Liza’s lips curved into a sly smile. “I’ve never been to such a grand event. Can’t I go and broaden my horizons?” Gavin’s response was a low chuckle, his eyes shifting away, seemingly amused by her mischief. Later, after heading upstairs, Liza stepped onto the balcony and dialed a familiar number. The call connected quickly. “Liza! You’ve finally remembered you have a brother!” a lively voice teased from the other end. “You said you’d be gone for a few months, yet you vanished without a word. Do you know how furious Master was? He was so angry he threatened to expel you!” Liza froze, speechless. Her brother, sensing her silence, softened his tone and added with a chuckle, “Don’t worry. You know how Master is—he says he’ll expel you, but in the end, it’s us who have to bear the brunt of his anger. He can’t bring himself to actually punish you.”Liza scratched the back of her head, feeling a twinge of guilt. “Brother, are you free? I need your help with something.” “If it’s you asking, of course, I’m free. What do you need?” “Someone’s made a fake version of Time Flows, and it’s going to be showcased at a banquet at Mingfeng Hotel next week. I can’t reveal my identity right now, so I need you to step in for me.” Her Brother’s tone turned icy with indignation. “A counterfeit of Time Flows? Who would dare fake Ruby Co’s work?! Don’t worry, Little Sister. I’ll be there, and I’ll handle this!” Relieved, Liza ended the call, her thoughts shifting back to Sophia. Although Sophia and Gavin were not engaged, the woman’s constant provocations were pushing Liza’s patience to its limits. A confrontation seemed inevitable. Meanwhile, at the Reed Family residence, the atmosphere was tense. Madam Reed paced the room, her anger barely contained. “That little witch actually dared to throw you out of the Stone family villa? You’re Gavin’s fiancée—the future mistress of the Stone family! If that country girl had any sense, she’d be kneeling at your feet, begging for your favor. Instead, she humiliated you! Outrageous!” Sophia’s face was tear-streaked as she sobbed pitifully. “It’s not just that, Mother. Liza stole Brother Gavin and mocks me at every turn. And now, people at Li City University are even saying she’s Ruby Co!” Her voice trembled with bitterness. “If she really is Ruby Co, it’s no wonder she looks down on me. But if that’s true, our family’s plans to enter the fashion industry will face significant challenges.” Madam Reed’s expression darkened, a sinister glint flashing in her eyes. “Ruby Co? Nonsense! How could someone like her possibly be Ruby Co? She probably made up that lie to impress the naive students at the university.” Sophia hesitated, her gaze uncertain. “But what if she really is Ruby Co? Won’t it expose the dress we bought?” Madam Reed waved her hand dismissively, her confidence unwavering. “You’re overthinking it. The dress was resold through legitimate channels. Even if Ruby Co herself shows up, she won’t suspect a thing. The imitation is flawless—nobody will notice it’s not genuine. Everything will proceed as planned.” Her lips curled into a smug smile. “In fact, invite Liza to the banquet. Let her see the dress for herself. When the truth comes out, she’ll be humiliated in front of everyone. It’ll serve as a perfect opportunity to embarrass her. Who knows? Gavin might find her so disgraceful that he’ll divorce her!” … The next morning, when Liza arrived at the university, she learned that Judith had taken a week-long leave. At Li City University, taking leave was no casual matter. Unless the situation was serious, such extended time off was rarely approved. It was clear that yesterday’s incident had deeply impacted Judith. But what did that have to do with Liza? She brushed it off and headed toward her classroom.From a distance, she noticed Serena standing with a group of classmates, holding onto Brandon’s arm. Their voices carried over, loud enough for her to hear. “Serena, your older sister—the one brought back from the countryside—seems to be quite something. She made Judith apologize and even had the class monitor threaten her. Poor Judith was so scared she had to take a leave of absence,” one student remarked, sneering. Another chimed in, turning to Serena with a smile. “Serena, you’re so kind-hearted. You’re nothing like her. Mr. Brandon is lucky to be with someone as sweet and gentle as you.” The group chuckled knowingly. It was an unspoken truth among the students that Brandon was initially supposed to marry Liza. However, in everyone’s eyes, Brandon and Serena were the perfect couple. Liza? She didn’t even belong in the same league. Serena’s lips curled into a self-satisfied smile. Despite the university issuing her a warning and a punishment for her previous actions, Serena’s reputation among the students remained untarnished. Many viewed her as a symbol of warmth and grace. Some even rationalized her earlier behavior, suggesting that her bias against Liza was understandable. After all, they claimed, anyone would be upset to see their estranged sister stepping out of an unfamiliar older man’s car. These students had generously forgiven her, convinced of her innocence. Feigning concern, Serena spoke in a soft, soothing voice, her eyes brimming with mock sincerity. “Don’t say that about my sister. She’s not as bad as you think. She’s just had a different upbringing, that’s all. Once she adjusts to our way of life, you’ll see she’s actually a really good person.” A mocking laugh came from one of the students. “A good person? Please!” Another student snorted. “A crow will always be a crow, no matter how much it pretends to be a phoenix. Liza is petty and vindictive. Serena, you should steer clear of her. Don’t let her drag you down to her level.” Serena cast her gaze downward, her expression one of helpless sorrow, though the satisfaction gleaming in her eyes told another story.