Meanwhile, Paige was indulging herself at a barbecue stall on a street of snacks. She missed the outside world's cuisine too much; today, she would eat her fill!
It had been so long since she'd been around so many normal people; the slums were nothing but darkness and decay.
After a while, she looked away from the food in front of her and glanced at the wooden box.
Inside were some identity documents, including a middle school student ID card that was practically useless now.
When Malik sent her to the slums, to avoid trouble for himself, he had used his connections to erase all her official records, as if she had never lived.
Without proper identification, she couldn't establish herself in country A. Right now, she was essentially an undocumented person.
Paige grabbed a skewer of grilled beef and took a big bite. It tasted much better than the snake she had to eat on Wind Island.
Contentedly eating, Paige thought to herself that in life, there are always more solutions than problems. She was sure she could find a way to survive and safely leave Rose Estate. She couldn't stay by Enrico's side for long. Being a substitute was one thing, but she feared that one day, if he discovered she was pretending to have a mental illness, a bullet might be waiting for her-or something worse. That cruel man was capable of anything.
"Nick, your fake IDs are so convincing, it's amazing!" Paige overheard someone say nearby.
"Hey, check it out, it's an interview with Molly."
At another table, clearly university students, were eating barbecue and chatting animatedly.
Following their gaze, Paige looked at the TV outside the barbecue stall, where Molly's face appeared on the screen.
"Molly, after a month of effort, you've finally secured a donation from the Smith Group for African children. What do you have to say about this?" The reporter handed over the microphone.
Molly stood in front of the camera, dressed in Capital University's uniform.
Capital University... It had once been Paige's dream school, but since she turned eighteen, she hadn't dreamt anymore.
Molly smiled modestly, "Please don't say it like it's all my doing. The Smith Group has always been involved in charity. I just saw how difficult it is for African children, who can't even afford to go to school, so I helped make a connection."
"Molly, we heard you're studying fashion design at university. Are you planning to start your own brand in the future?" the reporter asked.
"I certainly hope to have my own brand someday, but I believe in taking things step by step. Balancing my studies and charity work is my current priority," Molly replied, smiling innocently at the camera.
"And what about romance? Rumor has it that many guys are pursuing you, and even Bryan, the third son of the Smith Group, publicly mentioned recently that he gets along particularly well with you. Any good news there?" the reporter continued.
Upon hearing this, Molly blushed shyly. "Oh, no, we're just friends."
Meanwhile, at the table of university students, a guy with silver-dyed hair, complained, "Damn it, I've been classmates with Molly for two years, why doesn't she like me?"
Paige scoffed coldly and continued enjoying her food.
"Hey, Nick, look over there, that girl looks good," someone said.
The guy named Nick turned to look and saw a girl in a plain dress sitting at a table, surrounded by a large platter of grilled chicken wings, beef, lamb...
Licking his lips, he remarked, "Hmm, if I can't get Molly, this girl will do."
With that, he dropped his skewer and strode confidently towards Paige. "Hey, beautiful, alone? Can't finish all that food by yourself? Let me help you."
Paige, wearing disposable gloves, glanced at him indifferently. "Trying to hit on me?"
Hearing this, all the guys at the table with Nick erupted in cheers and catcalls.
Nick immediately sat down beside her, leaning close, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Impressive, little girl. How about I take you to experience the massage bathtub at a five-star hotel later?"
Paige glanced at the hand that had suddenly appeared on her shoulder. She wasn't angry, just amused. She calmly removed the disposable gloves from her hands, and seeing this, Nick thought she was giving him the green light. Puckering his lips, he leaned in to kiss her fair face.
Suddenly, his face was slapped open by a palm.
The next moment, Paige swiftly twisted his palm and forcefully pressed it onto the table. She smiled as she grabbed a skewer and stabbed it into his palm.
"Ahhh-!" Nick screamed in pain, trying to struggle but completely powerless.
"What are you doing?" His friends immediately rushed over upon seeing the situation.
"Don't come over," Paige lazily warned, with one hand gripping the skewer deeper into the back of his hand, blood oozed out.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please spare me!"
Paige tightened her grip a little more. "Just now I overheard you talking. You make fake IDs, right? Can you make one for me?"