“It’s… it’s her…” Sophie muttered. “That worthless bitch…”

    She frantically grabbed her backup phone and opened social inedia.

    А

    The trending topics were already exploding with #Sophie BoughtVotes.

    Thements were filled with pissed-off users:

    【This is what passes for a rich heiress?]

    [Disgusting, buying votes while acting all innocent!]

    【So her “first ce” was just bought with money!]

    Sophie’s fingers trembled as she scrolled down, suddenly spotting ament: “Am I the only one who thinks ‘Ripples’ is way more sophisticated than ‘Thornbird”? Those wave patterns are incredible!”

    Thisment had thousands of replies, mostly agreeing.

    Sophie felt dizzy.

    No… this wasn’t the oue she wanted!

    With shaking hands, she closed the app and tried to dial a familiar number, her fingers slipping on the

    screen several times.

    “Yvonne! You’re supposed to be good at digging up info, right? Find out who this ‘Daughter of the Sea’ really

    is!” she screamed into the phone.

    A hesitant voice came through: “Babe, not gonna lie-I started investigating the moment Ma?lys announced the list. I tried everything, but…”

    “But what?”

    “This ‘Daughter of the Sea’ person is protected way too well. I can’t find any leads.”

    No leads…

    And coincidentally, Rachel had no traceable info either.

    Could it really be her?

    13:56

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    $5.0

    He Stole My Ticket, I Flew Private: Revenge Served Sky-High

    Was the world really this full of coincidences?

    Sophie slumped to the floor.

    Why… why did Rachel have to show up again even after leaving the Leroix family!

    “Babe, is there any chance… that Rachel actually is ‘Daughter of the Sea”?”

    Before Yvonne could finish, Sophie hurled her phone to the ground and let out a shriek: “AHHH-”

    She grabbed everything within reach and threw it all on the floor.

    When she ran out of things to smash, she started wing at her own hair.

    “Why…” she clutched her head, “why do you keep haunting me…”

    Yvonne heard themotion and called out worriedly, but got no response.

    When she tried calling back, it just rang and rang.

    The livestream continued.

    Ma?lys’s voice echoed through the stream, calm but with an edge of cold steel: “After careful consideration, we’ve decided to keep Miss Sophie’s qualification. After all, artistic creation itself is pure…”

    The tablet still streaming nearby made Sophie’s body go rigid. ‘She grabbed it in disbelief, staring at the

    screen.

    She hadn’t misheard, right? They were keeping her in thepetition?

    But before she could get too excited, the chat absolutely lost it.

    Comments flooded in like a tsunami;

    [How much did the organizers get paid?]

    [Vote buying and she still gets topete? Is there any fairness left?)

    [The ‘Ripples’ creator got screwed over by this nepotism bullshit.]

    【Wait, didn’t you guys notice? Sophie broke the rules from the start and still got topete. Vote buying is nothingpared to that. If you know, you know.】

    Sophie sat dazed on the floor, the phone screen’s glow reflecting off her pale face.

    She watched those brutalments, feeling like she couldn’t breathe. Suddenly, onement caught her

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    He Stole My Ticket I Flow Private: Revenge Carved Sky High

    just kicking her out…”

    She shot upright, staring at thatment.

    Yeah, why was Ma?lys doing this?

    She didn’t know Ma?lys well, but word was she was decisive and ruthless. With her personality, shouldn’t she have just disqualified Sophie outright?

    Shepletely missed whatever Ma?lys said after that.

    The livestream finally ended with viewers still cursing up a storm.

    The moment the stream cut off, Ma?lys called Nics.

    “Mr. Rothschild, per your instructions, I let Sophie advance and exposed all her little ‘tricks.’ Can you finally tell me why we’re doing this?”

    “Mm.” Just a cold response came through, like he couldn’t care less about any of it.

    After waiting forever for more exnation, Ma?lys knew she wouldn’t get the answer she wanted.

    When Nics didn’t want to talk, nobody could pry his mouth open.

    After hanging up, Nics tossed his phone aside.

    He really didn’t give a damn about Sophie. With his personality, he’d just crush herpletely.

    But this was all Rachel’s idea.

    She wanted to keep Sophie around.

    Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, New York sparkled with lights, but none could match the dark intensity in his eyes.

    “Knock knock-”

    The bedroom door was gently pushed open as Rachel walked in carrying coffee.

    These past few days living here, she’d gotten into the habit of just walking into his bedroom without waiting for permission.

    Today she wore a cream knit sweater, the soft fabric hugging her slender waist.

    Nics’s gaze lingered on her for a second before casually looking away.

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    Rachel set the coffee in front of him, her voice soft: “Thank you.”

    Nics picked up the cup-the handle still seemed to carry warmth from her fingertips. He unconsciously

    traced it a few times.

    “You sure you want to do this?” He looked up at her. “I could make her disappear forever.”

    Rachel shook her head: “Making her disappear would be too easy.”

    Her gaze drifted to the window: “I want her to watch everything she cares about crumble, piece by piece.”

    Nics’s lips curved into the faintest smile.

    He loved seeing her like this-like an elegant cat who could kill with one strike but preferred to toy with her prey instead.

    “Aren’t you worried she’ll bite back?”

    “With you here, what do I have to worry about?” Rachel realized how suggestive that sounded the moment

    she said it, her ears turning pink.

    Nics set down his coffee and stood, walking over to her.

    His tall frame towered over her as Rachel caught his subtle cologne.

    “You really know how to use me,” his voice was low and dangerous.

    Rachel looked up to meet his intense gaze: “So would Mr. Rothschild mind being used by me?”

    Nics leaned down until they were close enough to feel each other’s breath.

    His long fingers tilted up her chin: “I’d be delighted.”

    Rachel opened her mouth but no sound came out. She could feel Nics’s breath on her cheek, burning hot.

    “Nics, it’s gettingte, you should rest…” she said stiffly.

    “Hmm?” Nics’s tone lifted slightly. His eyes flicked to the coffee cup with a teasing glint:

    “Didn’t someone just bring me coffee? I thought you didn’t want me to sleep.”

    13:56

    He Stole My Ticket 1 Flew Private Revenge Served Sky High.