Everyone assumed Lavinia didn''t like kids and was staunchly against marriage, so it came as quite a surprise when she decided to take on a goddaughter.


    Elian shook his head. "Not really."


    He knew who she was, but they indeed weren''t close.


    Celeste shot a re at Miranda before turning back to Elian, looking rather unhappy. "Eli, did you forget me? Back at the neighborhood, I used to y with you all the time."


    Elian took a small step closer to Miranda, frowning. "Don''t call me that. We just know each other, not that well. Don''t act like we''re close."


    In his youth, he had indeed encountered this girl. She was the granddaughter of one of his grandfather''s colleagues. They all grew up in the same neighborhood.


    So yes, he knew her. But Elian had always hung out with the boys, being somewhat of a lone wolf. His interests never aligned with the girls'', and he found them more of a nuisance. He never really enjoyed ying with the girls from the neighborhood.


    This Celeste - he remembered her. She often crashed his fun. So he didn''t like Celeste; in fact, she kind of annoyed him.


    Celeste looked at Elian for a while, pursing her lips in a pout. So many years had passed. Why did Eli still give her that same look of disdain every time he saw her?


    She used to think Eli acted this way because he liked her, the way boys in their teens often teased the girls they had a crush on. But after all these years, why was he still like this?


    Miranda nced at Elian, then at Celeste.


    "Your ex?"


    Elian''s face turned dark in an instant. "Your ex."


    Miranda was left speechless. Seriously?


    Celeste was at a loss. Caius and Hannah were equally speechless. What were they doing? Did they really despise Celeste that much?


    Elian quickly added in a quieter


    voice, "She was the neighbor kid


    who''d run to my house and tattle


    whenever I was out ying, always


    getting me in trouble with my


    parents. Seeing her just irritates me."


    swn y


    Miranda went silent. She wondered how Elian managed any sess with women. Was it really just his looks?


    Celeste''s gaze flickered with a hint


    of jealousy as she looked at Miranda. She tilted her chin slightly, ready to pick a fight with Miranda. "You must be Miranda, the one Ms. Lavinia Lancaster adopted?"


    Miranda grinned. "Yep, that''s me, her goddaughter."


    When Miranda smiled like that, she looked like a sweet, innocent little girl. Many photographers couldn''t help but snap away at her in those moments.


    Celeste was a bit envious of Miranda''splexion. How was her skin so wless? Even up close, there were no visible pores.


    She must have had some cosmetic procedures! Hmph, she''d heard Miranda used to have it rough, but now that Lavinia adopted her, she had everything.


    "Don''t go unting that you''re Ms.


    Lavinia Lancaster''s adopted daughter," Celeste said, her tone dripping with the attitude of someone used to getting what they want. "You''re just lucky she took you in. Don''t think just because you''re Ms. Lavinia Lancaster''s daughter that you can spend her money however you like. That''s her hard-earned money, not yours. What do you think you''re doing unting it?"


    For someone like Celeste with her status, she was used to speaking her mind with whoever she pleased,


    so she didn''t hold back with Miranda either.


    Hannah stepped forward, wanting to say something in Miranda''s defense, but thetter held her back.