"Alright then, call me one more time and I''ll sell you off."


    Crystal''s face fell.


    Miranda looked a picture of nonchnce. "Didn''t you say you wanted my


    approval? Well, you''ve got it."


    Crystal remained silent for a moment. "I''m sorry. I won''t give them your number anymore."


    Miranda went on, "Honestly, I think I''ve been holding you back. You deserve better."


    She paused for effect. "But not better than me, of course."


    Crystal was at a loss for words, realizing she shouldn''t have tangled with Miranda


    in the first ce. She decided to wisely steer the conversation elsewhere.


    "Hey, I heard from my aunt that the fake heiress got kicked out of her house today?"


    Miranda sneered, not pressing further.


    "Yeah, she''s out. But their ties aren''t so easy to sever. Remember, they''ve got dirt on each other," she said and straightened up, moving towards a small sapling.


    "Ever heard of the term ''breeding snakes''?"


    Crystal replied, "Yeah, sounds like something right out of a Dravak tale."


    Miranda touched the leaf of the sapling, pleased. "Well, Arabe''s the snake in this story."


    Meanwhile, in an apartment.


    "What are you doing here?" Arabe demanded, her face fell as the Zade family barged into her ce.


    Ethan eyed her. "So, you really got kicked out by the Hawke family?"


    Adam chimed in, urgencyced in his voice. "You actually got kicked out? You useless piece of work! I was counting on you to fix me up with a girlfriend! How did you let this happen?"


    Luna''s face turned sour with irritation. "What are we supposed to do now? What about your brother? How much money do you have left? Your four brothers must still be giving you money, right? If not, you''d better get some from them!"


    Adam pushed past Arabe, marching into her apartment. "Mom, Dad, she''s lying. Look at this ce! It''s way better than ours. I''ve decided I''m moving in here."


    Their currentndlord was constantly on their case, threatening eviction and leaving angry messages painted across their door.


    Now that they were deadbeats, their consumption wasrgely limited. Adam had dropped out of school, living off his parents, while the family relied heavily on Arabe''s handouts, which were bing increasingly scarce.


    The Zade trio pinned all their hope on Arabe, and when they heard that thetter was broke, they were desperate for an answer from their daughter.


    Ethan and Luna followed Adam inside, their previous harshness reced with a facade of familial warmth.


    "Oh, sweetie, I knew the Hawke


    family wouldn''t just kick you out. This apartment must cost a pretty penny. It''s just the right size for all of us. Since you''re here, as family, we certainly need to be together. We''ll move in tomorrow," Luna said with a sharine smile. "Your brother could use a nice ce like this for a marital home."


    Ethan made himselffortable on the couch, acting as if he owned the ce. "Yeah, having a daughter isn''t so bad after all. You''ve yed the daughter role for the Hawke family long enough; it''s time to give back to your real family."


    Adam grinned, making himself at home. "Sis, I''m taking this apartment. It''s not like the Hawke family will miss it. You can just ask for another one for Mom and Dad."


    The Zades seemed oblivious to the change of Arabe''s expression.


    "This is my apartment. It''s got nothing to do with you," she snapped, her voice frosty.


    Her hands clenched into fists as she stared down her so-called family, her heart bubbling with anger. She wished she could just make them disappear.


    Why did she have to be stuck with parents and a brother like them? Why did they even exist in her world? Why did they think they had the right to bleed her dry?


    "How dare you speak to us like that? What''s yours is ours. You''re just a girl, and you''re getting out of line. Listen up: you better not get any funny ideas. What''s the point of owning the house? Can you even pass down our lineage? You need think for your brother. You''ve got everything you have because we brought you into this world. What do you think you''re standing here for?" Luna''s tone turned from reprimand to threat. "You even think about abandoning your brother,


    abandoning us, and we''ll tell


    everyone how you spread rumors about Miranda!"