Ella's coming-of-age ceremony was set for the evening, giving her a day to plan her counterattack against Brianna and Hannah.
Her heart was full of shock and gratitude for this second chance. She lightly patted her cheeks, forcing herself to stay calm and ready for the important event.
This rebirth was an opportunity to reshape her destiny, and she wouldn't let those villains succeed again.
After washing up, she stood in front of the mirror, carefully examining herself.
The girl in the mirror had a beautiful face, but there was a newfound maturity and calmness in her eyes. Though she appeared innocent at eighteen, her soul had endured too much hardship.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Ella's heart tightened, but she quickly regained her composure.
"Come in," Ella said calmly.
The door opened gently, and Hannah walked in with a sweet smile. At sixteen, Hannah's voice was as sweet as morning birdsong. "Sister, today is your coming-of-age ceremony, and I don't have any decent jewelry. Can you lend me a necklace?"
Looking at her younger sister, Ella couldn't help but sneer internally. This seemingly harmless girl harbored deep jealousy and schemes.
Suddenly, she thought of how Brianna always projected the image of a loving stepmother to outsiders. If Hannah wore the family heirloom, the Deep Sea Heart, at her coming-of-age ceremony, Brianna's mask of hypocrisy would be exposed.
"Of course," Ella said with a smile, a hint of coldness in her eyes.
She walked to her vanity and opened the exquisite jewelry box. Inside lay a beautiful sapphire necklace, the family heirloom her mother had left her—the Deep Sea Heart.
Hannah's eyes lit up instantly, filled with greed and desire.
"Sister, this necklace is so beautiful," Hannah said, carefully picking up the sapphire necklace, her voice full of admiration.
"Yes, this is the family heirloom my mother left me. Since you like it, go ahead and wear it." Ella's voice remained gentle, but she already had a plan.
Hannah was thrilled but pretended to refuse, "I shouldn't, sister. This is your mother's heirloom. It wouldn't be right for me to wear it."
"Sister, you're being too polite. My mother passed away when I was very young, and I've relied on Mommy to take care of me. Mommy has been so good to me, and we sisters are like real sisters, so this heirloom is just a necklace to me. It can't compare to the bond between us!"
Ella's words made Hannah smile with joy, unaware she was falling into a trap. Hannah even internally cursed Ella as a fool.
Hannah happily took the necklace and left the room, her face instantly turning vicious with a sinister smile. Ella, just wait. Not only will your mother's heirloom be mine, but the entire Davis family will be mine someday!
...
Seeing that Hannah had fallen into the trap, Ella quickly tidied up and began her next plan.
The dress from Brianna was absolutely out of the question, so Ella needed to go out and buy an emergency dress.
Thanks to Brianna's meticulous "flattery" in her past life, Ella was a VIP at all luxury stores. Finding a stunning dress with a hidden agenda within a day was easy.
Since she didn't know who the family driver might be, Ella opted for a taxi instead.
The taxi slowly drove toward the luxury street in the city center.
Outside the window, the bustling city streets and the crowds of people felt both strange and familiar. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but she knew she had to stay calm.
At the dress shop, the staff immediately recognized Ella and warmly greeted her. "Welcome, Miss Davis."
The crystal chandeliers in the store cast a soft light on the gorgeous dresses, creating a dreamy atmosphere.
Ella's gaze settled on a gray-blue strapless gown. The satin fabric shimmered under the lights, and the hem was just right to avoid being stepped on. Moreover, the color naturally reminded one of the Deep Sea Heart sapphire necklace.
"This is the one," Ella said softly.
A staff member quickly approached with a professional smile, "An excellent choice, Miss Davis. This dress perfectly matches your style."
Ella smiled slightly and nodded. She walked into the fitting room and changed into the gray-blue strapless gown. The dress fit her perfectly, highlighting her elegance and grace.
She stood in front of the mirror, examining herself carefully, and nodded in satisfaction.
Seeing this, the staff began to praise her, "You look like a noble queen, radiant and majestic. The gray-blue color complements your complexion beautifully. It's truly stunning!"
Ella looked at herself in the full-length mirror, feeling satisfied.
However, she had no idea that she was already being watched.
In the distance, Brian Carter pointed her out to Eric Nelson. "Isn't that the eldest daughter of the Davis Group? She's having her coming-of-age ceremony today, but why is she out buying a dress on the day of the event? Isn't her stepmother supposed to be so good to her? Didn't she prepare one for her?"
Eric followed Brian's gaze, his eyes settling on Ella.
She looked fresh and refined, with a unique aura. It wasn't the naivety of an eighteen-year-old girl but the calm and steadiness of someone who had been through hardships.
Eric hadn't planned to attend the event, but now, he changed his mind.
...
At 7 PM, the Davis Group estate was brightly lit, hosting a grand coming-of-age ceremony.
The courtyard was adorned with lavish flowers and colorful lights, with a faint floral scent filling the air. Guests gathered in small groups, chatting and laughing about recent events.
Ella arrived early, quietly contemplating the possible outcomes of the evening. She wore a strapless gray-blue gown made of lustrous fabric that shimmered under the lights, reaching just to her feet—elegant and dignified.
Ella, with a well-thought-out plan, walked towards the hall with a slight smile. She knew tonight would mark the beginning of her counterattack.
