To Cindy, every bit of recognition Claire was now enjoying felt like her own stolen dream.
Claire was a thief-plain and simple.
While the room buzzed with chatter, Cindy abruptly stood up, snatched her backpack, and stormed out.
The teacher had been about to wrap things up anyway, but Cindy's display of defiance irked her. Still, with several students crowding around to ask last-minute questions about the application process, Darcey let Cindy go without comment. "Cindy just left," Sophia whispered, nudging Claire and nodding toward the door.
Claire barely glanced up, totally unfazed. "Let her go. We're done with the applications—there's really no reason to stick around."
"You don't think she's going to totally lose it and jump out a window, do you?" Sophia muttered, more anxious than she'd admit.
But her concern was less about Cindy's well-being and more about Cindy using the threat of self-harm to manipulate Claire. She wouldn't put it past her to try and blackmail Claire—say, refuse to go to college unless Claire agreed to some demand.
Claire merely shook her head. “She's not in that kind of mood."
And she was right. Cindy was too preoccupied to play the part of a dramatic martyr today.
Right now, she was terrified the Byron family would turn against her.
She'd only managed to get into an ordinary college, while Claire was top of the city. Would the Byrons still want her as their future daughter-in-law? Would they regret everything?
If their identities had never been swapped, she would have grown up as York's childhood sweetheart-inseparable since birth. Their relationship would be strong, not haunted by the fear and uncertainty she felt now. The exam results announcement should have been a time for celebration. Instead, she was paralyzed with dread.
Whose fault was all of this, anyway?
Her godmother Fallon for nursing a vendetta? Her father Latham's betrayal? Or her mother Octavia for being so ruthless it seeded this entire mess?
Cindy's thoughts were a tangled wreck.
Meanwhile, back at the Byrons' home, everyone was feeling the sting after news of the girls' exam results broke.
Olga, after facing down a gauntlet of sharp-tongued socialites over afternoon coffee, was still fuming.
They had all taken turns making sly jabs, saying the Byron family had "traded gold for brass."
"If you ask me, that placeholder heiress was fabulous-always has been, since she was little."
"The James family could have easily adopted her. Keeping her as your goddaughter would be a win for everyone."
"Now look at what you've got,"
another woman said, her voice
edged with rivalry, given her family's business competition with the Byrons. "You had a brilliant daughter-in-law, and now? Well..."
"I actually prefer Claire, to be honest," another lady added smoothly. "She's so graceful. Cindy, though, always had that small town
feel
auf have your hands tuff, Olga,
once she marries in."
Olga could only force a rigid smile. "Cindy really is a good girl-polite, sensible, always considerate."
"As for Claire, well, even though she and York grew up together, they've never been particularly close."
"She's remarkable, but honestly, too ambitious. Once she's off at some top-tier university with all those talented boys, I doubt she'll remain attached to this marriage."
"And let's be clear—the original engagement was always meant for the legitimate heiress of the James family. Now that Claire isn't, well, it only makes sense to make a change."
"There's nothing to compare here, really—each girl has her strengths."
The ladies traded glances, barely containing their smirks. It was clear they thought Olga was only deceiving herself.
But Olga clung to her dignity and let them laugh. There was nothing else to be done.
She came home from her coffee date practically seething. That evening, she cornered her husband to vent, her words tumbling out in frustration.
"I said from the start that Claire was the better fit—you all just wouldn't listen. Now look at Cindy! Those grades of hers are embarrassing-1 can hardly bring myself to say thes numbers out loud