Chapter 16
As soon as Hector finished speaking, the room erupted into thunderous applause.
Hector turned his teary gaze toward Narissa, his voice trembling with emotion. “Narissa, from now on, you’re officially Miss Everton, our precious gem. No one will ever bully you again.”
Amanda, caught up in the moment, hugged Narissa tightly, tears streaming down her face. “We’ll never let you suffer anymore. Our little princess deserves the very best.”
Honestly, Narissa was a bit moved–her parents‘ emotions were genuine. But she didn’t cry.
A child who’d learned to kill from a young age had long since lost some of their capacity for raw emotion.
Still, she reached out and gently patted Amanda’s back in comfort.
However, while Mr. and Mrs. Everton were overjoyed, the expressions on Dario and Cressida’s faces were far from pleasant.
The Everton family, under Hector’s generation, had only produced two daughters. Gossip swirled outside, mocking the family for having no male heir to carry on the lineage.
One daughter was already enough of a joke.
Now, another one had returned, a rude, illegitimate child who couldn’t even be presented in polite society. It was like stomping on Dario’s dignity in public. No wonder he was furious.
As for Cressida, her resentment ran deeper.
For years, her parents had been consumed by guilt over losing Narissa, neglecting her upbringing in their grief.
And now, after all that, Narissa just waltzed back in?
Even worse, despite the disgusting rumors swirling around Narissa before her return, their parents hadn’t scolded her once.
Meanwhile, when Cressida was little, she’d been harshly reprimanded just for bullying some powerless classmate.
‘Why? Why did Narissa get my parents‘ love so effortlessly, when I had to beg for it? It wasn’t fair!
‘And now, Narissa even dared to steal my beloved Jaylen? Unforgivable.
“Today’s the day she crashes and burns in front of everyone. Game on. Exchanging a glance with a few reporters in the crowd, Cressida smirked.
Soon, amid the warm atmosphere, a reporter shoved a microphone in Narissa’s face and asked bluntly, “Miss Everton, there have been quite a few negative rumors about you online and in elite circles. What’s your response? Are they true?”
Hearing this, Hector and Amanda’s expressions darkened instantly.
Hector was about to scold the reporter.
But to everyone’s surprise, Narissa, who they all assumed would stay silent and hide behind her parents‘ protection, actually stepped forward and spoke up confidently.
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Chapter 16
“Smart folks don’t swallow rumors. Besides, we’ve got this old–school saying: Every hustle has its king.
“Didn’t our ancestors bleed and sacrifice for equality? If you trace back a few generations, weren’t most of us born from poor, hardworking families? Do you think they were inferior?
“I don’t think so. So yes, I’ve worked as a cleaner. I admit it, and I’m proud of it.”
The moment she said this, the hall fell silent.
Rothialand was a country that had endured the trials of war. Back then, everybody ate dirt. Trace any fancy bloodline back three generations? All peasant dirt under the nails.
No one was better than anyone else.
If they kept mocking Narissa for being a cleaner or a country bumpkin, they’d be indirectly insulting their own ancestors.
With just one sentence, Narissa shut down everyone who tried to use her past against her.
At this moment, her calmness, her poise, even impressed Dario, who had braced himself for her to embarrass him.
Who knew that despite her usual carefree attitude, she could actually say something so profound at a critical moment?
Cressida was also slightly stunned.
After that, the reporters didn’t dare ask any more inflammatory questions. Instead, they stuck to harmless small talk, offered congratulations, and quickly dispersed.
Meanwhile, Narissa was pulled aside by her parents to greet all sorts of friends from Sinney’s elite circles–a formal introduction to the upper class.
Everyone had expected Narissa, a first–timer at such events, to make a fool of herself.
But to their surprise, she handled every interaction flawlessly, even more gracefully than some real heiresses from prominent families.
Dario was shocked.
And slowly, he began to see his granddaughter in a new light.
‘Hmm, not bad. After all, she’s still an Everton by blood. Even after years away, she’s got that innate nobility. Sure, she’s usually a handful, but at least she didn’t embarrass us when it counted.
‘Not great, not terrible,’ he said inwardly.
Meanwhile, Cressida, who witnessed all this, nearly crushed her wineglass in her hand.
‘Damn it. Since when does that Narissa chick get to steal the damn spotlight?!
“This is totally not how things should go.
‘Narissa is just some rich guy’s sugar baby, cramming a few basic manners last minute and now showing off like she’s some true lady. How shameless can she be?
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Chapter 16
‘Exactly! She’s gotta be faking it all, otherwise how else would she seduce men into keeping her?
‘Bet this is her limit, right?
Just wait, I’m gonna make her regret it!‘ she cursed inwardly.
“Cressida, come here,” Amanda called out just then.
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Cressida dragged her feet over, forced to stand next to Narissa.
By now, Hector had already gone off to chat with his business associates, leaving only Amanda and her two daughters behind.
Seeing this, the high–society ladies and their daughters all came over to congratulate Amanda.
Amanda smiled graciously in return, even briefly introducing Narissa to their identities.
Truth be told, Narissa had already memorized all their backgrounds from the etiquette teacher’s handbook.
Without needing Amanda’s help, she flawlessly addressed each one by name, shaking hands and greeting them like a pro.
Watching her daughter shine, Amanda couldn’t help but beam with pride.
‘My Narissa is amazing! Clearly, the tutors had done their job well–otherwise, she wouldn’t be this confident and impressive today, Amanda thought.
As Narissa mingled with the ladies and young heiresses, the group was all smiles.
Though, to be fair, most of these who approached them today were from families below the Evertons. The real elites–the Four Families–were also present, their standing far above the rest..
After wrapping up with these socialites, Amanda personally led Narissa and Cressida to meet the ladies of the Four Families.
“Ladies, what an honor to have you here tonight. Your presence truly lights up our humble home,” Amanda greeted.
“Mrs. Everton, you flatter us. The Everton family’s rise has been unstoppable–soon, Sinney’s elite might just be the Five Families!”
“Exactly! And with your family’s ties to the reclusive Harlow family? That alone is something we all envy.”
“Oh, speaking of–will the Harlow family be joining us tonight?”
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