The Horner family never really warmed up to Tegan, so Uriah decided not to live in the family mansion. Instead, he bought a quaint little estate on the outskirts, where he and Tegan had been staying.


    Tegan nced at Ste without saying a word.


    Ste raised an eyebrow. "Where did you buy?"


    Tegan replied, "Silk-River Residences."


    Ste''s eyes widened.


    Apparently, whenever a girl decides to move out, Silk-River Residences is the go-to spot. Ste herself was a fan, mainly because the ce had such amazing amenities.


    "Does Uriah know about this?" Ste asked.


    Tegan shook her head. "He doesn''t."


    Ste was stunned. "Uriah doesn''t know? Wait. What''s going on between you two?"


    In Ste''s mind, Tegan and Uriah always seemed like the perfect couple. Uriah was always so devoted to her, even if his family wasn''t.


    But now... something seemed off.


    Tegan shook her head again and nced at Ste, but ultimately kept quiet.


    Before they could say anything else, a mocking voice called out from nearby, "Well, isn''t it Jaxon''s little sister, Ste?"


    Turning towards the voice, Ste and Tegan saw Sirena Patel with a girl in a tan coat, who turned out to be Vivian Warner.


    Sirena was known to be close with Urs, so naturally, her friends were usually in the same circle. Seeing Vivian made Ste and Tegan''s expressions sour.


    Sirena wasn''t too pleased either, but remembering her brother Jeremy, she held her tongue. Ste red at Vivian. "What''s with that tone?"


    Vivian sneered, "What tone do you want? Your mother doesn''t care for you, and your brother''s indifferent. So, what if you''re the Larkin family''s heiress? You still lost to Urs."


    en


    Thinking back to how Ste got her grounded and had no allowance for half a year, Vivian was seething.


    Ste raised an eyebrow, ready to


    retort, but Tegan said first. "The Larkin family, huh? Is Urs still considered the heiress after they went bankrupt? Maybe she jinxed them into it.


    The Larkin family is so washed up that even if they gave themselves to us, we''d pass. Only someone like Urs would find that appealing."


    Ste shot Tegan a sideways nce. When did she get such a sharp tongue? The once gentle and protected Tegan was now standing her ground.


    Vivian was furious. "You think you have a ce in the Horner family? You''re just a dog they feed with leftovers."


    That made Tegan freeze. It was


    exactly how Mrs. Horner had described her over the years. Her father lost his life saving Mr. Horner, yet Mrs. Horner never showed Tegan the slightest respect. If it weren''t for Mrs. Horner''s attitude, would these people dare speak to Tegan like this?


    "You are a dog fed with scraps and a beggar with no home. What''s there to be proud of?" Vivian finally found an outlet for her anger, and she wasn''t holding back.


    Ste''s eyes narrowed. She stepped forward and pped Vivian across the face.


    "Smack!"


    Vivian''s head whipped to the side from the force of the p.


    Already holding a grudge against Ste for ruining her chance with Finley, whom she''d liked for ages, Vivian was furious. Ste''s actions only added fuel to the fire.


    Vivian lunged at Ste, her anger boiling over. "You''re only a foster child of the Lugar family. What makes you any different from Urs?"


    She was wing at Ste, enraged. The date with Finley was something she had fought hard for, only for Ste to ruin it.


    Ste wasn''t having any of it. At the mention of the Lugar family, she pped Vivian again, hard. "Smack!"


    That second p sent the scene into chaos.


    Sirena stood there, stunned, trying to break them up. "Vivian, stop!"


    Despite her own issues with Ste, Sirena was wary of Ste''s connections, especially with Ronald in the picture. She knew Vivian was in deep trouble.