Zinnia said with a stern face, “Betty is not my sister. I don’t have a sister, and I’m not the Shaw family’s adopted daughter.”

Zinnia pressed her lips together. She thought, ‘The Shaw family has never publicly disclosed my true identity. Adopted daughter? What a joke. To protect Betty, they slapped that label on me, as if it were some kind of grand favor.’

Zinnia’s heart remained calm and steady. She added, “I have nothing to do with them anymore.”

Brian could tell Zinnia’s mood had taken a turn for the worse and decided not to press her further. Still, her words lingered in his mind.

He thought, ‘Nothing to do with them anymore? It clearly implies that she has once been connected to the Shaw family.’

For a moment, Brian felt stuck. Zinnia didn’t want to talk about the Shaw family, and he didn’t want to push her and risk upsetting her.

Just as Brian was trying to figure out how to explain things to the class and find the best way to minimize the impact on Zinnia, someone shoved a phone in his face.

Isaac posted on the forum. He said: “[Zinnia is the Shaw family’s biological daughter, not an illegitimate child, not an adopted one. The Shaw family has only one daughter. As for certain people’s identities, well, I’ll let you figure that out yourselves.

[The person who stirred up trouble is so shameless. She wanted the title of the Shaw family’s daughter, and Zinnia let her have it.

[Zinnia is the lady of the Lynn family. Anyone who dares to question her identity is picking a fight with the Lynn family. You’ve been warned.]”

The post was pinned at the very top of the school forum, impossible to miss.

After hearing from Ethan, Isaac checked the forum. He was angry about the picture and the people’s suspicion of Zinnia’s identity. He thought, ‘Betty’s shamelessness knows no bounds.’ So he posted to defend Zinnia.

Students browsing the forum were stunned when they saw Isaac’s post.

Betty had been scrolling through the forum. She smirked as she read the posts criticizing Zinnia. She thought, ‘Zinnia might have made it into Evershine High, but this is my turf. I’ll make sure she regrets ever setting foot here!’

Betty had always maintained a flawless image at school. She was gentle, generous, from a good family, and undeniably beautiful. She was the dream girl of many, with plenty of supporters.

Earlier that morning, Betty had someone deliberately take photos of her confrontation with Zinnia from unflattering angles and post them online, sparking a wave of criticism against Zinnia. Betty had even planted rumors, pushing the idea that Zinnia was an illegitimate child.

At Evershine High, filled with wealthy heirs and heiresses, the topics of illegitimate children and adopted daughters were particularly sensitive. As soon as these rumors surfaced, Zinnia instantly became the school’s punching bag.

But Betty’s satisfaction was shattered by Isaac’s post. After students read the post, a heavy silence fell over them. It was as if the truth had hit them like a punch to the gut.

They pondered, ‘The post clarifies that Zinnia is the Shaw family’s biological daughter. Given the close ties between the Lynn and Shaw families, there is no way the Lynn family wouldn’t know the truth about the Shaw family.

‘With Isaac’s statement, Zinnia’s identity is beyond doubt. If Zinnia is the Shaw family’s only biological daughter, then what's Betty’s real identity? Is she trying to take Zinnia’s place?’

The post had everyone talking.

One commented: “[Wait, is Isaac saying Zinnia is the real daughter? Does that mean Betty isn’t even related to the Shaw family by blood?]”

Another chimed in: “[And he called Betty shameless. Isaac must be seriously pissed to say something like that about Betty.]”

Someone said: “[Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Betty isn’t a Shaw. She doesn’t look like them at all. The Shaw family members are so stunning, Betty’s looks are just average. Her classy vibe is the only thing that stands out.]”

One said: “[Aren’t the Shaw and Lynn families supposed to be super close? How could Isaac say something like this about Betty?]”

A student defended Betty by saying: “[Even if Betty isn’t their biological daughter, she was raised by the Shaw family and has known Isaac for years. How could he say such harsh things about her? What did Betty even do wrong?]”

Betty’s classmates glanced at Betty. They couldn’t believe that someone as gentle and kind as Betty could be the person described in the post.

Browsing the post, Betty’s face turned pale, and her grip on her phone tightened. The warmth in her usual gentle smile vanished completely, replaced by a chilling coldness.

She was trembling with anger, blindsided by Isaac’s audacity and cruelty. The post felt like a slap, leaving her completely humiliated.

Seeing the post, the students in the International Class let out a sigh of relief. They thought, ‘Finally, Isaac has spoken. Zinnia’s the real deal. Time to let loose and have some fun.’

They were hyped, their fingers flying across keyboards like they were on a mission. Gossip about their class? Annoying. But someone else’s drama? They were all in.

One said: “[Wasn’t Betty always bragging about how important she was to the Shaw family? Turns out she’s been living someone else’s life all along. What a fraud.]”

Another chimed in: “[The world’s gone downhill. Shameless people are everywhere these days. Imagine stealing someone’s identity and then kicking them out. Unbelievable!]”

Someone said: “[Seriously, some people are just wolves in sheep’s clothing. Their hearts are as dark as a black hole, bubbling over with malice.]”

A person said: “[Who would’ve thought the sweet, innocent Betty is just a fraud stealing someone else’s life? What a joke!]”

One student said: “[Zinnia just got here and hasn’t even had time to offend anyone. So why’s she suddenly the center of all this drama? Who’s pulling the strings behind the scenes? And who’s the one benefiting from all this?]”

Even Ethan commented: “[Man, some people are a case of ‘you never truly know someone.’]”

The International Class students had never liked Betty much anyway; they always thought she was way too fake.

Ethan turned to look at Zinnia and said, “Zinnia, don’t worry. We’ve got your back. Don’t be scared.” From his perspective, Zinnia’s eyes were calm, her face expressionless, as if she were unhappy.

Zinnia had no idea what Ethan was talking about. Having just arrived at Evershine High, she rarely used her phone and had missed all the buzz.

The mention of the Shaw family made her feel uneasy. So she planned to drink milk. The sugary taste helped her push the Shaw family out of her mind, at least for now.

“Zinnia, here,” Lydia said. She offered a candy to Zinnia.

Zinnia turned her head to look at Lydia.

Being shy, Lydia quickly set the candy down and nervously pulled her hand back.

Zinnia blinked, slightly amused. She thought, ‘Lydia seems even shyer than I am?’ She had always thought of herself as someone who avoided people, but Lydia’s behavior made her seem even more outgoing in comparison.