The Princess and the Pauper (Arabella)

Chapter 1998

"People just love to nitpick these days." Kenneth set his smartphone down and turned to comfort his wife.

Meanwhile, at the other end of town.

"Son of a gun!" Beverly, seeing the trending news on her feed, was so furious she chucked her cell phone at her daughter.

Had Alma not quickly reached out to catch it, the phone would have likely smacked her right in the face.

"Mom." Alma was a little frightened.

"Don't you 'Mom' me!" Beverly couldn't believe how naive her own daughter was, "In broad daylight, with cameras everywhere,

what do you think?"

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"It's just | didn't expect that little tramp Serena to actually release the security footage. How dare she?" Alma fumed, shocked at

how the once-simple girl had suddenly wisened up.

"Why wouldn't she dare?" Beverly glared at her daughter, "Last time, Martin got into it to defend her, and mistakenly hit you. This

time, even if you did beat her up like that, the worst Martin would do is give a verbal warning. He can't really do anything to you.

Serena must've guessed this, so she let the surveillance footage leak, to sway public opinion her way! She's grown a brain, knows

to call an ambulance first to keep evidence for herself. Look at you, getting dumber by the minute! Even this little slip-up got

caught!"

"Mom." Alma felt a bit wronged, "It was such a rare chance, finally running into her after | got beat up so badly last time, | was just

so angry when | saw her."

Beverly's face remained stoic, silent.

"Mom, | have an idea. What if | cout and say Serena used to always pick on Arabella, and that day at the mall, she started

throwing insults at Arabella, and | couldn't stand it so my friends and | stepped in."

Alma didn't get to finish before Beverly doused her with cold reality, "Haven't you seen Arabella's reputation right now?"

Both she and Arabella were getting dragged through the mud!

Still, anger aside, Beverly finally said, "Arabella's being slandered, but the Collins family will surely handle it. Once Arabella's name

is cleared, that's when you cforward. Public opinion will naturally shift in your favor then."

A gleam of delight appeared in Alma's eyes - old ginger is spicier indeed! Her mother was still the shrewdest of them all. This way,

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she could not only gain snotoriety for herself but also ride on Arabella's coattails to a redemption arc and grow her own

fanbase!

"Remember, there won't be a next time!" Beverly stood up and left, leaving Alma alone.

A vengeful glint flashed in Alma's eyes at that moment.

She thought, "That damn Serena, daring to pull such a stunt behind my back. Did she think she can manipulate the public narrative

with ssurveillance footage?"

Next time, she wouldn't let Serena get away with it.

Elsewhere.