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    “Now, Natalie, don’t be too hard on the girl,” Henry said with fake concern, though his eyes gleamed with anticipation.

    He mused, “This niece of mine might not be the sharpest, but she never holds back. Even if she can’tpletely crush Olivia, she can sure humiliate her‘

    “Uncle Henry, you’re so kind. Someone like her doesn’t deserve any sympathy,” Natalie shot back, not hiding her disgust. “Just two weeks ago, she humiliated me on the street in front of everyone.”

    Cheryl covered her mouth with a lightugh, linking arms with Natalie. She nced

    dismissively at Olivia and sighed softly. “Natalie, don’t waste your energy being upset. I’m sure Olivia didn’t mean any harm—”

    “Stop right there,” Olivia cut in, a mocking smile ying on her lips. “I meant every bit of it.” Her challenging gaze shifted to Henry. “So the famous doctor Henry didn’t even realize she had been pressure–point sealed? Quite the expert, aren’t you?”

    A murmur swept through the crowd. Olivia’s im drew shocked whispers and skeptical

    reactions.

    “Pressure–point sealing? Isn’t that something out of a novel?”

    “She seems serious, though. Maybe she really knows how.”

    “Art imitates life, after all. And Henry’s a renowned doctor. How could he not recognize it?”

    Natalie let out a scornfulugh. “You’re just making this up! Pressure points? If it were real, my Uncle Henry would definitely know about it.”

    Olivia’s eyes narrowed, her voice cold and clear. “Just because you can’t do it doesn’t mean no one can. A renowned idoctor /iin Hirica who’s never heard of acupoint sealing?b” /b

    “Maybe it’s time ito /istop calling yourself a miracle healer. How embarrassing.” She tilted her head slightly, casting a deliberate look of disdain toward Henry.

    “How dare you! Ridiculous. You’re spouting nonsense,” Natalie fumed. “Say that again if you have the guts.”

    “Calm down, Natalie,” Henry interrupted. Though seething inside, he knew making a scene in front of so many people would only shame the Evans family. If Natalie kept shouting, soon everyone would know he was ignorant about pressure–point techniques.

    “But-” Natalie tried to protest.

    14:17 Wedb, /bSep b10 /b

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    Henry stroked his beard, forcingposure. “She’s a student supported by the Shermans, after all. Let it go this time out of respect for them. She’s just a young girl saying whateveres to mind.”

    He turned to Olivia with a condescending tone. “But child, let me offer some advice: arrogance will only make you enemies.”

    The crowd murmured in admiration of Henry’s generosity.

    “Now that’s the renowned physician of Hirica. He’s skilled and magnanimous.”

    “Only Henry would be this patient. Anyone else would’ve thrown her out by now.”

    “She’s not even wearing evening attire. Who invited her? Or is she just crashing?”

    Olivia deliberately drawled, “Enemies? Sorry, but I’m not exactly short on those.”

    Seeing an opportunity, Natalie’s eyes glinted with mischief. “Well, I can’t stop you from making enemies. But looking at you, it’s pretty obvious you weren’t actually invited to this party.”

    Margaret instantly caught on and joined in. “Exactly! Why would the Shea family ever invite someone like her? What a joke. I bet she doesn’t even have an invitation. Get out of here.”

    The surrounding guests began eyeing Olivia with suspicion and disgust, questioning whether she truly belonged there at all.

    A smug smile spread across Henry’s face. Natalie had done well, making that girl utterly lose face in public.

    Margaret eagerly added fuel to the fire. “How could she possibly have an invitation? She’s young, but she sure loves to pretend.” She didn’t even need to think it over. Olivia simply couldn’t have one.

    She thought, ‘An orphan raised by an old woman? How would someone like her get an invitation to the Shea family’s event? Even the Shermans had only gotten in through our connection with the Evans family!‘

    “Mom, don’t be iso /ihard on Olivia,” Cheryl interjected, pretending to smooth things over while clearly hinting at something else. “Why not just let security check her invitation?”

    Then she turned to Olivia with a faint, mocking smile. “I believe she wouldn’t fake something like that.”

    Cheryl didn’t know how Olivia had managed to escape Magnolia Town, but she had no intention of letting her off easily.

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    Several security guards exchanged nces before turning to Olivia and politely asking, “Miss, could you please show us your invitation?”

    Olivia knew exactly what they were up to. They thought she had no invitation and wanted to humiliate her. But they had miscalcted. She actually did have one.

    “Sure,” Olivia replied calmly, a faint smile ying on her lips as she pulled the invitation from her bag and handed it to the guard.

    The guard took it, scrutinizing it again and again in disbelief. He thought, ‘This… This can’t

    be…‘

    Natalie hadn’t expected Olivia to actually produce an invitation, but judging by the guard’s reaction, she quickly guessed the truth. It must be fake.

    She let out a scornfulugh. “See? I knew you couldn’t possibly have a real invitation. You actually made a fake one? How pathetic!”

    “Natalie, no need to be so harsh. Kind words lead to kind oues,” Henry said, putting on a magnanimous act. “Youngdy, if you’re in a difficult position, you could have just said so. Forging an invitation is going too far.”

    He continued condescendingly, “If you really want to go in, you could’ve asked me. I’m not like those petty elders. If you beg me, I might have brought you in with me.”

    His words were met with murmurs and judgmental whispers throughout the crowd.

    “She actually faked it? How bold. And at the Shea family’s event, no less.”

    “Henry is so generous. Even after all this, he’s still willing to help her.”

    Olivia was growing impatient. She turned coldly to the guards. “Haven’t you finished checking?”

    The guards snapped back to attention. They bowed deeply three times and respectfully gestured for her to enter. “Our apologies, miss. We failed to recognize an honored guest. Please,e in.”

    One of them quickly spoke into his earpiece, “Attention all units. VIP guest arriving. Prepare for the reception immediately.”

    The entire crowd froze. The guards‘ actions felt like sharp ps across every doubting face in

    the room.

    A security guard in sunsses politely handed Olivia a cup of ginger tea. “It’s cold out. You’ve had a long journey. Please enjoy this warm tea. A dedicated attendant will escort you inside shortly. If there’s anything you need, just let me know.”

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    The other guards nodded earnestly, though inwardly they were trembling. That was a VIP invitation. Only one of fewer than five was issued.

    Unlike the standard invitations, this type bore the Shea family’s unique insignia, recognizable only to insiders. It was specifically designed to stand apart from ordinary invites.