"I have you two, and that's more than enough. The world may be cold and indifferent, but it's not worth letting it upset me," Linara said casually, her words carrying a sense of calm, though her eyes lingered on the three of them with a quiet, sincere gratitude. "Dora's been getting awfully close to Seraphina lately," Carmen murmured, her voice soft as she watched Dora and Evelyn walk into the sophomore Class 6 classroom together. "Dora's just a fair-weather friend, always changing with the wind," came the biting reply. "Let's not talk about them anymore," Linara said gently, her voice thin and fragile as if each word was weighed down by an unseen burden. Carmen's gaze lingered on the lonely figure of Linara, then shifted to Seraphina, who was surrounded by a small crowd of admirers inside the classroom. A flicker of jealousy flashed in her eyes."For next week's birthday party," Carmen began, lowering her voice to a whisper, "I have the perfect idea to make Seraphina the center of attention." She placed extra emphasis on the last words, her tone laced with a subtle but cruel satisfaction. The others leaned in, curiosity lighting up their faces. "What do you have in mind?" Kelly asked eagerly, unable to hide her excitement. Carmen led them to a quiet corner, and in hushed tones, she shared her plan. At the most intriguing parts, Kelly and Abigail erupted into gleeful giggles, their faces flushed with anticipation. "Carmen, you're brilliant. Once this plan goes into motion, she'll be the biggest joke in high society," Abigail said, clapping her hands with delight. "Haha, I can't wait to 'celebrate' her birthday," Kelly added, her grin wide with mischievous pleasure.A spark of excitement flickered deep within Linara's eyes. It was a plan she had considered herself but never dared to voice. Now that Carmen had spoken it out loud, it felt flawless. "Isn't this a bit too much? I'm worried my dad… he might get really mad," Linara murmured, her voice faltering as she bit her lower lip, a faint expression of reluctance playing on her face. "Did you forget how your dad treated you? Stop worrying about your family's reputation," Carmen snapped, her patience thinning. "He doesn't even consider you his daughter anymore. Why care about his reputation?" Kelly added firmly, her voice leaving no room for argument. With each of them urging her on, Linara finally nodded in silent agreement, her hesitation slowly dissolving under their persuasion. After they had left, a shadow fell from above. Shane silently descended from his vantage point, his cold, piercing gaze following the direction in which the four had disappeared. A faint, chilling smile tugged at his lips as he watched them go. While Linara and her friends schemed in the shadows, the Hall Family wasn't about to let things unfold without taking action. Ever since Bryan's assault, they had reached a frustrating standstill. Without evidence, even the law couldn't touch Seraphina. The problem was that Seraphina had been too careful, striking in ways no one could trace. There were matters Jacob couldn't directly intervene in, but his wife had no such hesitations. At a gathering of society's elite, Melody made her intentions known without hesitation. "Anyone who attends Seraphina's birthday party will no longer be considered my friend," she stated plainly. The ladies, well-versed in the intricacies of power and influence, understood immediately. It was clear now—the Hall and Whitewood families were at war. Melody's declaration rippled through the upper echelons of the city's social and business circles, compelling enterprises to choose sides. Would they align with Whitewood Group or Hall Corporation? Neutrality was no longer an option. "Darling, I just heard something," Chloe sighed as she paced the living room, her face clouded with worry. "Mrs. Hall is warning people not to attend our party. This whole situation could have been resolved so easily. If Seraphina had just apologized back then, we wouldn't be in this mess with the Hall Family. We're losing millions over this, millions!" Her voice rose with frustration as she turned toward her husband. "Shouldn't we make Seraphina apologize and smooth things over? There's still time to fix this." "You don't understand," Oberon snapped, his tone sharp and final. "Stop meddling." Chloe flinched, a flash of hurt crossing her face. She couldn't understand the hold Seraphina seemed to have on her husband, making him disregard the massive losses they were facing."The Hall Family may be the richest, but we aren't far behind," Oberon declared, his voice laced with defiance. He refused to believe that no one would attend their event. In situations like this, whoever bowed first would lose the upper hand.