As time passed, public opinion shifted from targeting Seraphina to condemning the Whitewood Group. This was the very reason why Oberon was so angry. Anyone who caused harm to the company's interests was to blame. Seraphina set her utensils down, her expression calm as she met his furious gaze. "Just because someone lashes out at you, does that make it your fault?" she asked coolly, her voice steady. Chloe, her tone soft but firm, replied, "Seraphina, while the other party was certainly rude, your actions were somewhat misguided. She only asked for 100,000, a sum we can easily afford." "There's no need to blow this out of proportion," she continued, her voice taking on a more conciliatory edge. "Making a scene will only make us the laughingstock of others, and damage the family's reputation. People who don't know the full story might think we can't even afford a hundred thousand. You understand the consequences this could have on your father's company, don't you? I'm struggling to understand why you're so adamant about this." Oberon nodded, his expression stern. In the end, this was a matter of Seraphina mishandling things. To cause such a scandal over a mere hundred thousand was unnecessary and reckless. "If this affects the Whitewood Group's stock prices, there will be consequences," he added, his voice heavy with anger. "Your mother's right. I've always believed you were sensible, but this time, you've acted impulsively. Surely you have the hundred thousand?" Oberon asked, his frustration barely contained. Seraphina turned her gaze to the couple, her voice indifferent as she responded, "Instead of criticizing me, why don't we focus on solving the problem? Time is money, and the longer we delay, the worse it will be for the company. Surely you both understand that?" Chloe shot her a sharp look, clearly irritated. "You, child, always pointing out our faults. Your father has already contacted the PR department to handle this." "I'd like to know how they plan to handle it," Seraphina replied, her curiosity piqued. "You don't need to worry about that. For the next few days, just stay at home. Don't go to school," Chloe instructed firmly. Oberon stood and made his way to the door, but just before he exited, he turned to face Seraphina, his eyes cold and unyielding. "Contact the Drakon Family and the Foster Family immediately. Don't let them think you're ungrateful." Once he left, Chloe let out a deep sigh, her expression shifting to one of seriousness. "Seraphina," she began, her voice carrying a note of urgency, "the Drakon Family and the Foster Family are both crucial to our standing. You cannot afford to offend them. Contact them immediately and smooth things over. If you let that relationship cool, your father will be very upset." Seraphina met her mother's gaze, her voice low and edged with disdain. "Are you telling me my only value is to maintain the relationship with those two families?"Chloe's eyes widened in feigned surprise. "How could you think that way? Your father is doing this for your own good. Now go, don't throw a tantrum. If you don't explain things to them, it will only make matters worse," she urged, her voice dripping with false concern. Seraphina couldn't suppress the scoff that rose from within. It was all too clear—they wanted her to react, to refuse to contact the two families, to give them a reason to chastise her. At times, she wondered how her mother could harbor such disdain for her. Seraphina understood that Chloe shared a bond with Linara, shaped by sixteen years of closeness, but why did that bond exclude her? Why was it that her mother's coldness seemed to always target her? It left Seraphina feeling alienated and disconnected. And sometimes, she couldn't help but question her place in this family—whether she was even truly their daughter. Yet, the more she thought about it, the clearer it became. She knew Oberon well enough to understand that if she weren't his biological child, he would never have brought her home. He was the sort of man who kept his distance, who didn't let anyone in unless they were tied to him by blood. As Seraphina ascended the stairs to her room, preparing to contact Evelyn, she was surprised to see Evelyn herself rushing up the stairs, laptop in hand. Evelyn burst into the room, her energy palpable as she hurried over. "Seraphina," she said eagerly, "the two people you asked me to look into? I've found out everything about them."