Chapter13:

Cecilia couldn't help but smirk at Mrs. Linda's audacity. "So, let me get this straight, you want me to take the fall, go to prison, while you enjoy all the fruits of my mother's labor?" Mrs. Linda's face paled at Cecilia's blunt assessment. She hadn't expected Cecilia to see through her plans so easily. Panic gripped her as she realized the gravity of the situation. Carina's career, her reputation, everything she had worked so hard for, was at stake. Clutching the hem of her skirt, Mrs. Linda's voice trembled as she tried to reason with Cecilia. "Cecilia, please, you don't understand. Carina's future, her entire life, depends on this. If this scandal breaks out, it could ruin her career, her dreams....." But Cecilia brushed away her stepmother's hand, her frustration evident in her voice. "Carina's mistake shouldn't become my burden to bear. Why should I sacrifice everything for her? What about my dreams, my aspirations?" Mrs. Linda's desperation grew as she struggled to find the righ