The Mocked Miss’s Hidden Crowns novel Chapter 1648

“This girl’s family isn’t even average. How could someone like her be good enough for Andrew?”

Anthony had married Charlotte. And who was Charlotte? The heir to the Hawk family, a princess of the Gates family, a world-class doctor, a musical genius. Any one of those titles would crush Shirley. She already couldn’t look Matthew and Lavinia in the eye. And if Andrew chose to marry someone with no status at all, where would that leave her pride?

“From the way Andrew acts around her, he must really like her,” the maid said quietly.

She had watched Andrew grow up. He’d always been headstrong and odd, not a fan of spending time with girls. Getting this close to one just wasn’t like him.

“Like her?” Dorothy smoothed her shawl, her voice icy. “I’ve seen girls like her before. They smell money and immediately try to climb higher. If Andrew didn’t have money, do you think she’d still cling to him like that?”

“So what now, Dorothy?” the maid asked, frowning, her voice low. “If we act without thinking, Andrew might get upset.”

“It’s not a big deal.” Dorothy curled her lips into a cold smile. “Girls like that can be bought off with money.”

The maid glanced down at Shirley’s file. Something didn’t sit right. Shirley didn’t seem like the type who only cared about money.

After Dorothy’s car pulled away, Pandora stood in a quiet corner, clenching her fists tighter and tighter.

“Pandora, can you believe it? Shirley’s actually going after your future boyfriend,” said the girl beside her, her makeup bold and dramatic. “She should really take a look in the mirror. No shame at all.”

“It’s fine.” Pandora pulled out her lipstick, touching up her already flawless lips. She smirked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Dorothy’s heard about it now. She’s probably more anxious than I am.”

“The guy in charge of the Cabinda University scholarships… he still works for your grandfather, right?”

The friend nodded. “Hartley’s handled that forever.”

“Perfect.” Pandora smiled, all calculation and poison. “Imagine if Shirley did something wild for that scholarship… something nobody could ignore.”

“Pandora… you mean…”

Pandora’s smile dropped away. She spoke slowly, one word at a time, her voice cold and final. “If we’re going to take her down, we have to make sure she never gets back up.”