The Billionaire's True Heiress: From Fake Jewel to Real Crown novel Chapter 343

When Latham spoke, Cindy froze. She couldn't even swallow the bite of food in her mouth. It felt like her dad was using this moment, right in front of her grandma and Claire, to put her down.

Octavia noticed too. She thought it was pretty harsh for her husband to criticize their daughter in front of the family.

“Cindy’s just a little sensitive. She’s adjusting to a whole new place. It’s a lot to handle—that’s not really her fault,” Octavia said, standing up for her.

Latham frowned, not saying anything. Pandora, though, smiled gently, looking like she actually understood.

“Absolutely. A new environment is tough. She’ll settle in sooner or later, you’ll see.”

She gave Cindy an encouraging smile. “Everything takes time. No need to rush.”

“Claire went to that winter camp, right? She’s been busy catching up on her classes too. School starts again soon.” Pandora turned to Octavia. “If Cindy needs extra help, you could find her some tutors.”

She nodded at Cindy. “You’ve always been bright. I know you’ll do just fine—you always manage to pull through.”

Cindy already had a million worries bottled up, and Pandora’s words just made them worse. People always said she was smart. Everyone expected her to be the shining star of her generation in James Village. If she didn’t get into a top university, how embarrassing would that be?

She barely tasted another bite. Across from her, Claire acted like everything was perfectly fine, eating with a big appetite.

After dinner, as he was leaving, Latham handed Claire a thick envelope—a holiday gift.

“Claire, what Octavia and Cindy did before wasn’t right. Please don’t hold it against them.” He spoke as if he were making some grand gesture. “Octavia just feels guilty and wants to make up for lost time with Cindy.”

He paused, looking at Cindy. “She carries a lot on her shoulders. She’s not as easy-going as you, Claire. Maybe it’s how she grew up.”

He tried to soften his words. “I’ve talked to both of them, and they know they made mistakes. We’re still family. Let’s not turn this into something ugly where we can’t even speak to each other.”

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