Inside the hall, Brianna was greeting guests with a polite smile. Upon seeing Ella not wearing the tampered halter-neck gown, she frowned slightly, surprised. She approached Ella and gently asked, "Ella, why aren't you wearing the dress I prepared for you? Don't you like it?"
Ella looked up, a hint of coldness in her eyes, quickly replaced by a gentle expression. She softly replied, "No, Mommy. Since it's my coming-of-age ceremony, I wanted to pair my gown with the family heirloom—Heart of the Ocean, which my mother gave me. That's why I changed into this gray-blue strapless dress."
Just then, Mrs. Taylor, a close friend of Ella's biological mother, approached and asked with concern, "Ella, why aren't you wearing the Heart of the Ocean?"
Ella's eyes dimmed as if she were about to cry. "I... I can't find it, so I came to ask Mommy about it."
This statement instantly sparked a flurry of discussion among the guests. "The Davis family has been robbed? Could it be an inside job?"
"How could the maids dare to steal something so valuable?"
"Maybe the stepmother took it for herself."
In the midst of the heated discussion, Hannah walked in, wearing the Heart of the Ocean around her neck. The guests fell silent, all eyes on them.
Mrs. Taylor's face darkened as she demanded, "Hannah, the necklace is Ella's family heirloom from her mother. How did you get it?"
Hannah smiled slightly and said without hesitation, "My sister lent it to me. She knew I didn't have suitable jewelry for today, so she lent it to me."
Hearing this, a look of pain and grievance flashed in Ella's eyes. She bit her lip, her voice trembling, "That necklace is a family heirloom from my mother. How could I lend it out?"
Realizing her words might have been too harsh, she quickly added with teary eyes, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have doubted my sister. If my sister likes it, she can wear it." She lowered her head, fearing Brianna's reprimand, her eyes glistening with tears.
The surrounding guests began to whisper again, "See, it's the actress climbing her way up, putting on quite a show!"
"Exactly, Ella's biological mother passed away when she was three, yet Brianna's daughter Hannah is only two years younger than Ella. Looks like Brianna and Robert were involved long before. She's clearly the homewrecker..."
"They pretend to treat Ella well in public, but who knows how they mistreat her behind the scenes? Even Hannah dares to step all over Ella."
Brianna's face turned pale, feeling her carefully crafted image of the good stepmother crumbling. Struggling to contain her anger, she forced a smile and said, "Hannah, return the necklace to Ella."
Hannah froze, still processing the situation when Brianna slapped her hard, her voice trembling with rage, "This is your sister's necklace! How could you take it without permission? Return it to your sister now!"
Hannah, tears streaming down her face, looked at Ella with grievance and yelled, "She lent it to me willingly! Ella, say something! You lent it to me!"
Brianna glared at Hannah, her voice stern, "Stop lying! Give the necklace back to your sister!"
Only then did Hannah, sobbing, return the Heart of the Ocean to Ella.
A fleeting glimmer of triumph passed through Ella's eyes. She stepped forward, taking the Heart of the Ocean, and said gently, "I'm sorry, Hannah. I didn't know you took it. If I had known, I wouldn't have made a fuss."
Hannah glared at Ella with intense malice, as if she wanted to devour her.
The surrounding guests immediately praised Ella's maturity. "Ella truly is the dignified daughter of the first wife. Look at how understanding she is, not getting upset even when her stepsister makes a mistake."
"But that Hannah, at such a young age, has such a scheming mind. Truly..."
"People used to say Hannah was more elegant and poised than Ella, with the demeanor of a true lady. Clearly, rumors are just rumors. The daughter of a mistress can never compare to the daughter of the first wife. Today, the difference is clear."
Though everything happened in an instant, it was enough for the guests to see the truth.
Brianna's image was utterly shattered, and the guests looked at her with scorn and disdain. Ella rejoiced inwardly, knowing her plan had half-succeeded.
The banquet continued, and Ella, now wearing the Heart of the Ocean, looked even more radiant.
Eric and Brian stood not far away, observing the scene.
Brian chuckled, "Ella, as the eldest daughter, is bullied by her stepmother and stepsister but doesn't dare to speak up. What a coward."
Eric, however, disagreed, his eyes following Ella. He knew she was a smart girl. Although her performance just now was flawless, her subtle expressions didn't escape Eric's sharp eyes. He knew Ella had done it on purpose.
...
The atmosphere in Hannah's room was stifling. Hannah sobbed, "Mommy, I didn't steal Ella's necklace!" Tears streamed down her cheeks, her eyes filled with grievance and anger.
Brianna knew it was Ella's trap but couldn't figure out how Ella had suddenly become so cunning.
Listening to Hannah's cries, Brianna waved her hand impatiently and said coldly, "Stop crying, it's annoying! How did I give birth to such an idiot like you?"
Hannah tried to hold back her tears. With the dress plan ruined and herself framed as a thief by Ella, she angrily asked, "Mom, what do we do now? That bitch made me look like a fool. You have to help me get revenge, Mom!"
A sinister glint flashed in Brianna's eyes. She whispered, "Don't worry. I've already arranged for a maid to spike her drink. Later, you offer her a toast and watch her drink it. That little bitch is in for a humiliation."
"Mom, you always know what to do. I can't wait to see that little bitch make a fool of herself!" Hannah wiped away her tears, her eyes burning with hatred.
She touched up her makeup, composed herself, and headed back to the banquet hall.
...
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