The moment Rona Langdon saw the money, she was on it like a fly on honey, immediately rushing over to snatch it up. "Where did this money come from?"

"It’s from Dad’s secret stash," Cara Preston replied.

Rona Langdon immediately flew into a rage. "That bastard, Zachary Preston! He actually dared to hide money from me behind my back! Just wait until he gets home, I’ll tear him to shreds!"

Money was the only thing she had ever truly cared about.

Cara Preston felt a secret thrill at the thought of her mother fighting with Zachary Preston. If she was miserable, then she’d make sure everyone around her was miserable too.

’But that wasn’t the point right now!’

Cara Preston said softly, "Mom, don’t I deserve some credit for this?"

With money in hand, all of Rona Langdon’s worries vanished. She nodded immediately. Cara Preston pressed, "Mom, in that case, can you give me five hundred from this to go see a doctor?"

Rona Langdon was about to instinctively snap back with a refusal, but Cara quickly whispered something in her ear. Only then did Rona reluctantly agree. "Fine. But just this once. Don’t you even think about touching the rest of this money."

Cara Preston nodded.

In the afternoon, as school was about to let out, Vera Xavier couldn’t shake the feeling that Shane Caldwell was acting strange. He kept glancing her way, but whenever she turned to look at him, he’d quickly look away without saying a word. In the end, she summed him up with a single thought: ’The guy’s got a screw loose!’

When school let out, Luna Caldwell also shot her several glances before finally saying, "See you in a bit."

Vera Xavier was completely bewildered. ’I haven’t made any plans with him. What does she mean, "see you in a bit"?’

Just then, Shirley Forrest came over. "Vera," she said, "your stepsister is far too manipulative. She suffered a major setback this time, and in all likelihood, she’s going to pin all the blame on you. You need to be careful."

Vera Xavier nodded slightly. ’See?’ she thought. ’Even Shirley Forrest, with her typically cool and aloof persona, can see right through Cara Preston. It looks like Cara’s innocent act isn’t as convincing this lifetime as it was in the last.’

The two of them walked out of the academic building together. Shirley Forrest glanced around, and Vera Xavier asked, "What are you looking for?"

"I heard Nathaniel Nathan is back, so I was seeing if he came to pick you up," Shirley Forrest replied. "If he’s here, I’ll make myself scarce."

Vera Xavier: "..."

Seeing her expression, Shirley Forrest said placidly, "Everyone always says how amazing and wonderful Nathaniel Nathan is, but I just feel a chill whenever I see him. And since I can’t stand the cold, it’s better if I just keep my distance."

Vera Xavier felt like Shirley had just told an incredibly dry joke.

After they went their separate ways, Vera Xavier remembered something. When Nathaniel Nathan left yesterday, he’d said he would pick her up after school. But he hadn’t shown up today.

She knew he must have had a good reason for not coming. The military had probably called him away on another mission. Still, the fact that he’d promised to be there and hadn’t shown up left a strange feeling in her heart. She couldn’t tell if it was disappointment or something else entirely.

Her spirits suddenly sank. She knew Cara Preston had probably been released and was back home by now, which meant the house would be buzzing with drama. She was in no mood to walk into that mess. So, she shouldered her schoolbag and started walking aimlessly. Before she knew it, she found herself standing in front of the Nathan family’s house.

The realization made her jump. ’Crestfall is a huge city with thousands of streets,’ she thought. ’How on earth did I end up at his house?’

Just as she turned to leave, the Nathan family’s housekeeper, Lana Cheney, happened to open the main gate. Her face lit up when she saw Vera. "Mr. Nathan was just talking about you! Though, Nathaniel isn’t home right now."

Vera Xavier heard the good-natured teasing in Lana Cheney’s voice and blushed. "I’m not here to see Nathaniel," she said, flustered. "I came to see Mr. Nathan."