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The moment the tea spilled onto the woman’s dress, a heavy silence fell over the area. All eyes turned toward the scene, and the chatter from earlier quickly died down. The woman stood there, frozen in shock, her hand pressed against the wet stain on her expensive gown.
Her shriek echoed through the room, sharp and high-pitched. “My dress! This is custom-made! How dare you—”
Catherine, still sitting quietly at the table, didn’t flinch or make any immediate move to apologize. She slowly glanced up, her cold eyes flicking from the woman’s ruined dress to the shocked faces around her. She didn’t seem concerned by the outburst at all. Instead, she calmly placed her cup down on the table, her gaze lingering on the woman, as if weighing the situation.
The woman, now flustered and angry, took a step forward. “You ruined my dress! Do you know how much this costs? You should apologize right now!” she demanded, her voice shaking with indignation.
Korbin, hearing the commotion, turned around and saw the chaos unfolding. His face immediately tightened in irritation. This was the last thing he wanted—another scandal, especially in front of Mr. David and the other distinguished guests.
He marched over to the scene, his steps heavy and deliberate. As he approached, he cast a quick glance at Catherine, his eyes hardening. “What’s going on here?” he asked sharply.
The woman was already starting to tear up, her voice rising in panic. “Mr. Swann, look at what your daughter has done! She ruined my dress with that flower tea. It’s a priceless piece! I demand an apology, or I’ll make sure this goes further!”
Korbin’s jaw clenched. He could already feel the stares from the other guests, their eyes all on him and his family. This was not a good look for the Swanns.
Catherine remained seated, her expression still calm and detached. She didn’t offer a word of apology, not even an ounce of concern. It was as though the situation didn’t faze her at all. She merely glanced at the woman’s dress, the tea staining it in vivid patches of rose.
“Is that so?” she said softly, her tone almost too indifferent for the tense atmosphere around her. “If it’s so valuable, I’m sure you can have it cleaned.”
The woman’s face flushed with outrage. “Do you think I’m some common person? You don’t know what you’re talking about, you country bumpkin! Apologize now, or I’ll have you removed!”
Korbin, unable to tolerate the drama any longer, finally spoke up, his voice dripping with authority. “Enough.” He turned to the woman, offering a strained smile that barely hid his frustration. “We’ll make sure the situation is resolved. Please calm down.”
The woman’s eyes narrowed at him, but she took a step back, muttering under her breath. Korbin then turned to Catherine, his gaze sharp and cold.
“Catherine,” he said in a low, clipped tone, “do you have any idea how much damage you’ve done? Do you have any idea how important appearances are right now?”
Catherine looked up at him, her expression still unreadable. “Damage? I haven’t touched anyone or anything,” she said coolly, her voice calm as ever. “The cup fell. What do you want me to do? I didn’t do it on purpose.”
Korbin’s temper flared, but he took a deep breath, controlling himself. He knew any more outbursts would only attract more attention, and that was the last thing the Swanns needed at this gathering.
Rachael stepped forward, offering a forced smile to the woman who was still fuming. “Please, don’t worry,” she said, her voice dripping with politeness. “We’ll take care of it. The dress will be cleaned and restored. Let’s all just calm down and continue enjoying the evening.”
The woman shot one last angry glare at Catherine before turning to leave, her movements exaggerated and dramatic. As she walked away, the murmurs in the crowd began again, this time with a different tone.
Liana, watching from the side, grinned at the unfolding drama. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned toward Jonathan, whispering, “I told you. She’s nothing but trouble.”
Jonathan, who had been watching Catherine with a mixture of annoyance and disdain, gave a low laugh. “She’ll never learn, will she? No matter what we do, she just doesn’t fit in.”
Catherine ignored them both, her focus still elsewhere. The incident had barely registered with her, but the whispers of the crowd and the tension in the air weren’t lost on her. As far as she was concerned, this was just another show—a distraction from the real reason she was here.
Mr. David, who had been watching the commotion from a distance, raised an eyebrow at the scene but didn’t comment. He didn’t seem fazed by the spectacle; he had seen far worse during his years of hosting such events.
Catherine knew she would never be the picture-perfect daughter the Swanns wanted, but she didn’t care. She didn’t belong to their world, and she had no interest in playing by their rules.