Liza was packing up after class when her phone vibrated. Glancing at the screen, she raised an eyebrow. It was a message from Gavin, the man she could barely tolerate. To her surprise, he claimed he had a "special surprise" for her the next day. A small laugh escaped her lips. A surprise? Knowing Gavin, it was more likely to be something unnerving than delightful. She sighed, tucking her phone away and preparing to leave the classroom when a commotion outside caught her attention. “Serena, what’s wrong? Don’t cry! Did someone bully you?” The concerned voices of a few female students filtered into the room. Serena stood outside, leaning against the wall, her delicate features marred by tears. She sniffled weakly, her sorrowful demeanor drawing sympathy from the onlookers. “I didn’t mean to do anything wrong,” Serena whispered tearfully. “It’s my sister—she’s been wronged. I just wanted to apologize to her.”Ava, one of the students comforting her, stomped her foot angrily. “Why do you always defend that Liza? You treat her like family, but does she treat you the same way? I heard she caused trouble for Sinclair Corporation! Didn’t she offend an important business partner and refuse to apologize? Now your family has to clean up her mess again.” A murmur of agreement spread among the students. Rumors had been circulating that Sinclair Corporation’s finances were shaky and that someone had offended a significant client. Now, it seemed Liza was the culprit. Although she had moved out of the Sinclair family home and distanced herself from them, trouble still followed her—and it was always the Sinclair family who had to deal with the fallout. Serena sighed softly, her voice filled with a mix of helplessness and sadness. “My sister didn’t mean any harm. She’s been living on her own for so long and doesn’t always understand what’s appropriate. She’s the eldest daughter now, but she still acts recklessly. My father always forgives her, though, and cleans up after her. One day, when my father is too tired to manage things, I’ll be there to shoulder the responsibility.” Her gentle words struck a chord with the surrounding students. They couldn’t help but admire her. “She’s such a kind and forgiving sister,” someone whispered. “If only I had a sibling like her!” “How can Liza not cherish her? Serena is an angel!” another added, shaking their head in disbelief. From her vantage point, Liza watched the scene unfold, her lips curling into a wry smile. She thought to herself, Please, take her off my hands. I’ll even gift-wrap her for you. Why would I cherish a sister who plots against me at every turn and sometimes seems like she wants me dead? Do I look like I have a death wish? Just as Liza was entertaining these thoughts, Serena spotted her. With a sudden burst of energy, she pushed through the small crowd and approached Liza, her tear-streaked face filled with remorse. “Sister, I’m so sorry,” Serena said softly, her voice trembling with emotion. “I didn’t handle things well earlier. Can you forgive me?” Liza arched a brow, watching her younger sister’s overly dramatic apology. She wasn’t sure what game Serena was playing this time. To outsiders, Serena had already perfected her image. She was universally adored on campus, praised as the epitome of kindness, grace, and beauty. Her reputation was untarnished, so why was she suddenly making such an effort to involve Liza in her act? Serena, noticing the clear impatience in Liza’s expression, quickly added in a soft, gentle voice, “Sister, don’t worry. I’m not asking you to forgive me right away. I just wanted to sincerely apologize for my actions. It’s okay if you don’t accept it, but I would still like to make it up to you. Would you consider that?” Her eyes shimmered with innocence, resembling a helpless deer. This display caused the surrounding students to brim with sympathy. Many silently wished they could intervene, forcing Liza to accept the apology for Serena’s sake. But none dared to take such bold action. Liza’s commanding presence was far too intimidating. Her sharp gaze made their courage falter, leaving them to helplessly sigh about how compassionate and kind Serena was compared to her cold and detached sister. Liza smirked faintly, amusement flickering in her eyes. The irony of the situation didn’t escape her. It had been Serena’s actions that warranted an apology in the first place, and yet, if Liza didn’t respond in kind, she would somehow become the villain in everyone’s eyes. Serena had expertly crafted the illusion that she wasn’t imposing, yet her words and actions subtly cornered Liza into an unspoken obligation. “Not forcing me,” Liza mused internally. “What a skilled act of manipulation.” Crossing her arms, she replied lazily, “Alright, what kind of compensation are you talking about? Money? A store? Surely you don’t think I’ll believe you’re giving me something worthwhile.”Her tone was deliberately sarcastic, designed to irk Serena. Liza knew her sister and stepmother believed that everything in the Sinclair family belonged exclusively to them. They would never willingly part with anything of real value. But the next words out of Serena’s mouth took her completely by surprise. “Sister…” Serena began, her voice soft and delicate, as if she were shy about what she was about to say. “The head of the Stone Family personally invited me and Brother Brandon to Longwan Residential as guests. Since Brother Brandon and I are about to be married, I think the patriarch might want to meet me. But…” She hesitated for effect, her lashes fluttering like she was nervous. “I feel so shy about going alone. Would you accompany me? Please?” For a moment, there was a stunned silence. The gathered students blinked, processing what they had just heard. “Longwan Residential?” one of them finally whispered in awe. “The head of the Stone Family? He invited Serena to his estate?” another gasped.The murmurs quickly grew louder as disbelief rippled through the group. Liza, however, was frozen in place. Her mind reeled at Serena’s audacity. Longwan Residential. Gavin. Her lips twitched as she fought the urge to let out a string of expletives. “This girl really knows how to play her cards,” she thought, her amusement fading into irritation.