Chapter 156 Buried Truths and Burned Ties

Hearing Henry’s words, Eliza realized that was the worst news she’d heard all day.

No matter how far the Holt family had fallen, Zayden had still managed to get into a good university.

It wasn’t surprising–but it still left her with a tightness in her chest.

She even wanted to snap back at Henry. iWhat /iimade /iiyou /iithink /iI biwas /i/bisad /iiabout /iiZayden/ii? /i

After the vacation with Henry and the others, Eliza finally received her official admission letter from ire University, just as expected.

Meanwhile, in the cramped apartment of the Holt family…

Grace and Zayden were now squeezed into a fifty–square–meter rental unit.

Eliza had bought out therge hundred–square–meter downtown apartment Grace once owned. And rather than spend money on a new ce, Grace decided to save it for Zayden’s college expenses. So, they settled for renting.

The apartment was a mess–luxury handbags and their boxes were scattered everywhere.

They’d already been living there for over ten days, and still hadn’t properly unpacked.

Grace had considered hiring help, but knowing how tight their finances were now, she decided to do it all herself.

Walking into Zayden’s room, Grace frowned. “This kid… look at this mess.”

As she cleaned up his desk, something caught her eye: a few photographs partially hidden beneath a stack of books.

Curious, she shifted the books aside and picked them up.

They were all pictures of Eliza–working at a warehouse in the suburbs, exiting a real estate office, holding something red in her hands…

bGrace’s /bbeyes /bnarrowed.

iProperty /ibideeds/i/bbi. /i/b

Five of them.

iFive /iiproperty /iideeds /iin Eliza’s ihands/ibi? /i/b

bGrace /bimmediately thought back to the phone call where Eliza offered to buy her apartment.

Two imillion /iin ione /ishot.

b1/3 /b

Chapter 156 Buried Truths and Burned Ties

At the time, she’d wondered how a high schooler could have that kind of money.

biCould /i/biit /iibe/i… ishe’s /iisecretly /iirunning /iia /iifactory /ibior /i/bisomething/i?

A chill ran through her.

Just what kind biof /i/bisecrets /iiis /iiEliza /iihiding/ii? /i

“Mom, I’m homeb./bb” /b

Zayden’s voice came from the hallway as he stepped into the apartment.

He frowned when he saw his bedroom door open.

“Mom?b” /b

He walked in and found Grace making his bed.

“Why are you in my room?” he asked, stepping forward and taking the nket from her.

“I just saw how messy it was and figured I’d help clean up.”

“I can do it myself.”

He bent down, straightening the sheets.

Finished

Grace looked at her son’s tired face and couldn’t help but speak. “It’s so hottely, and your part–time job is exhausting. I’ve saved money for you–you don’t have to work so hard.”

“I’m just bored. There’s nothing else to do at home. It’s fine, Mom.”

“We may not be able to send you abroad, but at least you got into a top domestic school. Westbrook University is still an excellent university.”

She tried tofort him.

If the Holt family hadn’t gone bankrupt so early, Zayden probably could’ve made it into ire University with his grades.

But now…

“Mom, I want to rest for a bit. Could you leave me alone?”

“…Alright.”

bGrace /bquietly stepped out and gently closed the door behind her.

Once she was gone, Zayden sat down at his desk and pulled out the hidden photographs.

He stared at the images of Eliza for a long moment, then pulled out a lighter and burned everyst one of

them.

Outside the door, bGrace /bstood in silence, troubled.

Chapter 156 Buried Truths and Burned Ties

iThis /iison /iiof /iimine/ii… /iiso /ibifoolish/i/b.

Eliza was clearly rich now.

He should be doing everything he could to get back in her good bgraces/b.

Resolving herself, Grace pulled out her phone and dialed Eliza’s number.

Finished

Eliza was at home reviewing for hernguage cement test when her phone rang.

She nced at the unfamiliar number and, thinking it might be from ire University, answered.

“Who is this?b” /b

“Elizze, it’s me.”

The moment she heard Grace’s voice, Eliza’s finger moved to hang up.

But then Grace said softly, “I know your secret. Let’s talk in person.”

Eliza froze.

iHer /iisecret/ii? /i

Could that cryptic message–the one saying she wasn’t the real daughter of the Rivers family–havee from Grace?

“I don’t want to make things hard for you,” Grace added. “Let’s meet at the café near Westbrook High. Seven o’clock tonight.”

And then she hung up.

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