Liza glanced at Mason and noticed the distant, puzzled look on his face. It was clear his thoughts had wandered somewhere far away. She sighed lightly, withdrawing her extended leg and stepping closer to Serena. Her sharp eyes locked onto Serena’s, her voice calm but cutting. “Where did you get the idea that I would plead for someone who tried to harm me?” Liza asked, her tone laced with sarcasm. She tilted her head slightly, her expression cold and unwavering. “More importantly, wasn’t it you who encouraged Judith to attack me? If anyone owes an apology, it’s you.” Without breaking eye contact, Liza raised her hand and gently lifted Serena’s chin. Her gaze carefully traced every flicker of emotion on her half-sister’s face, savoring the subtle shifts in her expression. “You told Judith I’d had plastic surgery, didn’t you? Hoping to humiliate me?” Liza said, her words precise and deliberate. “But we both know that’s not true. After all, we saw each other just two days ago at the instrument shop. Do you really think any surgeon could perform such a miracle in that short amount of time?” The room grew quiet as her words sank in. Mason, who had been listening from the side, blinked in disbelief. “Plastic surgery?” he muttered to himself, glancing at Liza’s face. It was flawless, and it didn’t take a genius to see she hadn’t needed any enhancement. He frowned, confused. “Why would Sister Liza even consider plastic surgery?” The surrounding crowd started whispering, and their eyes now turned suspiciously toward Serena. The once-sympathetic glances she had been receiving vanished, replaced with judgmental stares. Her composure began to crumble under the weight of their scrutiny. Serena felt her legs weaken. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go! The plan was for Liza to lose face in front of everyone, not for the tables to turn like this. Desperation flared in her chest, and she bit her lip, forcing a look of pitiful innocence onto her face. “Sister, I… I’m sorry,” Serena stammered, her voice trembling as if she were on the verge of tears. “I was just so surprised by how different you looked. I didn’t mean to give anyone the wrong impression. I never tried to mislead anyone into thinking you’d had surgery…” Before Liza could respond, Brandon stormed into the room. His face was flushed with anger as he hurriedly smacked Liza’s hand away from Serena’s face and stood protectively in front of her. “Liza! Are you picking on Serena again?” Brandon barked. His glare was filled with rage. “Why are you always so cruel and vicious?” Mason, who had been watching quietly, finally stepped forward, unable to hold back his frustration. “Brandon, are you even listening to yourself right now? Do you even know what happened, or are you just here to point fingers?” he snapped, his tone full of disbelief. Brandon’s anger turned to confusion when he recognized Mason. “Wait… Mason? What are you doing here?” Mason rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Seriously? If I weren’t here, you and your little gang would’ve bullied Liza into the ground by now.” He crossed his arms and added, “And don’t call me ‘Mason.’ We’re not friends.” Brandon looked startled by his words. “But Mason, you don’t understand! Liza is nothing but trouble. You shouldn’t trust her. She’s—” Mason didn’t let him finish. Rolling up his sleeves, he stepped closer to Brandon with a fierce glare. “Didn’t I just tell you to stop calling me Mason? And what’s all this nonsense about Liza being trouble? You want to talk about trouble? Look in the mirror—your whole family’s a walking disaster!” Before the argument could escalate further, Liza’s calm voice cut through the tension. “Mason,” she said simply, her tone firm but not harsh. Mason froze, the fire in his eyes dimming immediately. He glanced at Liza, then at his rolled-up sleeves, realizing she was subtly telling him to back down. With a sheepish grin, he slowly let his hands drop and took a step back, retreating to stand behind her.“Alright, alright. No fighting,” he muttered under his breath. He cast a sideways glance at Brandon and mumbled, “But you better count yourself lucky that Liza doesn’t want me to teach you a lesson.” Liza didn’t acknowledge his remark. Her focus remained on Serena and the crowd, her expression calm yet commanding. The silence in the room was heavy, but it was clear to everyone present who held the upper hand. Brandon was taken aback. Mason was well-known for his special status, which gave him the freedom to act recklessly in school. He was arrogant, unapologetic, and disregarded others entirely. It was only through his uncle, Gavin, that Brandon managed to associate with him. But now, something unexpected was happening between Mason and Liza. With just one calm statement, Liza had silenced Mason. Her gaze remained indifferent as she said, "Mr. Brandon, if you continue making false accusations, expect a lawyer's letter." Hearing this, Brandon was reminded of the incident at the musical instrument shop, causing his expression to stiffen briefly. Nearby, Serena’s face turned pale. Tugging lightly on Brandon’s sleeve, she said in a soft voice, “Brother Brandon, my sister is also participating in this fashion design competition. Could you check if her registration went through? It’s her first time entering such a competition, and I’m worried she might have made a mistake…” Brandon chuckled and turned to her, affectionately tweaking her nose. “Oh? Your sister’s joining the fashion design competition?” He smiled faintly, then added, “I just heard some big news. Master Ruby co is going to be one of the judges for this event. What do you think? Are you excited to finally meet Master Ruby co, being their only disciple?” His words made Serena’s eyes light up. Though she’d already caught wind of this, it wasn’t confirmed until now. Hearing it from Brandon made her nearly certain. “Really? Master is actually coming?!” Serena asked, barely able to contain her excitement. Around them, the other students, overhearing the conversation, were equally thrilled. Master Ruby co’s presence at the competition was monumental. They all resolved to give their best performance, hoping to catch the esteemed designer’s attention. However, their excitement was tinged with envy as they looked at Serena. While they were all vying for a chance to stand out, Serena was already the disciple of Master Ruby co—a distinction that felt unfair to them. Meanwhile, Mason, who had been listening quietly, glanced at Liza with a puzzled expression. Something wasn’t adding up. When did Liza take Serena as her disciple? “Sister Liza?” he whispered, gently nudging her arm. Without even looking at him, Liza seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. She replied casually, “Don’t worry, I don’t accept malicious disciples like that.” Her words were calm but sharp, cutting through the charade. Mason’s confusion turned into a sly smile as he realized the truth, while Serena’s face paled further, her confidence visibly shaken.