Chapter 205 Dione
The moment the word "surveillance" left her lips, Anna's crying came to an abrupt halt.
"At an event of this caliber, the security measures are undoubtedly top-tier in Harmony City."
Cecilia's gaze fell on Anna, whose expression was beginning to change, and she enunciated each word with crystal clarity.
"The dessert area has constant foot traffic, and that corner directly across—there should be surveillance there."
"We can ask the Hensley family's security personnel to pull up the footage right now. Then we'll see who approached whom first, who made physical contact, and who's been lying..."
Cecilia's voice paused briefly before delivering her final verdict.
"The footage will tell us everything."
"Clear as day."
The entire venue fell deathly silent.
Everyone was stunned by Cecilia's words.
They had anticipated her panicking, crying and begging for mercy, or even throwing a tantrum while putting on a tough front.
But no one expected her to be this calm and collected.
She didn't defend herself or argue—instead, she directly and decisively offered a solution that would end everything.
Check the surveillance!
This wasn't prey waiting to be slaughtered, but a hunter with sharp logic and words that cut like knives.
Anna's face turned ashen.
I calculated everything—I calculated that public opinion would favor me, that Stefan wouldn't be able to get here right away, but I never calculated that Amelia would be this difficult to deal with!
At an occasion like this, pulling surveillance footage over such a "trivial matter"—regardless of the outcome, the one who'd lose face would be me, Anna.
But now, Amelia has laid it all out in the open. What am I supposed to do?
"What's wrong?"
Cecilia's gaze locked onto Anna's face, giving her no room to breathe or think of a countermeasure.
"Don't dare check the surveillance?"
"Or is it that Ms. Clark has a guilty conscience?"
Cornered, Anna's mind went blank, and she could only resort to throwing a tantrum on instinct.
She pointed at her own dress, her voice shrill and distorted from agitation, all traces of her usual elegance gone.
"I don't care! I don't know anything about surveillance!"
"My dress was ruined because of you! This was a birthday gift from my father, one of a kind in the entire world!"
"You have to compensate me!"
Anna's hysterical outburst actually brought looks of realization to some of the guests' eyes.
Anyone with eyes could see that Anna was feeling guilty.
Cecilia watched her completely lose her composure and actually felt somewhat amused.
So-called people from the clouds? Crude tactics, and even more fragile mentality.
"Compensate?" Cecilia let out a light laugh, the sound particularly jarring in the quiet banquet hall.
"Ms. Clark, you've probably been abroad so long you've forgotten domestic legal principles. Civil litigation follows the principle of 'whoever makes the claim bears the burden of proof.'"
"You say I ruined your dress, so please provide evidence."
"If you can't, I can also sue you for defamation."
Cecilia paused, her gaze sweeping over the circle of spectators.
Then she added deliberately:
"With so many witnesses present who heard your accusation, this charge should be quite easy to establish."
Defamation?
That word completely stunned Anna.
I've never suffered this kind of humiliation in my entire life, never heard such words before!
I've only ever known to want something and then get it.
But this Amelia in front of me is talking to me about law, about evidence, and even wants to sue me in return?
"You, you lunatic!"
Anna trembled with rage, unable to think of any words to fight back besides cursing.
Just as the situation reached a stalemate and the atmosphere became unbearably awkward, a dignified and elegant voice cut in, carrying an innate authority that instantly dominated the scene.
"All this bickering and quarreling—what kind of behavior is this!"
"This is the Hensley family's banquet. Is this how you embarrass the Hensley family?"
The crowd automatically parted to make way.
A middle-aged woman walked over, wearing a custom-made evening gown. The dress shimmered faintly under the lights, its fabric embroidered with exquisite gold and silver thread patterns like flowing clouds. Her hair was carefully styled into an elegant updo, and she wore a pair of stunning imperial green jade earrings that gleamed with crystalline luster.
Time had left its marks on her face, but had also bestowed upon her an elegant, noble bearing that spoke of her privileged life.
She was Dione Saunders.
The moment she appeared, the atmosphere in the room shifted again.
If the crowd had been fawning and flattering toward Anna earlier, then toward this matriarch of the Hensley family, Dione, they felt genuine awe.
Dione didn't even glance at Cecilia, walking straight to Anna's side and taking her still-trembling hand, her face instantly filled with concern.
