Chapter 16

Once the call ended, Grace powered up her laptop and navigated straight to the school's online forum.

Rumors had been expected, but the frenzy that greeted her was beyond anything she'd imagined.

A bold new thread-"Truth About The New Transfer,Grace Miller"-immediately drew her focus.

According to the anonymous source, Grace's childhood had been spent bouncing between orphanages andfoster homes until finally, the Holden family adopted her. Worse still, the writer insisted she'd used their connections just to get into Briskvale High. And the cherry on top was the insinuation about a luxurious car-a scandal in the making, apparently.

Her slender fingers moved confidently over the keyboard,blue light glinting off her steady expression.

Accusations came with so-called proof-a photo of Patrick's flashy Mercedes parked by the gate,another of her stepping into the car.

The comments below the post churned with gossip.

"Called it! Girls like that are always hiding something."

"Rumor has it she was passed around foster homes in Stranta and never fit in anywhere..."

"Why would the Holden family bother adopting her?There's got to be more to the story."

A faint smirk tugged at Grace's lips, but a flicker of coldness crept into her eyes.

She clicked through to the poster's profile,but found nothing useful. It was an anonymous account.

"Not even brave enough to use their own name," she murmured,swiftly capturing screenshots as proof.

A soft buzz interrupted her thoughts-Adrianna's message appeared. "Grace, don't let the comments get to you. I'm already reporting the thread!"

Grace replied calmly, "Don't worry. It's not bothering me."

Another message popped up-Patrick this time."I saw the forum mess. Want me to take care of it? I can wipe that thread clean."

Grace casually responded, "Already handled it. The post is gone, and the forum is locked down."

Places that allowed rumors to spread unchecked

hardly deserved to stay open.

Patrick then asked, "Did you track down who started it?"

"Yeah, I traced the IP to a computer in the school library," she replied.

For just one day at school, Grace found it strange how quickly she had become a target.

Blending in had never been an option. Some people just couldn't help but target the ones who stood out.

Thinking the issue settled, Grace set the matter aside.

But shortly afterward, Rodger's entire family received an urgent summons from Ethel.

Julia could only wonder what was going on. Ethel always seemed to end up with a headache when the whole family showed up.

Yet, with Ethel being Rodger's mother, no one dared refuse the invitation.

Grace barely stepped through the door before Ethel's sharp voice cut the air. "Grace, our family's reputation matters to me. I won't have you tarnishing it."

Julia's brow creased. "Ethel, that's really uncalled for.Grace always shows respect, and she would never do anything like that."

Rodger mirrored the concern on her face. "Grace has barely settled in. She's only attended two days at her new school. What could she have possibly done?"

Without warning,Ethel let out a dismissive laugh and brought an iPad crashing down onto the table."Take a look at this yourselves! People all over the city are whispering that we've brought home a girl with a questionable past!"

Across the screen, screenshots flashed-remnants of a deleted post, now being shared everywhere online and through chat groups.

Shock rushed over Julia as she snatched the device."None of this is true! Grace would never get mixed up in something like this. She's a wonderful girl..."

"Wonderful, you say?" Ethel interrupted, her glare cutting straight through Grace. "Wonderful enough to spark a scandal her first week here? And just who is that man in the expensive car?"

Grace opened her mouth, but Gianna jumped in first."Grandma, please don't work yourself up. That person could just be one of Grace's friends."

"Friends, is it? Do you honestly think a girl from the orphanage suddenly knows someone so rich? There are girls out there who chase after money without a second thought," Ethel said, her voice full of warning.

Grace's gaze turned cold, her composure unwavering.

Ethel caught that look and her irritation grew. "Let me make myself clear. Our family's reputation matters above all else. I will not tolerate any improper behavior from you, not while you are part of the family."

"I swear to you all, I have never done anything to tarnish the family name. That man truly is my friend,"Grace said, her voice steady and clear.

Without hesitation, Julia squeezed Grace's hand. "I believe every word she says.",

Watching Julia's unwavering support, Ethel felt her patience wearing thin.

Gianna's lips curled in quiet delight. Seeing Ethel's frustration aimed at Grace left her feeling rather pleased.

Putting on a look of false sympathy, Gianna jumped back into the conversation. "Grandma, you shouldn't upset yourself. I actually have some wonderful news.Next week, Prof. Warren from Summit University will visit our school for a guest lecture. Ms. Dixon promised to introduce us, and if I make a good impression, I might just secure early admission to Summit."

At the mention of that name, Ethel's face brightened.She reached for Gianna's hand, brimming with excitement. "Is it true? Prof. Warren from Summit?The one whose research was published in 'Nature'?"

Gianna shot a gloating look at Grace before turning back to Ethel, her voice sweet. "Yes. Ms. Dixon says my marks in science are exceptional, so she's giving me this chance."

To Ellie Dixon,Gianna was her star pupil.

"That's wonderful, just wonderful!" said Ethel, patting Gianna's hand, her smile making the creases on her face even deeper. "This is what I expect from a Holden. Such accomplishments bring pride, not disgrace."

With a final pointed look at Grace, Ethel made her meaning plain. Grace, meanwhile, showed no reaction,appearing as though none of it concerned her at all.