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Wasn’t that the limited edition bag she saw while shopping in the mall a few days ago? It was a gift from
Timothy, but she didn’t accept it.
To her surprise, it was now in Maya’s hands.
Did he give it to Maya?
Mia mocked inwardly. “Oh, right. We’re divorced. It’s understandable for him to gift her luxury bags.”
After all to Sharon, Maya and Timothy were the perfect match.
Still it didn’t will away the frustration in Mia.
She withdrew her gaze and recentered herself, reminding herself that she had a family that loved her;
that she was blessed.
She left the area without a second thought. Whoever Timothy got together with had nothing to do with her anymore.
On the other hand, Maya got in Dana’s way upstairs. She taunted Dana, “Having fun playing hide¨Cand-
seek? You think I will never find you?”
Dana looked away cowardly before turning to escape, but Blake blocked her way. There was no way for her to get out of there.
In the end, she pleaded with Maya, “Ms. Lane, I didn’t have a choice. The college wants me expelled, but I can’t let that happen. I’m an orphan. Someone sponsors my studies. It wasn’t easy for me to get into college. If I’m expelled, I’ll be done for.”
Without a degree, a future of becoming a waitress or someone of the same echelon would be awaiting a nobody like Dana.
Her future would be ruined!
Dana initially thought that replacing Mia and becoming Maya’s friend could change her life, but it unexpectedly brought her a great deal of trouble!
Maya arched her brow. “That was why I gave you a chance. You’re the one who didn’t appreciate it.”
“Ms. Lane, please help me talk to the college management. I will listen to you. I’ll do everything you say. I swear!”
Maya frowned. She had actually contacted Kennedy, whose stance was firm about his decision; he wouldn’t revoke Dana’s expulsion.
Yet Maya needed Dana to replace Mia.
Maya said with composure, “Dana, you’ve violated the school rules. It’s serious. It’s a punishment for the deeds you did including the things you did in the past. You can’t blame me. If it was only because of this matter, I could’ve helped you.”
A shimmer of hope flashed in Dana’s eyes. “Help me, Ms. Lane. You’re Ms. Lane. What is there that you can’t do?”
“That is true. I’ll give you a piece of advice. If you do as I say and meet my family, it doesn’t matter if you study college or not.”
Dana’s face fell at that. “You mean you won’t help me?”
Her heart sank deep into the pit of her stomach. Maya’s true colors finally came to surface; she was merely using her!
No matter how nice Maya sugarcoated her words, Dana had to make sure that she wouldn’t be expelled from college.
Otherwise, her future would be ruined.
Maya got a tad impatient. “How many more times do you need me to make myself clear? As long as you do as I say, you’ll be swimming in cash in the future. College doesn’t mean anything to rich people like us.
If Dana replaced Mia as Ms. Lane, would she be lacking money? No. That was why college wouldn’t matter anymore.
Needless to say, Maya hoped that Dana would skip college because Maya would be able to wrap her hands around her more easily.
“But college is very important for someone like me.” Dana insisted.
Dana’s disagreement drew out the sharp edge of Maya’s tone. “Fine. Since you don’t want to cooperate. I might as well tell Mr. Shaw that you’re here.”
“No! Ms. Lane, please, I’m begging you.” A frantic Dana pleaded as she tugged at Maya. Dana’s fingers accidentally scratched Maya’s luxury bag, leaving a mark on it.
The scratch on her luxury bag riled Maya up. “Do you know how much this costs? How dare you scratch it! This is my first time using it!”
Maya hurriedly wiped the surface, but the scratch couldn’t be wiped off.
Dana flopped onto the ground. She knelt on her knees while clinging onto Maya’s leg. “I’m terribly sorry! I didn’t do it on purpose!*
“That won’t make up for your mistake! Even if you work for the rest of your life, you won’t be able to pay for it!”
Dana was in hot water. “Aren’t you rich, Ms. Lane? It’s just a bag. It should be nothing to you.”
Maya saw red upon hearing that.
That was true. If it was before, she wouldn’t have been this angry.
However, her credit card limits were reduced so she had to pull in her horns. She bought this bag and an imitation dress specially for today’s ceremony.
It broke Maya’s heart to see her bank account after she bought the rare leather bag. Now that Dana left a scratch on it, how could Maya not be angry?
