Ann's heart was pounding so fast she thought it might burst right through her chest. Excitement surged through her, but even more than that, she felt a delicious sense of triumph.

After all, she was about to become Mr. Quinten's savior.

And Caitlin? She was nothing but a joke.

Ann shot Caitlin a sideways glance, expecting to see her flustered and embarrassed, maybe even on the verge of tears. But Caitlin's face remained perfectly calm, her gaze steady, as if nothing in the world could rattle her. Ann scoffed inwardly. Country bumpkin. She sure knows how to put on a show.

Just wait. Soon enough, everyone would see Caitlin for who she really was-her reputation would be ruined, and Ann would be the one everyone admired.

With a small, self-satisfied smile, Ann stepped forward and accepted the wooden box Mr. Quinten offered her, her voice dripping with gratitude. "Thank you so much, Mr. Quinten. It's such an honor-you came all this way just to celebrate my birthday, so I'll gladly accept your generous gift!"

She made sure to emphasize the word "junior," signaling to everyone how special she was in Mr. Quinten's eyes.

And this was the Polaris Tear, after all! She might not have the kind of influence the Richards family wielded, but Mr. Quinten's connections were second to none.

Just as Ann's hands were about to touch the box, Mr. Quinten suddenly pulled it back, his expression darkening.

Ann was left with her hands awkwardly suspended in midair, unsure if she should reach forward again or pull back. A wave of embarrassment washed over her, leaving her completely stunned.

What on earth was Mr. Quinten doing?

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"What's going on?"

"Is Mr. Quinten not planning to give her the Polaris Tear after all?"

"Oh! I bet he has an even more valuable gift prepared for Miss Templeton!"

Ann's excitement flared again, swallowing up her earlier

discomfort. Lifting her head, she smiled at Mr. Quinten and said sweetly, "Mr. Quinten, it's already a great honor to receive the Polaris Tear from you. As they say, it's the thought that counts-even if you gave me a single feather, I'd cherish it."

The guests exchanged knowing glances, and even the online comments echoed the sentiment.

[So Mr. Quinten's going to give Victoria something even more precious! But Victoria isn't the type to be greedy for gifts.]

[I bet Mr. Quinten's about to make Freya look like a fool!]

[Why is Freya still standing there? She's just embarrassing herself!]

Mr. Quinten turned to Ann, and his smile vanished, replaced by a stern expression. "Who are you? No one except my true savior is worthy of the Potarfs Tear

Ann forced a laugh. "Mr. Quinten, you must be joking. I'm Ann-your savior!"

"No, you're not," he replied coldly, then turned to Caitlin. "The one who saved me that day was this young lady."

He might have been old, but his mind was sharp and his eyes even sharper. He'd never forget the face of the person who had rescued him.

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Suddenly, as if a thought struck him, Mr. Quinten looked back at Ann, narrowing his eyes. "On get it now. must be the one pretending to be my savior on Twitter-Gisn't it?"

Ann's face went deathly pale in an instant.