It must be said that when Xanthia brought a group along this time, a few of them were particurly eccentric roommates of Elena. These girls could undoubtedly be considered as formidable in their own right.

  Though these eccentric roommates would often bicker, backstab, and dig traps in their dormitory, once they joined Xanthia, they naturally chose to stick together, unthinkingly aligning themselves with her.

  And when they banded together, the resulting power was, of course, quite formidable.

  Whether it was Marian's maniacal ughter, Chica's strange giggle, or Lhoraine's sharp remarks about "truth being the sharpest bde," all of this left Andrea momentarily speechless, unable to save face.

  Noemi's sly, rounded droopy eyes also darted around, clearly marking Andrea Tan as a target. Given her cautious nature, she wouldn’t take action at the upcoming birthday party, but once someone was marked by her, they could expect trouble in the future.

  Not long ago, Andrea had been puffed up with arrogance, but now, her face was flushed with anger—her "scum" cousin had made her lose so much face!

  She always believed that with Miss Seranthalia backing her up, and Miss Seranthalia being so close to Dionysius, that meant she was indirectly close to him as well. After all, he would have to show respect to Miss Seranthalia, wouldn’t he?

  Clearly, Andrea had misunderstood the retionship between Seranthalia La Magenta and Dionysius. She instinctively thought that among the many suitors vying for Seranthalia La Magenta’s attention, Dionysius must be one of them.

  What she didn’t know was that Dionysius only saw Seranthalia La Magenta as an old acquaintance from middle school, with Seranthalia La Magenta herself being the more proactive one in their retionship.

  After misjudging the situation, Andrea grew overly confident, thinking that attending Dionysius’s birthday party would surely win her the full support of the host… "I have the advantage here!"

  However, the problem was that Xanthia was also considered part of the "host" group. How could Dionysius possibly side with an outsider over his "sister"?

  At this point, her face still red with indignation, Andrea snapped, “Matthew is Matthew, and I am me! He and I are just distant retives. What he does has nothing to do with me! And you bunch of country bumpkins and your wild dogs… this is the level of your character? Just wait! When Dionysius sees you, I’ll expin everything to him, and watch as he kicks you all out!”

  Seranthalia La Magenta furrowed her brows and spoke firmly, “Enough, don’t drag Dionysius into this. Calm down! Today is his birthday—let’s not ruin his mood.”

  In fact, Seranthalia La Magenta had no fondness for the notorious Matthew, who had been expelled from the Foreign Language High School due to his bizarre behavior. His actions had left a bad impression on everyone, and now, having transferred to the First High School, he had managed to make even worse decisions, dragging Andrea’s reputation down with him.

  Anyone would feel distressed to have such a cousin, and Seranthalia La Magenta was no exception.

  After saying this, she took out her phone and sent Dionysius a message, informing him that they had arrived at his doorstep.

  This was actually Seranthalia's first time accompanying Dionysius to celebrate his birthday at his home. In the past, Dionysius had always taken a group of close friends out to dinner, often finding excellent restaurants.

  Seranthalia had been in high spirits, but now, with the uninvited guests, her mood was undeniably affected.

  Her sharp eyes quickly noticed that at least three or four of the girls accompanying Xanthia were rather good-looking.

  Especially Xanthia herself—though her clothes were pin, her features were pure and fair as snow, exuding a delicate charm that grew more captivating the longer one looked at her. Coupled with her earlier confident remarks, Seranthalia couldn’t help but feel a surge of suspicion.

  It had been clear that Dionysius had never been interested in women during middle school, so why, just two months into high school, was he inviting so many girls to his private birthday party?

  What was he up to behind her back?

  How could the stoic, abstinent heir suddenly be building a harem?

  Seranthalia’s thoughts involuntarily drifted to an incident when she had invited Dionysius out for a meal, and although he initially agreed, he had ter canceled on her.

  That triggered her cssic sixth sense as a woman, and she found herself thinking—could it be that Dionysius had canceled on her because of this confident girl?

  This thought destabilized Seranthalia’s mindset, causing a small but notable drop in her emotional state, inadvertently giving Xanthia a slight boost of satisfaction.

