Celine, never an early riser, opened the door in a grumpy mood. Her hair was a mess, her eyes bloodshot. She glared at Ralph. "What do you want?!"

"My dear sister, I brought you breakfast!" he said with a smile, presenting the tray he'd carried from downstairs.

"Oh, the sun must have risen in the west today," Celine mumbled, glancing at the food before yawning and covering her mouth. She then retreated to brush her teeth and shower.

Ralph, left alone in her room, flipped through the books on her table with boredom, mockingly chuckling at the preponderance of novels. His older sister, an adult, still read such things. This, however, was to his advantage; Celine posed no threat. An ally was far better than an enemy.

After freshening up, Celine lay on the sofa, picked up a piece of bread, and began to eat. "Tell me, what do you want?"

"Celine, you know the family elders are coming today, right?" Ralph asked quietly, watching her reaction.

"Mom mentioned it. What are you planning?"

"That identification report… the DNA report. You've seen it, haven't you?" Ralph rubbed his hands together, uncertain how to proceed.

Celine sat up straight, startled. "I have. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. It's just… the results…"

"You know the results?" Celine raised an eyebrow, surprised.

Ralph licked his lip, then smiled. "I didn't look, but I guessed. That's not important. The elders are coming, and I'll tell everyone Alex isn't a blood relative."

"What?!" Celine gasped, nearly dropping her bread. She caught it just in time.

"I know this sounds heartless, but we can't prolong this, Celine. Alex forced my hand. I'm not the only one who's suffered. Think about your reduced allowance, the company you wanted to start—what Alex said about that! There are countless examples. If he had any respect for us, we wouldn't be ridiculed, forced to grovel."

Celine remained silent, her expression conflicted.

Ralph, oblivious, continued, "I didn't initially plan a DNA test, but the reason's irrelevant now. I've prepared the report; it's with Mom. She'll announce it publicly. We'll officially remove Alex from the Russell family. He'll lose his inheritance rights. Celine, remember to stay silent when the time comes!" His meaning was clear: he wanted her to keep quiet about the true results.

Celine quietly finished her bread. "Does Mom know about this?"

"Yes. I told her. The report's with her. Don't worry. This is just a heads-up." He nodded, a silent agreement passing between them.