Three Systems Made the Fake Heiress Unstoppable

Chapter 88: Chapter 88: The Truth

The York Residence

”Madam, Miss, Mrs. Prescott has arrived.”

”What? Quick, quick, invite her in! Honestly... why are you coming in to report? Just let her in directly.” Hearing that Sophia Quinn had arrived, Alice Cole was immediately thrilled, standing up to go and greet her.

”Yes, ma’am!” The servant quickly ran out to lead the guest in.

She had only taken two steps when she noticed her daughter sitting perfectly still. ”Brooke, why are you still sitting there? Come with Mom to welcome your future mother-in-law!”

”Mom, have you forgotten what happened last time we went to the Prescotts’? The way they treated us... Today is the perfect chance to get back at them.”

”Brooke, what are you talking about? I don’t understand.” Although she didn’t understand, Alice Cole didn’t rush out. Instead, she sat back down, intending to hear Brooke out.

Brooke York briefly explained how she had ”helped” Sophia Quinn.

”So that’s how it is. No wonder she suddenly showed up today. It’s because you helped her, Brooke! Well, if she’s here to thank you, then we really don’t need to go out and welcome her so subserviently. We’ll just sit here and wait for her.”

When Sophia Quinn entered, she saw the two of them sitting stiffly upright, clearly having no intention of going out to greet her, nor of standing up to receive her.

Sophia Quinn walked over and sat down opposite them.

”Mrs. Prescott, my apologies. I was so engrossed in my chat with Brooke that I completely forgot to greet you. You don’t mind, do you?”

The last time they spoke, her words had been steeped in respect. Today, her tone was familiar and smug.

”Of course I don’t mind. I’m very grateful to Brooke for helping me the other day. In fact, I’ve prepared a generous gift for her to show my appreciation.”

The bodyguard standing beside Sophia Quinn immediately placed a gift box on the table before stepping back behind her.

Seeing Sophia Quinn’s agreeable attitude, Brooke York knew this was as far as their power play should go. Pushing it further would be going too far.

She gave Alice Cole a look, signaling her to quit while they were ahead.

Alice Cole caught Brooke York’s glance and understood what she meant.

”Oh, my dear, you’re being too kind! Brooke is your future daughter-in-law, so isn’t it only right for her to help you? Besides, Brooke is such a kind person by nature. There’s no need to be such a stranger and bring a special gift.”

Not missing their little exchange, Sophia Quinn acted as if she hadn’t felt their power play or noticed their subtle interaction at all, remaining perfectly composed. ”Well, Brooke and Ethan aren’t married yet, so a thank-you gift is still necessary.”

With that, Sophia Quinn looked at Brooke York. ”Brooke, why don’t you open it and take a look?”

”Auntie, I’ll love any gift you give me,” Brooke York replied, playing the part of a sweet, understanding girl.

’She knew what kind of girl elders like this appreciated, so this was the face she showed to any elder who could be of use to her.’

Sophia Quinn just nodded but continued to look at Brooke York, her gaze clearly indicating that she should open the gift box now.

Seeing Sophia Quinn so insistent, Brooke York felt a flicker of unease. ’Is this gift box... really just a gift?’

”Brooke, since your mother-in-law wants you to open it, then open it!”

Seeing Brooke York hesitate, Alice Cole worried that Mrs. Prescott would be offended and think they were looking down on her, so she also urged Brooke to open it.

Alice Cole was completely oblivious to the three words she had just used—”your mother-in-law”—but Sophia Quinn’s brow twitched.

”Yes, open it. See if you like it. If you don’t, I’ll go get you a different one.”

”No, no, that’s not necessary! I’ll open it now! I’m sure I’ll love anything from you, Auntie.”

Sophia Quinn nodded. ”I hope you do!”

Brooke York reached out, placed the gift box on her lap, and began to unwrap it. Alice Cole stared intently, her mind racing. A thank-you gift from Mrs. Prescott had to be something extraordinary. Could it be a Prescott family heirloom?

At the thought of this possibility, Alice Cole grew ecstatic. ’If it really is the heirloom, she’d be unstoppable. Chloe York never got the heirloom, but her daughter has! As expected, it had to be her family’s true heiress, her real daughter.’

She untied the ribbon and lifted the lid. What met her eyes was a pile of photographs. The color drained from Brooke York’s face, leaving it completely pale as panic slowly filled her eyes.

The subject of the photos was her and a man—the same man who had harassed Sophia Quinn.

Seeing that they were photos, Alice Cole was confused. She immediately picked one up and saw her daughter talking to a man. She asked instinctively, ”Brooke, who’s this? What are you talking to him about? I’ve got a bad feeling about this guy.”

At that moment, Brooke York desperately wanted to rush forward and clamp a hand over Alice Cole’s mouth. ’If you can’t say something smart, then don’t say anything at all!’

”Brooke, the people in these photos... do you know them?” Sophia Quinn inquired.

”I... I... Auntie, I went and found this man later to warn him not to harass you again.”

”And you think I’d believe that? A high school girl, warning a grown man? A big, burly guy who looks like a total thug? You must be joking, and it’s not a very good one.”

Alice Cole finally understood. Sophia Quinn suspected that her daughter helping her was all just an act, staged by her daughter herself.

”Mrs. Prescott, how can you be so heartless? My daughter helped you! What, is a high schooler not allowed to help people? Are they just supposed to be afraid of a man like that?”

”Brooke York, do you have anything you want to say?”

”I think my mom has a point, Mrs. Prescott. I know you look down on me. You think that because I grew up in the countryside, I’m not good enough to marry into the Prescott family, even if I am the true heiress of the Yorks.”

”But I genuinely wanted to help you this time. I know he’s much older and scarier than I am, and I probably shouldn’t have had the guts to confront him. But he was bullying you, and I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.”

With those words, Brooke York painted herself as a saint.

And her words were also a veiled accusation that Sophia Quinn looked down on her and her background.

”Brooke York, you have a sharp mind and quick reflexes. If you applied that intelligence to your studies, or to how you treat people, I believe you could achieve great things. But you’ve applied it in all the wrong places.”

With that, Sophia Quinn tapped her phone and played a recording. A conversation echoed through the silent living room.

”So, little lady, how’d I do? I did a great job, right?”

”Indeed.”

”So, when do I get the remaining three thousand?”

”Right now.”

Brooke York never expected there to be a recording. ’How could there be a recording? Even if there were security cameras, they shouldn’t be able to record audio!’

This was where Brooke York’s youth showed. The man, seeing she was just a high schooler, had worried she wouldn’t pay the balance. So, he’d made a recording specifically to threaten her with if she tried to skip out on the final payment.

But that had given Sophia Quinn her opening. Arthur Prescott had personally stepped in, found the man, and the recording had ended up in Sophia’s hands.