When Miranda contacted the fake parents, she quickly confirmed—no one was actually coming to pick Seraphina up. So it was true. Seraphina had hired actors to put on a show. Miranda couldn’t believe anyone could be this pathetic, faking a send-off just to save face. Still, it suited her just fine. Whoever they were didn’t matter. As long as they came to take Seraphina away, that was good enough for her. She didn’t bother watching the spectacle. Instead, she told Leonard not to expose the charade. Just go through the motions, walk her out, and use this as a clean excuse to finally get that unwanted daughter out of the house. Outside the gate, Jack noticed Leonard and Lyanna walking out. He quickly stepped back to the car, retrieved a folder, and approached. The documents inside had been handwritten and stamped by Mr. Drayven himself. He was a master of calligraphy. Everything he wrote turned out to be a masterpiece. He hadn’t touched a brush in years, but had made an exception for the sake of his daughter. The Vale family deserved the gesture—after all, they had raised her for nearly twenty years. “Good afternoon, Mr. Vale.” Jack greeted Leonard politely, handing over the folder. “I’m the butler of the Drayven family. I’ve come to take Miss Vale home. This is a small token of appreciation from the family. We hope you’ll accept it.” The Drayvens. Right, Drayven should be her fake dad’s surname. And this so-called gift? What a joke—it looked like a letter, at best. Leonard figured it made sense. When you‘re hiring actors, you don‘t hand over gold and diamonds. But still… at least buy a couple of decent gift boxes to keep up appearances. Wasn’t this level of stinginess just embarrassing? “You’re too kind. Seraphina brought us so much joy over the years. A gift really isn’t necessary,” Leonard said, waving it off. “We insist, sir. Please.” “No, no, really, I mean it.” While the two of them exchanged polite refusals, Lyanna tried to hide a mocking smirk. Curiosity got the better of her. “What is it? A thank-you note?” “There is a letter of thanks,” Jack replied, “along with a handwritten piece by Mr. Drayven himself. It’s invaluable. And—” “That’s quite alright! We don’t need that! Rain’s expected later today. To avoid slippery roads, it’s best to get going sooner rather than later.” Leonard cut in sharply, the moment he heard the words invaluable. He considered it absurd lie and was getting impatient. What a load of nonsense. A hired actor pretending to be rich, pulling this kind of stunt in front of him? Did they really think he was an idiot? As if some fake heirloom or calligraphy piece could be “invaluable.” He glanced at the rented car again. It wasn’t even a real luxury vehicle. He’d seen enough Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, and Bugattis in his life to know—this wasn’t one of them. The logo vaguely resembled Bugatti’s, but the car itself? Total knockoff. Probably a modified model just for the show. “Seraphina.” Leonard’s tone was warm on the surface, but his intent was crystal clear. “Safe travels. Don’t worry about us. You can always video call if you miss us.” Then he turned to Jack with forced politeness. “It’s getting late, and I’m sure your family’s eager to see their daughter. We won’t keep you. Drive safe.” Jack could hear the subtext, but still tried to hand over the folder one last time. “Sir, please accept this, even just as a gesture—” Leonard waved him off with a tight smile and stormed back toward the house. Lyanna followed with a triumphant little giggle. As she walked through the gate, she even hummed a tune, thrilled to have caught Seraphina’s embarrassing act red-handed. Jack stood there, baffled, watching the pair disappear. Did the Drayven intelligence team get it wrong? Their report said Leonard had been pulling every string he could to gain permanent residency in Valedawn. Mr. Drayven had personally written a referral letter to help with the process—it was supposed to guarantee approval. So why reject it now? Seraphina picked up the folder and opened it. A few pages slipped out. She glanced down. “This calligraphy was done by Mr. Drayven. Ink’s still fresh. Must’ve been written recently.” A single piece like this could easily go for millions at auction. Jack was stunned. Mr. Drayven hadn’t written a word in nearly two decades, and Seraphina had recognized it at just a glance. He looked at the girl more closely and realized—she radiated a kind of innate elegance. There was something regal and untouchable about her. A natural-born Drayven. Every movement, every breath—remarkable. She kept the calligraphy and the letter of thanks. Then she called over one of the house staff at the gate and handed him the referral letter. “Give this to Mr. Vale,” she said. Leonard had worked half his life to save enough to move from Mingdale to Valedawn. He had nearly drunk himself sick trying to secure a residency. Overall, he was not too bad on her. This letter would even the score. From now on, they owed each other nothing. Back inside, Lyanna ran into the house staff, noticed the paper in his hand, and snatched it up. Her eyes widened. “Mom—this letter, does this mean he can really get residency in Valedawn?” Miranda took it, glanced over, then scoffed. “No way. It’s obviously a scam. Your dad has begged half the city and still hit dead ends. You think one letter solves that? Ridiculous.” “…Still, Mom, maybe just show it to him? Just in case?” Miranda, arrogant and ignorant as ever, rolled her eyes. “Lyanna, don’t be fooled by that girl. If a single letter could get someone permanent residency in Valedawn, the person who wrote it would have to be—what—some kind of god? “I just talked to your dad. She didn’t even bother renting a decent car. It looked like a cheap knockoff Bugatti. Your dad said he’s never seen a real one like that. It’s fake, just like everything else about her. That girl’s born to be poor. Stay away from her, and don’t you dare lend her money. “Lend her money, and you’ll never see it again.” She thought of Seraphina’s pathetic little exit and laughed with satisfaction, then tore the letter in half and tossed it in the trash. Lyanna nodded in agreement, smirking coldly. As if Seraphina had that kind of power. Please. Good thing Mom saw through the act. In the car, Jack pressed a button, reclining the rear seats. A small table popped up, topped with fruit and floral tea. “It’s a long drive, Miss Vale. Please help yourself.” “Thanks, Jack.” Seraphina smiled politely. “Would it be alright if I visited a friend before heading home?” Jack looked startled but quickly replied, “Of course, Miss. What’s the address?” “Draycroft Medical Academy.” Draycroft was the most prestigious medical academy in Valedawn, located beside Draycroft Hospital, the top-ranked medical institution in the city. Only the wealthy or powerful could afford treatment there. She was visiting Alaric Sable, the academy’s visiting professor and also the hospital’s director. He’d been asking to see her for weeks, but she hadn’t had time until now. He was probably sulking. Good thing she’d brought a gift to cheer him up. “Your friend’s a student there?” Jack asked casually. “No,” Seraphina replied, her tone relaxed. “He’s a professor—Alaric Sable.” Jack nearly swerved off the road. Alaric? Alaric Sable? Even Mr. Drayven treated that man with utmost respect. Jack glanced at Seraphina in the rearview mirror, completely speechless.