study, the news broke out about the Zade family causing a scene at the Lancaster Group''s headquarters.


    The media was in a frenzy, buzzing with discussions about how much Arabe, Tim, and Luna''s son looked alike.


    When Arabe stumbled upon these discussions, it felt like her world was crumbling.


    "Arabe looks more like she''s part of the Zade family."


    "Could Arabe be the long-lost daughter of the Zades?"


    "Come to think of it, Arabe doesn''t really resemble the four Hawke boys at all."


    Arabe had originally nned for the Zade trio to go to Lavinia and speak ill of Miranda, hoping to turn Lavinia against her. It was a tactic she had sessfully used in the past to make the Hawke family dislike Miranda.


    But she never expected these three useless fools to blow things out of proportion and end up getting detained!


    She nced at her phone, staring at the selfie of herself. No matter how much makeup she applied, she couldn''t escape the features that tied her to her past.


    In frustration, she hurled the phone to the ground. "Useless idiots!"


    The Zade family constantly pestered her for money, showing up wherever she was, as if someone had tipped them off.


    They''d corner her, pleading for funds for their son''s schooling and medical bills, like persistent pests she couldn''t shake off. She even suspected they had somehow nted a tracker on her.


    To avoid them causing a scene in front of her friends, she''d end up giving them money every time. Seeing Miranda''s smug demeanor infuriated her, prompting her to send the Zades to confront President Lancaster, hoping that damn Miranda would fall out of favor with Lavinia.


    Arabe figured Miranda must have used some trick to be part of the Lancaster family. She wanted Miranda''s adoptive parents to emerge because whatever lies Miranda had spun would unravel in the face of truth. And then, she hoped, Miranda would be cast out by the Lancasters.


    But she hadn''t anticipated the bacsh affecting her as well.


    Dinner that night at the Hawke household was a tense affair, shrouded in an ufortable silence. The four brothers all ate in silence.


    Arabe had hoped her brothers would bring up the incident at the shooting range, but Alistair seemed disinclined to start the conversation.


    Just as Arabe was about to speak, Orion broke the silence. "Everyone''s specting online that Be isn''t really a Hawke. Mom, Dad, how do you n to handle this?"


    Mr. and Mrs. Hawke were well aware of the rumors. The content was unsettling, especially since Arabe was officially their daughter.


    Hearing people say she resembled


    those three scumbags from the Zade family was naturally troubling for them. After all, those three were Arabetta''s biological parents, disgraceful enough to have been detained.


    Alistair set down his fork. "Maybe we should just release a statement and tell everyone Be is our


    adopted daughter. That way, we won''t have to deal with any more of this nonsense."


    The suggestion left everyone at the table with mixed reactions.


    Lysander chimed in, "Alistair, isn''t


    that a bit harsh? We''ve kept this secret for so long. Suddenly revealing Be as adopted might not be fair to her. Plus, it indirectly acknowledges her connection to the Zades."


    Mrs. Hawke frowned. "I have no desire to be associated with the Zade family."


    Arabe''s face turned pale at these words. Her eyes reddened, tears streaming down.


    "I don''t know what they''ll think of me." her voice was hoarse, and Alden and Grace assumed it was due to her distress, not probing further into her pain.