"Anna, what happened? Why are you crying out of nowhere?"
Dione took out her own handkerchief and gently wiped away Anna's tears, her manner intimate, completely treating her as Stefan's fiancée.
"Ms. Saunders."
The moment Anna saw Dione, all her pent-up grievances burst forth, and her tears fell even harder.
Anna sobbed, pointing at Cecilia, "It's her! She deliberately ruined my dress, and, and humiliated me with her words."
Dione's gaze finally fell on Cecilia.
It was a look filled with contempt, her eyes full of the disgust one reserves for something filthy.
"You're the woman Stefan brought back?"
Cecilia didn't speak, only calmly met Dione's gaze.
"How vicious you are! What did Anna ever do to you that you'd embarrass her at an occasion like this?" Dione's voice wasn't loud, but each word was ice-cold.
"Ms. Saunders, it's not her fault." Anna immediately began playing the role of a kind and understanding woman, tugging at Dione's sleeve and saying weakly, "She's probably just, just jealous of how well Stefan treats me, and couldn't help herself for a moment..."
"Jealous? As if she's worthy?"
Dione laughed coldly, the contempt in her tone almost tangible.
"Some cheap woman who crawled out of god knows what slum, and she dares to cause trouble on Hensley family turf! Did you really think that latching onto Stefan would turn you into real nobility?"
The women around her immediately chimed in.
"Exactly, Mrs. Hensley. We can't let this woman marry into the Hensley family—she has no manners at all!"
"Stefan is just young and easily fooled by this kind of slut. You really need to set him straight."
Dione listened to these words, her expression growing increasingly dark.
Dione turned to comfort Anna: "There, there, Anna, stop crying. It's just a dress—I'll order you ten more. A person of such low status isn't worth your tears."
Then Dione turned back to Cecilia, chin raised high, her eyes filled with pure command.
"Now, immediately, get on your knees and apologize to Anna."
"Then get out of The Hensley Mansion and never appear in front of Stefan again."
The surroundings instantly fell silent.
Get on her knees and apologize?
Cecilia almost laughed at Dione's matter-of-fact arrogance.
So this is how the top-tier nobility operates? Never mind right or wrong, only who's close to whom.
"And if I don't?"
Cecilia's tone remained flat, betraying not a ripple of emotion.
Dione seemed not to have expected Cecilia to dare resist. She froze for a moment, then flew into a rage.
"What did you say? Say that again if you dare?"
"I said," Cecilia enunciated each word, her voice not loud but exceptionally clear, "I did nothing wrong. Why should I apologize?"
"You!"
Dione was so contradicted that she felt a breath stuck in her chest, her face flushing red.
She had dominated social circles for half her life—when had she ever been so openly defied by a junior?
"Good, very good!"
Dione laughed in her fury, "You really have a sharp tongue and no sense of propriety! It seems your parents never taught you what manners are. Today, I'll teach you a proper lesson on their behalf!"
Before her words even finished, Dione suddenly raised her hand, a slap filled with fury swinging viciously toward Cecilia's face!
This sudden turn of events was so fast that no one could react.
A triumphant smile had already begun to curl at the corner of Anna's mouth.
However, that slap never landed.
A hand with defined knuckles steadily caught Dione's wrist mid-air.
His appearance instantly made the surrounding atmosphere tense. The brilliant lights of the banquet hall were behind him, casting half his face in shadow, his expression frighteningly cold.
It was Stefan.
He didn't look at Anna crying beside him, his eyes locked deadly on Dione's face, his voice bone-chillingly cold.
"Mom, what are you doing?"
Dione's wrist hurt from Stefan's grip, both shocked and angry: "Stefan? You're just in time! Look at this woman you brought back, she..."
"I asked you, what are you doing?"
Stefan emphasized his tone, directly cutting off her words. The warning in his eyes made even Dione's heart tremble.
"I, I'm teaching this ungrateful thing a lesson!" Dione struggled but couldn't break free.
"She bullied Anna and even dared to talk back to me! Shouldn't I teach her a lesson?"
"Stefan! You're speaking to me like this over such a lowly woman? What has she done to you to make you so infatuated with her?"
"She's just a lowly commoner with her eyes on the Hensley family fortune! Have you actually fallen in love with her?"