After all, it was all about money. Seraphina once yearned deeply for the care and warmth of those around her. Whenever she gave money, they would shower her with affection and kindness—the kind she craved. Even though she always knew that their warmth and concern were tied to their own self-interests, she had willingly accepted it. Back then, in her naivety, she believed that her sincerity would eventually be reciprocated and that they would truly treat her as family. Nevertheless, the lessons of her previous life had made one thing painfully clear—falsehood remained falsehood. They could feign care and warmth for the sake of money, just as they could betray her for the same reason. "Your past kindness to me has already been repaid in full. If there's nothing else, don't contact me again," Seraphina said coldly.Coline, enraged by her unfeeling words, snapped, "Do you believe I won't tell the reporters outside that you're an ungrateful wretch?" "Do as you wish." Then, the call ended abruptly. Coline, veins bulging on her forehead, exploded in fury as she hurled curses. Thankfully, there were no other patients in the hospital ward to witness her outburst. … The next morning, just as the first light crept through the window, Seraphina was startled awake by the shrill ring of her phone. "Evelyn!" she growled through gritted teeth upon recognizing the caller. Unfazed by her irritation, Evelyn's voice carried a mix of urgency and concern as she said, "Something big has happened. The Lewis family is smearing your name online, and now you're being vilified across the internet. I bet there's a mob of reporters camping outside your apartment. You'd better not go to school today. If they can't get you at home, they'll definitely show up at the school." Seraphina glanced at the clock—it was only 6:30 a.m. Her voice remained calm and unhurried as she replied, "Got it." After ending the call, she opened her browser. It didn't take long to find the news. The story had escalated from the initial short video to a dramatic interview with Coline. Tears streamed down Coline's face as she accused Seraphina of being heartless and ungrateful. She earned widespread sympathy online. As Seraphina scrolled through the comments section, her gaze swept over the remarks. The reactions were overwhelmingly one-sided, with people condemning her for being an ungrateful opportunist and a callous rich girl. Some commenters went as far as to hurl curses and personal attacks, their words laced with malice.Unperturbed, Seraphina closed the browser and tossed her phone aside. Her expression remained calm, devoid of anger, as if nothing had happened. … At the Heartlake Island of Pyrin, Evelyn, clutching her phone, marched up to Jason's door and knocked. However, there was no response. "Mr. Scott, where's Uncle Jason?" Evelyn asked in frustration. Oliver smiled kindly. "Mr. Jason left early this morning for an overseas trip. He's expected back in a week. If there's anything urgent, you can call him." Evelyn stomped her feet in exasperation. "How annoying! When I need him, he's not around. What's the point of having him?" Oliver chuckled, entirely unaware of what had riled her up so much. …In an elegantly lit dining room in Duskmire, Thomas strode in confidently. His assistant had already prepared breakfast. As he sat down, his assistant leaned in and said softly, "Thomas, something's bad." "What is it?" Thomas asked as he raised an eyebrow. "It's about Miss Whitewood. It seems she's being smeared all over the internet. Some people have even dug up her personal information. It looks like things will be rough for her in the coming days." Ever since the assistant had noticed Thomas' unusual interest in Seraphina, he had made it a point to keep tabs on her. This morning, the news about Seraphina was impossible to miss. Thomas put down his fork and picked up his phone, logging into the news platform. His expression darkened as he watched the video and scanned the vile comments below. A vein throbbed on his temple as his face grew menacingly cold.