Vera Xavier imdiately pushed Cara Preston into Rona Langdon’s arms. "Mom, I’m leaving Cara with you. I’m off to school!"
She turned and left without a backward glance.
Rona Langdon poked Cara Preston on the forehead. "You useless girl. Getting sick over sothing so trivial. Now you’re wasting my money again. Just look at you! How many tis have you been to the hospital this month?"
Cara Preston bit her lip, silent. Her eyes, fixed on Vera Xavier’s retreating back, were filled with venom. She clenched her fists tightly. ’This is all Vera’s fault!’
’If Vera had just sat still, I never would have fallen into the pond. And if I hadn’t fallen into the pond, I wouldn’t have gotten sick and had to suffer like this!’
’Vera got sick, and she didn’t even stay to take care of . She just went to school! How could she be so awful!’
She said softly, "Mom, I’m just useless. I’m sorry for making you angry. It’s all my fault."
Her ek tone defused Rona Langdon’s anger. Although her voice was still gruff, a hint of concern crept in. "Forget it. It’s not entirely your fault. If anyone’s to bla, it’s Vera! I swear, I must have wronged her in a past life. She does nothing but cause grief every single day!"
"Sister’s grades have been improving so quickly," Cara Preston said with a soft sigh. "At this rate, she’s guaranteed to get into a university. If she really does, not only will that an nearly ten thousand a year in tuition and living expenses, but she’ll also be out of your control, Mom. It will beco harder and harder for you to get any benefit from her."
Rona Langdon’s brow furrowed. She found every one of those prospects intolerable.
Seeing Rona’s expression, Cara added, "I heard her say she wants to apply to Veridia University. Mom, you said once that her biological sister is in Veridia. Even though the city is huge, it’s a lot closer than Crestfall. The chance of them running into each other is much, much higher. What if she ets soone from her birth family? Do you think they’d recognize her?"
This was Rona Langdon’s greatest fear.
Rona had noticed that ever since Vera broke off her engagent to Wesley Kane, her beauty had blossod. Her skin was as fair as porcelain, her large eyes were as clear as autumn pools... she was looking more and more like *that person* from all those years ago. If they ever t, the consequences would be unimaginable.
She slamd her hand on the table. "No! I absolutely will not let her get into a university, and I will not let her go to Veridia!"
Cara was deeply satisfied by this reaction, but she pressed on. "She placed third in the entire school on the last exam, and she’s been studying nonstop. There are only about twenty-odd days left until the college entrance exams. If we’re not careful, she might even take first place. She could really get into Veridia University."
The rage and hatred in Rona Langdon’s eyes were barely concealed. She ground her teeth. "That’s assuming she can even *make it* to the exam."
This was exactly the effect Cara had hoped for. She asked tentatively, "Mom, do you have a plan?"
"There are still over twenty days until the exam," Rona Langdon sneered. "I’m sure I can co up with sothing."
Her goal achieved, Cara smiled in satisfaction. "Mom," she said gently, "I want to go to university, too."
"Don’t you start causing trouble," Rona Langdon snapped, her brow furrowing.
Cara replied, "Nathaniel Nathan is so exceptional. If I don’t go to university, I’ll probably never catch his eye. Mom, you know we’ve always been the closest. As long as I have a good life, I promise I’ll take very good care of you."
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