Three Systems Made the Fake Heiress Unstoppable

Mr. Cole, a long-standing rival of the York Group, teased.

The college entrance exam scores weren’t even out, yet he was already throwing a college acceptance party. Did he think that with two daughters taking the exam, both were guaranteed to get in? Or was he just certain that at least one of them would?

Sensing the awkward turn, Mr. Hale had already made a quiet retreat.

"Oh, come on, Mr. Cole, listen to yourself. It’s not that I particularly wanted to throw this party. I’m doing it for everyone online! You know, about my daughter Brooke fainting outside the exam hall... Everyone online is convinced she’ll get into a good university and they asked me to host an acceptance party for them to see. This is just to satisfy their curiosity!"

Mr. Cole just smiled and said nothing. They were both powerful men; how could he not see through such a ploy? ’Most of those people online are probably paid commenters!’

Mr. Cole said no more, and Miles York dropped the subject as well. Using the excuse of needing to greet someone else, Miles moved away from him.

Meanwhile, Brooke York arrived at the hotel with Alice Cole. Only then did she realize everyone had already arrived; in fact, the party seemed to be halfway over.

No one noticed them enter, and no one came to greet them. It was as if they were invisible.

Mostly, it was because the guests were in the thick of their business talks. Deep in conversation, none of them had the attention to spare to watch the entrance.

Besides, everyone assumed all the guests were present. The guest of honor, Chloe York, and the host, Miles York, were already there, so who would still be watching the door?

"Mom, didn’t you say the guest of honor always arrives last? Why did no one come to greet us when we came in? They didn’t even look at us!" Brooke York demanded of Alice Cole.

Alice Cole hadn’t expected this to happen either. ’This is a party hosted by the Yorks, after all,’ she thought. ’Shouldn’t the guests come and greet us when we arrive?’

Little did she know, in the past, she had always entered with Miles York. When the family of three arrived together as the hosts, the guests were naturally obliged to greet them.

But this time, Miles York and Chloe York had entered without her. The guests subconsciously assumed she wasn’t coming. And since she wasn’t the guest of honor, why would anyone be paying special attention to her arrival?

Alice Cole’s gaze swept across the venue. She spotted Miles York chatting with some guests and Chloe York sitting in a corner. The sight of Chloe sitting all alone instantly lifted her spirits.

"It’s alright, Brooke. They probably just didn’t see us. Look, what good did it do Chloe to arrive early? She’s just sitting in a corner with no one paying her any mind."

Brooke followed her mother’s gaze and, sure enough, saw Chloe York sitting alone in a corner. But when she saw what Chloe was wearing, a flash of jealousy shot through her.

"Mom, her dress looks more elegant and beautiful than mine," Brooke whined. She had assumed she would be the most beautiful one here tonight.

She never imagined Chloe York’s outfit would be so much better. Next to her, Brooke felt like a commoner who had stolen a princess’s dress.

Alice Cole lowered her voice. "That dress of hers isn’t even the latest design. Besides, look how young you are. Dressed like that, don’t you think it looks like your father is parading her around to see if any man will take an interest and... take her off his hands?"

Now that her mother mentioned it, Brooke thought it did seem plausible, and her mood brightened considerably.

’So, it seems Dad isn’t throwing this party because he cares about Chloe at all,’ Brooke thought. ’He’s just using it as a chance to parade her around and see if he can find a taker.’

Alice Cole sensed the change in Brooke’s demeanor. "Feeling better now? I told you before, once the college entrance exams are over, I’ll have your father marry her off to someone—anyone—to gain some benefits for our family. So you see, your father really does love you most."

"Mhm!" Brooke nodded happily.

"I’m going to say hello to your father. You go find a place to sit."

"Okay."

Of course, Brooke wasn’t about to go find some other place to sit. She walked straight over to Chloe.

A shadow fell over Chloe, who had been resting. She looked up to see Brooke standing before her in a frilly pink dress, looking like a Barbie doll.

’Brooke’s usual persona is the innocent ’white lotus,’ and she always seemed to think her feigned fragility looked best in a white dress. I’m surprised to see her in such a pink outfit today; it doesn’t fit her character at all.’

"Chloe York, the scores are coming out tonight. I can’t wait to see you make a fool of yourself." Brooke crossed her arms, blurting out the same tired threat.

"And how exactly am I going to make a fool of myself?" Chloe’s voice was tinged with exasperation. ’She really has nothing new to say, does she?’

’It’s always "just you wait" or "I’m waiting to see what happens." Always talking about seeing me humiliated, always planning to deal with me, but after all this time and all her busy scheming, it seems she hasn’t accomplished a single thing!’

"Do you really think you did that well on the exam? That this ’acceptance party’ is really for you?"

"And why wouldn’t it be? What makes you so sure I’m going to be a laughingstock tonight? What if the scores come out and it turns out I’m the top scorer of the exam? Besides, didn’t you see the sign at the entrance when you walked in? It has my photo, my name, and the words ’College Acceptance Party.’ This *is* my acceptance party."

"Haha, Chloe York, it’s already nighttime, so you can stop daydreaming. Even *I* wouldn’t dare claim to be the top scorer, and you have the nerve to think you are?" Brooke completely ignored everything else Chloe said, clinging to her own assumptions and her mother’s words.

Chloe had no desire to speak with Brooke any further. There were only ten minutes until the scores were released. In ten minutes, they would see who the real laughingstock was.

Brooke didn’t leave, either. She simply sat down on the sofa across from her.

The two of them sat in silence, a stark contrast to the chattering crowd around them.

"What took you so long?" Miles York grumbled to Alice Cole at his side after finishing a conversation.

"You have the nerve to ask? You arranged a makeup artist and everything for Chloe, but you did nothing for Brooke. I had to arrange it all myself! On top of that, this hotel you chose is close to Chloe’s school, but it’s a long way from our home. You think it doesn’t take time to get here?"

"Alright, alright, I was just asking. I’m not trying to start a fight. Do you have to be so aggressive?"

"How am I being aggressive? You were the one who started it with your complaining tone."

There was no point in arguing with Alice Cole when they couldn’t see eye to eye. Miles York fell silent and led her away to continue greeting the other guests.

Ten minutes passed quickly, and it was time for the exam scores to be released. Miles York went to find Chloe at once.

"Chloe, the scores should be out now!"

"They should be." This was the time Mr. Parker had told her they would be released.

Miles York waved over a hotel staff member, who immediately went on stage to operate the computer.

"Chloe, let’s just project it onto the big screen so everyone here can see your results."

"Alright!" Chloe agreed readily. She didn’t see any problem with that.