  This was because, despite knowing that Dionysius saw her only as an old friend, Seranthalia La Magenta was the closest girl to him among their peers. Yet, the other girls couldn’t even cim to be in that position.

  She had always considered herself the closest to Dionysius, and everyone else in their social circle had often teased them, joking about how well they suited each other.

  Dionysius was unshaken. His resolve was too strong, but Seranthalia La Magenta, despite knowing his indifference, had allowed the pyful teasing to worm its way into her heart.

  Seranthalia was someone who held herself in high regard. While many boys in her circle adored her, she had never been interested in those who were overtly eager to please. In her eyes, they simply didn’t measure up to Dionysius, who was not only outstanding in appearance and talent but also came from an influential familia with exceptional emotional intelligence and leadership skills.

  Some girls were just like that—they set their sights on the best and could never settle for less. Perhaps at first, they weren’t so infatuated, but over time, they found themselves falling deeper.

  While Seranthalia was texting Dionysius, Xanthia unknowingly did something that further unsettled her.

  Xanthia, with her characteristic ease, walked up to the bell of the vil and pressed it, clearly familiar with the pce.

  Her boldness stunned not only Seranthalia and Andrea but even the girls who had come with her. They wondered if Xanthia might have taken this strange vil as her own home, behaving as if it belonged to her.

  None of them dared to follow immediately, except for Luciel, who stepped forward right away. She knew this was where Xanthia had once lived.

  The doorbell rang, and before long, a kind-looking middle-aged woman appeared. She was clearly the familia’s maid.

  “Oh, Aunt Issa, it’s been a while. I hope I’m not troubling you again today,” Xanthia smiled as she greeted her, her voice gentle and fitting the persona she was portraying.

  When Issa saw Xanthia, her warm face instantly lit up with excitement. The Young Miss—our Young Miss is back!

  No wonder the young master had said there would be a surprise today. The surprise was Xanthia!

  “It’s no trouble, no trouble at all. It’s good to have you back… Come in, come in,” Issa said, almost choked with emotion, clearly deeply attached to Xanthia.

  “I’ve brought a lot of cssmates with me today. My social circle is quite broad now!” Xanthia said cheerfully.

  This side of Xanthia was something Issa had never seen before, and she gave a satisfied smile. "That’s wonderful. Really wonderful."

  Issa, whose full name was Issa La Gozen, had been hired by El La Fielso when she was still alive. A diligent and caring person, she had taken good care of Xanthia when she was younger. Naturally, they shared a deep bond.

  Even after El passed away, when Eleanor La Liam became the new matriarch, she had kept Issa on, recognizing her competence and warmth.

  With a reliable, well-behaved nanny like Issa, she had the audacity to entrust this uncertain son of hers, whose father was anyone’s guess, to Issa's care.

  That way, she was free to focus on her own career in the entertainment industry, living the life of a big-shot heroine in her own world.

  For the original owner, however, this stepmother, Eleanor La Liam, wasn’t the stereotypical "evil stepmother" found in novels. After all, those types of stepmothers at least cared about their own biological children, even if they sought to make life miserable for the previous wife’s daughter.

  But Eleanor? She was wild and free, viewing children—be they sons or daughters—as nothing but burdens.

  She had no intention of wasting time on them. Having already completed her mission by marrying into the Papadopoulos familia and bearing a son, what else was there for her to do?

  She had absolutely no interest in nurturing the child.

  As such, she neither compensated for the original owner's ck of maternal affection nor targeted her in any way. Simply put, she didn't care—how could there be any targeting when she was indifferent altogether?

  In the original owner’s memories, this indifference transted into a rather neutral, if not surprisingly mild, impression of her stepmother. They had little contact, and the original owner spent more of her energy loathing her scumbag father.

  Deep down, the original owner even envied Eleanor La Liam. Despite marrying into the Papadopoulos familia, Eleanor La Liam continued living her life exactly as she pleased—free and carefree without a care in the world, still enjoying herself everywhere and maintaining her unrestrained, independent style.

  If El had a heart as bold as Eleanor’s, she certainly wouldn’t have died in such despair.

  Eleanor La Liam, the new daughter-in-w, had a poor reputation in the Papadopoulos familia—perhaps even worse than El’s—but she lived for herself. Who cared about her reputation? As long as she was happy, that was enough.

