She spoke with a fierce sense of justice, as if she were the only one willing to stand up for Zoey.

Katelyn’s gaze turned cold. “Really, is that so?” She strode toward Lise.

A hint of unease appeared in Lise’s eyes. The numerous painful lessons from her past had taken away her bravery, leaving her unable to face Katelyn head-on. The only thing she could do was come up with small ways to make things difficult for Katelyn from a distance.

Suppressing her fear with a hard swallow, Lise asked in a shaky voice, “Katelyn, what exactly are you trying to accomplish?”

Katelyn’s response came with a taunting smirk. “Didn’t you just rush to call yourself a hero? Why stop now?”

A flash of resentment ignited in Lise’s eyes, betraying the anger she struggled to hide. It seemed to Lise that Katelyn had always been playing her for a fool, toying with her emotions.

Katelyn maintained a calm yet overpowering presence. Her indifferent look imposed a weight so heavy that even Zoey forgot her rehearsed words.

Katelyn turned to Zoey, her voice slow as she asked, “And what about you? Are you really sure you want to keep pretending to be the victim here?”

Her casual words sharply revealed the irony of the truth. Everyone around quickly understood the dynamics at play. The looks that had once been filled with sympathy for Zoey soon shifted to expressions of clear disgust. The murmured judgments felt like physical blows to Zoey’s pride, humiliating her as though she were exposed.

The crowd’s scornful eyes nearly pushed her to the brink of madness. Would she always be subjected to such scrutiny?

Ignoring the crowd, Katelyn walked back to Vincent. Vincent, who had been watching closely, spoke thoughtfully. His gaze was deep as he calmly said, “You should let her go. Keeping her around could bring you trouble.”

“Okay,” Katelyn replied, her thoughts drifting back through the years to when she first met Zoey.

g?ν.?n – ?

Katelyn’s memory brought her to a group photo of underprivileged children lined up for sponsorship. Zoey, small and weak, was tucked away in the corner. Despite being the same age as the others, Zoey was noticeably shorter, her eyes wide with fear yet bravely attempting a smile for the camera.

This image stirred something in Katelyn, inspiring her to offer Zoey support for the next ten years. Katelyn had never sought gratitude from Zoey; she simply hoped to help her find a way out of the mountains and build her own life. Yet, Zoey’s recent actions had deeply soured Katelyn’s feelings. Her good mood had already faded, and Katelyn no longer had any interest in the rest of the banquet.

When Katelyn finally returned home, it was almost ten o’clock at night. Seated at her vanity, Katelyn began to wipe away her makeup. Meanwhile, Zoey had already shed her glittering gown. She looked at Katelyn, her face pale, and said, “Katelyn, did tonight upset you? You can yell or punish me, but please don’t kick me out. I promise to avoid such foolish mistakes in the future.”

Without meeting Zoey’s eyes, Katelyn responded while staring into the mirror, “This isn’t about just tonight. My patience is thinning. I chose to sponsor you out of goodwill, not obligation. You’ve graduated; it’s time you face life on your own.”

Zoey’s level of scheming was nothing compared to Lise’s. Katelyn had endured her behavior as long as she could, driven by a lingering sense of old affection. Yet, even the strongest of bonds could eventually start to untangle.

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