"No idea, but I suspect it''s the handiwork of a PR firm."


    Sebastian tugged his lips, his gaze cool. "I got it. You can leave us."


    The subordinate pressed, "About who''s behind this..."


    Sebastian responded, "Just leave it."


    "Understood."


    Then he backed out of the room, his demeanour respectful.


    Jasper touched his face for the wounds. "Sebastian, are you really into that girl, huh?"


    Jasper had always thought Sebastian might just be mildly interested in Miranda. After all, the Sebastian


    he knew, even if there was someone he fancied, it wouldn''t likely be the adorable type.


    Miranda was gorgeous but barely a Lolita.


    Sebastian was already exuding the vibe of a powerful CEO at a young age; hisposed personality made people often overlook his actual age.


    Despite his youthful charm, there was still six years of age gap between Sebastian and Miranda, it was enough to raise some eyebrows.


    Jasper had always imagined Sebastian would go for someone more sophisticated, a ssic beauty. Sebastian shot Jasper a sidelong nce. "What, are you nning to report this to Elian?"


    Jasper felt speechless. "Hey, how would you say that? I''m just the messenger here. I didn''t say anything else."


    Elian''s message had already been delivered by Jasper, but it seemed to have no effect on Sebastian. He merely shrugged it off with a dismissivement. "Elian''s arrogance is still as irritating as ever."


    And that was it. However, Jasper could sense the underlying challenge in Sebastian''s words.


    Sebastian swiveled his chair behind to face therge floor-to-ceiling window and strode over there in his long legs, his silhouette reflected in the ss. The reflection of his refined features looked as if it was cloaked in ayer of frost.


    "When Elian asks me to recognize my own ability, it''s really himself he''s worried about," Sebastian muttered, his gaze behind the sses chilly, his voiceced with sarcasm. "Turns out Elian does have fears after all.''


    But this time, Sebastian wasn''t nning to back down.


    Jasper squinted, pondering this unexpected rivalry. Could these two really be shing over a girl?


    Meanwhile, thanks to some drama involving the whole "real vs. fake heiress" situation and some scandalous rumors about the Hawke brothers, the Hawke family had tounch a massive PR campaign.


    They released a statement


    acknowledging Arabe as their adopted daughter, affirming her ce in the family, and rifying that Miranda was their biological daughter. They spun it perfunctorily as a simple misunderstanding, iming that they''d treated Arabe as their own, and Miranda was just feeling a bit exasperated and jealous.


    Arabe, too, posted, "Sorry to disappoint everyone."


    Her fans were devastated. Many who had admired her for her supposed status as the cherished heiress turned their backs, feeling betrayed.


    "I can''t believe the heiress I admired was a fake all along! I feel like being deceived."


    "A cherished and pampered heiress, huh? Everything was a lie. It''s like I''ve been living a dream." "Pretending to be something you''re not! Those ''brothers'' you unted aren''t even yours. How can you live with yourself? Aren''t you feel sorry to Miranda?"