  Xanthia reviewed the memories of the original owner and understood why she envied Eleanor so much. The woman was simply too carefree, and she had no patience for Demetrios El Papadopoulos. They lived their separate lives, and everything was in her control.

  Live by her own conviction.

  At present, Eleanor had become a prominent figure in the entertainment industry—an influential mogul. From model to renowned film star, she had collected several Best Actress titles and pyed with young heartthrobs at will. Every film set she was on was a chance for a fleeting romance, funting the “couple-like” vibes for the media.

  It must be said, having a powerful familia background was truly important. El had been at a disadvantage there. Her familia was ordinary, and she was the only daughter of her elderly parents, who passed away early. As a result, Xanthia had never even known her maternal grandparents.

  When El died, Xanthia’s situation immediately became dire, as there was no one who could help her.

  While Issa La Gozen treated Xanthia with kindness, in the end, she was only a nanny.

  At that moment, aside from Luciel, the other girls who had kept some distance from Xanthia couldn't hear what was being discussed. They only saw a middle-aged woman with a warm expression, enthusiastically greeting Xanthia, making it seem as though Xanthia were a regur guest here.

  Miss Seranthalia’s heart sank at once, her uneasy sixth sense proving true!

  What was going on? Why did it feel like someone had sneaked ahead and beaten her to the punch?

  Of course, Dionysius would bear the bme. To avoid triggering his socially anxious "sister," he had never mentioned her to his friends before, let alone taken Xanthia out with him.

  He had wanted Xanthia to make more friends, but the original owner completely shut herself off, refusing to give him any face.

  Right now, Xanthia, almost acting like the host, enthusiastically waved at the girls a little farther behind her: “Come on, come on, hurry over here, don’t just stand out there like fools!”

  The girls Xanthia brought with her immediately sprang into action. Lhoraine suddenly said, “I get it now! Xanthia must have taken my advice and secretly recognized Dionysius as her brother! She’s doing great—she’s totally a supreme social butterfly now!”

  Elena was quickly swayed by Lhoraine's suggestion and instantly understood, though she still had some doubts. Even if she did recognize a brother, there’s no way they could be this close already, right?

  The other girls didn’t pay much attention to Elena’s concerns. They simply joined in, enjoying the spectacle.

  Most of all, Marian and Chica loved stirring up others’ emotions. They couldn’t resist praising Xanthia:

  “Recognizing Dionysius as her brother? That means she’s the Papadopoulos familia’s eldest daughter now, right? Wow, she’s soaring!”

  “Hahaha, this is what they mean by ‘getting the phoenix crown,’ huh? Xanthia really nailed it!”

  “Country bumpkin? No way, she’s clearly the eldest daughter now! After all, they share the same surname—she’s destined to be the Papadopoulos familia’s dy!”

  “Some people don’t know this, but Dionysius is so proactive with Xanthia at school—he even dared to call her a country bumpkin. Just wait and see what happens next!”

  “Being a sister is nothing, just wait—bigger things are coming for Xanthia!”

  …

  Clearly, Marian and Chica were intentionally messing with Andrea and Seranthalia La Magenta. The two of them had just been insulted by Andrea, who had called them "country bumpkin with a country dog"—a truly harsh remark!

  Now that they saw Xanthia casually press the doorbell and receive such warm hospitality, they couldn't resist joining in. They heard Lhoraine’s absurd theory, and they decided to ride the wave.

  They were the kind of people who could master the art of passive-aggressive remarks. Seeing how it seemed like the two highborn girls were particurly invested in Dionysius, they decided to throw in some sharp words, knowing it would sting them.

  But they weren’t just mocking; they genuinely admired Xanthia for her competence. She didn’t need to speak—she simply took action, showing everyone how it was done. That alone raised the group’s morale and boosted their confidence.

  Andrea, of course, heard every word Lhoraine and the others said, and her confidence began to waver.

  What was going on here? Why did it feel like Miss Seranthalia and Dionysius weren’t as close as she had imagined? After all, Miss Seranthalia had never been here before…

  At this moment, Seranthalia La Magenta, although still composed on the outside, seemed to wear a mask of pain beneath her calm facade.