Chapter 70 Clumsy Acting
I glanced at the pool beside me and quietly moved farther away. Then I turned back to face the aggressive woman.
"Miss, you're so hostile toward me that at first I thought you were one of Nicholas's admirers!"
I curved my lips slightly, raising my voice just enough. "You say I used tricks to get Nicholas to bring me here—have you asked Nicholas himself?"
"You say I'm not worthy, which means you're putting Clara and me on the same level. We're both human beings. Just because Clara comes from a better family, that makes her worthy of Nicholas? What is this, the Middle Ages?"
Other guests, drawn by the commotion, drifted closer. From their conversations, I quickly pieced together who this woman was.
"Oh, that's Penny Stone from the Stone family. That explains it."
"Everyone knows she's fiercely protective, especially when it comes to Clara."
"'Protective' is putting it nicely. More like Clara's attack dog."
"Well, the Stone family business depends on the Summers family. Can't really blame her."
"Wonder who she's picking a fight with? I doubt Penny's gonna let this go easily."
Penny, having lost face, exploded like a bomb.
I watched her completely abandon the poise and etiquette expected of an upper-class lady. Her words grew increasingly ugly.
"Catherine, you think I'm being nice to you?"
"Clara is beautiful and kind-hearted. Wasn't her warning last time enough for you?"
"How can you be so shameless? Nicholas is a married man and you're still throwing yourself at him!"
"If Sabrina hadn't told me about you today, I wouldn't have known you were that whore!"
"Do you know Clara and Nicholas had a fight because of you? How can you be so despicable, deliberately destroying other people's relationships?"
She went on her tirade, clearly thinking she was in the right.
But I caught the key detail. Sabrina told her?
I thought it through carefully. Sabrina must've gone to gossip after leaving me. And when Penny came looking for me, I'd conveniently chased after Sabrina and left. When I returned, many people had seen Nicholas and me come back in together. That's probably when Penny noticed me.
I didn't back down an inch. "Ms. Stone, I just learned about this situation myself."
"As for why Nicholas and Clara are fighting, you're not one of the parties involved. What gives you the right to yell at me?"
I had no power or connections backing me. If Penny's actions today could somehow drag the Rosewood family into this mess, I'd be more than happy to see it. So I wasn't afraid of her at all, and I stopped being polite.
"You're an outsider butting into Nicholas's private affairs. Are you really doing this for Clara's sake, or are you deliberately trying to embarrass her?"
After I finished, several people around us stifled laughs.
Penny, furious, shot them a vicious glare. "Come with me. Let's talk privately."
I had no idea what she was planning and didn't follow.
When I didn't move, Penny strode over, grabbed my hand, and started dragging me toward the pool.
Alarm shot through me. I was about to wrench free when Penny beat me to it—she let go herself and toppled into the pool.
"Ahhh—!"
Her piercing scream drew every guest's attention. Water splashed everywhere as all eyes turned our way.
I looked at my own hand in somewhat helpless shock, then turned to find someone willing to testify for me. But when they met my gaze, they all wore expressions of people enjoying a show.
Who would offend a Stone family heiress for some nobody?
Even in decline, the Stone family still wielded power.
I rapidly calculated my options.
In the pool, Penny had already gotten to her feet. This was just a decorative pond—the water wasn't deep—but she deliberately made herself look utterly bedraggled. The moment she stood up, tears streamed down her face like broken pearls.
As if I'd been the aggressive one, not her.
I could practically predict what she'd say next.
"Catherine, why did you push me?"
"I just wanted to be friends with you, to talk privately and clear up the misunderstanding between us. There was no need to be so vicious!"
"I know you're upset because I called you the third wheel between Nicholas and Clara, but... can't we communicate like civilized people?"
She cried like a wounded flower, the picture of grievance.
A dignified-looking woman stepped forward from the crowd. After hearing Penny's accusations, she studied me with unfriendly eyes.
"What exactly happened here?"
Mrs. Johnson's tone carried authority, her presence commanding.
Penny looked at her like she'd found a savior.
"Mrs. Johnson, she pushed me!"
"I was invited to this gala, and she only got in by latching onto someone else. How can she bully people like this?"
"Mrs. Johnson, you have to help me!"
What an impressive ability to twist the truth. Just like Sabrina.
No wonder a few words from Sabrina had been enough to send her after me.
I spotted the instigator at the back of the crowd. Sabrina had changed into a different gown at some point. She looked at me with pure provocation.
I read her lips as they silently formed the words: You're finished.
Declaring the outcome before it had even played out seemed premature and reckless.
Mrs. Johnson comforted Penny while fixing me with a sharp stare. "You. Apologize to Ms. Stone."
She hadn't even asked for my side of the story.
I suddenly understood why Sabrina had been so confident.
I put on a bewildered expression. "I didn't do anything. Why should I apologize?"
"If anyone should apologize, it's Ms. Stone."
My tone stayed even. "Yes, I'm Nicholas's date."
"But Nicholas hasn't publicly revealed my identity. Ms. Stone came up and threw wine at me, tried to slap me, and now she's deliberately fallen into the pool to frame me."
I met Mrs. Johnson's furrowed brow directly.
"Mrs. Johnson, the Johnson family has power and prestige. Surely you're not the type to pass judgment based on one side of the story?"
My words essentially roasted Mrs. Johnson over an open flame. By taking Penny's side earlier, she'd already shown her position. Having me spell it out so bluntly left her expression complicated.
Mrs. Johnson had no choice but to ask with displeasure, "How do you prove what you're saying is true?"
My expression turned grave.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Nicholas had moved to my side.
"You okay?" he asked in a low voice.
I shook my head, about to speak when—
Someone in the crowd suddenly called out loudly, "I can testify. Penny fell into the pool on her own."