On the second and third day of the New Year, Citrine was swept along by the Carmichaels and the Saunders as they visited rtives. Not only did she leave with a stack of generous holiday envelopes, but she also won the affection of nearly every aunt, uncle, and cousin she met—bing, for a moment, the "golden child" everyone wished they had.

If it had been her old self, she would have been overwhelmed, almost anxious about being the center of so much affection.

But now, with a loving family by her side, all that warmth kindled a voice inside her loud, clear, and unshakeable.

Citrine Carmichael, look at you. You deserve this. You deserve to be loved by everyone.

If yourst life ended the way it did, it was only because you had the misfortune to meet all the wrong people. It was their cruelty, not your unworthiness.

Magnolia.

Ever since Jete Iverson''s true colors were exposed by Theo Glenwood, and after she''d been suspended for a few days forshing out and hurting someone, Jete found herself unable to stay in Crestwood any longer. The school sent her an expulsion notice. For now, she was finished here.

Luckily, Jete had cultivated a number of friendships-mostly with boys. One of them was Chuck, whose family ran a sessful restaurant chain, and who had made a small fortune as a livestream influencer over the past couple of years.

To Jete, no matter how much money Chuck''s family had, they were still new money-loud, shy, and utterly beneath her standards, at least in the past.

But times had changed. These days, Chuck was the most eligible bachelor she had ess to, and more importantly, he was willing to drop his studies at home and take her abroad with him.

It wasn''t exactly an Ivy League school, but where there were trust-fund kids and spoiled heirs, there were always opportunities.

She couldn''t stay in her home country anymore, so following Chuck overseas seemed like a golden ticket.

After all, the world was full of wealthy international students, and with Chuck as a stepping stone, she was sure her looks would help her find someone even richer.

Jete''s mind worked with dazzling speed, calcting her odds and options with a cunning sharper than ever.

Meanwhile, Chuck had no clue what was going on behind her pretty eyes. He just kept introducing her to his foreign friends, pride oozing from every word.

Chuck was average-looking at best, so having a girlfriend as striking as Jete felt like winning the lottery. He doted on her, indulging her every whim.

Tonight, Chuck''s new circle of friends had gathered for a party. When he introduced Jete, the guys all yed along, greeting her as "sis-inw" with a wink and a nudge.

Among the group of tall, morous Western women, Jete''s petite build and delicate features drew plenty of attention.

"Wow, Chuck-your girlfriend is gorgeous!"

"Man, I can''t believe I get to study at the same school as her. Luckiest break of my life."fn34a2 ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? Find_Novel(./fn34a2

"I''ve seen a lot of Northriver girls, but none as pretty as her."

On and on it went, eachpliment loftier than thest, cing Jete on a pedestal and making her bask in the glow.

She enjoyed every minute of it, head held high, savoring a respect she''d never felt before.

With so many hungry eyes on her, Jete''s pride swelled inside her chest. The more they fawned over her, the more she felt she deserved better than Chuck. Chuck, oblivious, kept his arm around her, bragging to anyone who''d listen. Jete half-closed her eyes, a flicker of impatience passing through them. Just then, someone called out, "Heads up, the birthday boy''s here!"

Jete''s eyes lit up instantly. Chuck had mentioned this birthday guest before- a royal, apparently, from an old-money family.

She quickly pulled out a mirror and touched up her makeup, making sure every detail was perfect before ncing at the door.

A few minutester, a tall,

dark-skinned man entered. He

wasn''t ssically handsome, but he had amanding height, and the

watch on his wrist was clearly worth a small fortune.  s

He nodded to the group before making his way to the center seat that everyone instinctively cleated for him. Every move he made spoke of privilege and nobility.  s

Jete''s initial excitement turned to confusion.

A ck man? Wasn''t he supposed to be royalty?

She leaned close to Chuck and whispered, "What''s going on? I thought you said

he was a prince. Isn''t he supposed to be...?"

Chuck answered softly, "Don''t be fooled. He''s real royalty—a prince from Africa. His family owns more gold mines than you can count."

Jete stared at the man, the gleam in her eyes fading. Her mood soured, and she spent the rest of the night withdrawn and distracted.

It wasn''t until

until the end of the dinner that her spirits lifted again. Chuck had prepared thoughtful gifts for everyone expensive cologne and leather belts for the guys, designer purses and sparkling jewelry for the girls.  s

Jete received a crystal ne worth nearly a million dors. As she turned

it over in her hands, her eyes sparkled again.

He really was loaded.

African or not, royalty was royalty. If she married him, her days would be paved with luxuries.

Jete made a quiet n to keep this prince as a backup option.

As the only petite woman in the group, she couldn''t help but stand out, and before

long, the African prince-Leif-noticed her.

"Chuck, is this your Northriver girlfriend? She''s stunning," Leif said, a glint of interest in his eyes.

Chuck-oblivious as ever-beamed and nodded,pletely missing the look Leif gave Jete.