Maya slapped Dana across her face. “Dana McQueen, who are you to mock me? So what if I’m rich? That Is none of your business. Do I have to forgive your mistakes only because I’m rich? Do we owe poor people anything?”
Dana tolerated the pain, begging, “I didn’t mean it that way, Ms. Lane.”
“If so, what do you mean then? Since you don’t want to cooperate with me, compensate me for the bag.”
“I¨CI can’t. You know I don’t have the money.”
“You don’t have money? But you’re all greedy for luxuries! Didn’t you go to the luxury store after receiving the message? How dare you pretend to be my friend when you’re all penniless!” Maya grabbed Dana’s hair, her eyes teeming with mockery. “Someone like you should live like a rat in the gutter forever! Stop dreaming about miracles. Miracles don’t exist for the likes of you!”
Feeling the tearing pain around her scalp, Dana raised her head at Maya. “What about you? You knew that I was pretending, but you didn’t do anything. Mia’s the one you’re looking for, isn’t it?”
Maya narrowed her eyes. “You’re not that stupid, after all. Since you know what kind of awful deeds you’ve done, you should be my loyal dog forever.”
Dana chuckled. “Why do you need me to fight Mia? She’s the friend you’re looking for. Ms. Lane, what are you afraid of?”
Dana’s haughty expression led Maya to slap her again. “Who are you to question me?”
Dana lifted her head at Maya. “What’s the matter? Did I figure it out? Did something happen when you first got to know Mia? I heard that the daughter of the Lane family went missing and was found in an orphanage. That was when you knew Mia, didn’t you? At the same orphanage.”
Maya’s expression shifted in an instant. “How did you¨CDana McQueen, you think people would believe your groundless speculations?”
“You w want to ask how I know that, don’t you, Ms. Lane? Simple, I took your picture to the director of the orphanage. She remembers you because you look the same as you were when you were young. Ms.
Lane¨Coh wait¨Cyou’re not Ms. Lane. Mia is the true Ms. Lane!” Something in Dana’s eyes flickered with a hint of madness. 1
Color drained from Maya’s face. “Nonsense! If you spread any strange rumors, I swear I will kill you.
Dana McQueen! You should know that I have the power to make that happen.”
Dana giggled. “It’s just a guess, but your reaction is giving more credit to my guess. It’s common in movies. To think that I’m witnessing it in real life? Wow. Maya, you stole Mia’s identity. Am I right?”
“Shut up! Can’t you hear me!” Maya gave her bodyguards a look. “Teach this bitch a lesson. Let her know the consequences of not knowing her place.”
With a swollen face and a smile, Dana kept staring at Maya. “I know your biggest secret, Maya. You’ll never get away from me now.”
“You crazy woman!” Maya was so furious that her body trembled.
Once she calmed her nerves, she kicked Dana. “But let me tell you this¨Cyou’re messing with the wrong.
person. Do you know that talking too much might get you killed? No one will stand up for an orphan like you when something happens to you, especially when you’re going to be expelled. If you die, they’ll simply assume that it’s a suicide.”
Horror swallowed Dana. “N¨CNo! You can’t do that!”
Maya motioned at her bodyguards. “This is my waiting room. Lock her up and inform the management.
Do not let anyone enter before everything’s done.” She then left the floor.
She simply wished she could dismember Dana at this moment. Who would’ve known that Dana would see right through her? Maya was being careless.
Blake approached Maya. “The ceremony is commencing. Ms. Lane. Do you want us to fake Dana’s death with a suicide?”
“Don’t touch her yet. She’s still useful. I just want to scare her, let her know what fear feels like. Maya took a deep breath before asking, “Are Dominic and the others here?”
“They arrived a second ago.”
Smiling faintly, she held her luxury bag and walked outside, her strides voluming confidence.
Outside, the hall was swarmed with students. None of the guests arrived yet.
According to Blake, Dominic and the others were already there. But why couldn’t Maya see them?
Right then, Shelly came up to her. “Ms. Lane, your brothers are here. What are you doing here, though?”
“Where are they?”
“At the back of the building. The makeup room is in the private lounge. I thought you were putting on makeup there. Turns out you’re not.”
Maya’s expression shifted awkwardly. “I had something to deal with a while ago, so I missed Dominic’s message.”