Alexia had deliberately shaken off her driver, leaving him feeling helpless. This wasn't the first time the princess had been so willful; she often angered the servants to the point of neglect. Her ignorance and willfulness worried him; sooner or later, she would suffer the consequences.

The driver sighed inwardly, feeling mentally and physically drained. The remote and rowdy location left him with no choice but to search for her, hoping nothing bad would happen.

Meanwhile, Alexia hid behind a small stall. Watching the driver depart, a smug look spread across her beautiful face. "How dumb!" she muttered. To cause trouble for Tiffany at the bar, she couldn't allow the driver to follow. Otherwise, he would report her, resulting in a lengthy grounding.

Having successfully evaded the driver, Alexia walked arrogantly ahead. However, she failed to notice over a dozen people silently trailing her.

Jansen and his gang had witnessed everything, stunned by Alexia's actions. They had been planning how to get rid of the driver to make their task easier, never expecting this unexpected turn of events.

"This silly girl is really considerate," one gangster remarked, barely suppressing a laugh.

The others agreed. The ease with which things unfolded almost felt awkward, but they couldn't pass up such an easy target.

Jansen waved his hand. "Let's go. Get a move on, guys."

A few food stalls lined the deserted street; few people ventured out for supper at this hour. The streetlights were dim, several malfunctioning. Long shadows stretched across the ground. A dog barked in the distance. A gust of autumn wind brought a chill to the air.

Alexia hugged her arms. This was her first time wandering the streets at night, yet she felt fearless. She'd always been flattered and spoiled; no one dared to hurt her except Tiffany.

Excited for her revenge, Alexia quickened her pace. However, as she passed a dark alley, she heard something fall behind her—a crisp, clear sound in the quiet night.

Turning, she saw nothing under the dim streetlight. She wondered about the source of the sound and whether someone was following her. A shiver ran down her spine, and she quickly fled the alley.

It was a missed opportunity. Jansen, hiding in the alley, angrily smacked a skinny accomplice. "You can't even hold your phone properly? What a piece of trash!" he snarled.

The guy retorted, "Jansen, how can you hit me? Look, my phone screen is broken! I already feel bad enough."

"You deserve it," Jansen spat, stomping his foot.

Alexia, however, was already gone. A rash pursuit was too risky.

Jansen addressed his gang indignantly, "Let's find another opportunity. We'll wait near the bar. We're making our move tonight, no matter what."

Alexia raced to the entrance of the Sky Spring Bar, determined to confront Tiffany inside.

Inside the bar, everyone was gathered in a private room, chatting and laughing.

Jade returned after a few minutes, carrying a large cake. She placed it on the table, winking at Melody. "Surprised? Happy birthday!"

Melody was initially distracted but responded when Jade spoke, smiling and nodding, "Thank you, Jade."

Zoe asked in confusion, "Jade, you invited us for Melody's birthday? Why didn't you say so before?"

Jade's invitation hadn't mentioned the birthday. Had Zoe known, she wouldn't have brought Tiffany.

Embarrassed, Jade explained awkwardly, "Birthday parties are fun, right? Besides, we're classmates. It's better to have fun together."

"Sure," Zoe sneered. They'd come because of Jade; this felt like a lie, especially since everyone knew their dislike for Melody.

Angry, Zoe stood up, saying coldly, "I'm sorry, I didn't bring a gift. We'll leave. We can't freeload."

Melody stopped Zoe. "We rarely get together, let's treat it as a joke. I don't have many friends, so I asked Jade to invite you. I'm sorry if I upset you."

Melody's humble and pitiful demeanor prompted others to intervene. "Since you're here, have fun. It's her birthday. Don't bully her."

Zoe laughed angrily. "Who's the bully? Crying is such a useful skill," she thought.

Tiffany reacted calmly, simply pulling Zoe back. She looked at Melody with a faint smile, "It's fine."

Her smile and words were ambiguous. Melody replied with a faint smile, neither retreating nor yielding. "Thanks for coming."

While Melody appeared docile, a hidden challenge lingered in her eyes, her smile widening as their gazes met.

Tiffany sat languidly, exuding a calm, graceful, and noble aura. She seemed a queen observing insignificant ants, her disdain evident.

'What are you smug about?' Melody thought, feeling crushed by Tiffany's aura, unable to maintain her smile. She knew she could never surpass Tiffany; a tiny star could never outshine the moon.

Melody clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms, drawing blood.

The atmosphere was tense. A girl asked, "Melody, is Mr. Harper coming to your birthday?"

"I think so," Melody replied. "He's busy. He might not be able to make it. The entire Harper family depends on him, after all."

The mention of the Harper family implied increased wealth, as Kenneth was their sole heir.

The girls were envious, but Ged scoffed, "Sure. The entire Harper family depends on him, so the future matriarch needs a suitable background, of course. There's a long time until marriage; being his lover is different from being his wife."

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