?Chapter 641:


    A chill crept down her spine.


    Corrine smiled, her expression radiant and sharp, her beauty only amplifying the impact of her words.


    “From the moment Mr. Hopkins ignored you, you lost any right topete with me. So why would I even bother with you, Miss Seymour?”


    Judie stiffened. Being rejected publicly had already been humiliating, but Corrine’s words—so casually cruel—felt like a dagger twisting in an already open wound.


    “Corrine, what exactly are you so proud of?” Judie snapped, herposure finally breaking.


    “You’re nothing more than a pretty face! Mr. Hopkins is merely infatuated with your looks. Do you really think that’s enough to marry into the Hopkins family of the Independent Continent?”


    Her voice rose,ced with desperation.


    “Once he grows tired of you, he’ll toss you aside like yesterday’s news! What are you so proud of?”


    Corrine lowered her gaze, examining her manicured nails as if Judie’s outburst wasn’t worth the effort of a direct reply. Then, in an almost bored tone, she said,


    “At least I managed to capture Mr. Hopkins’ attention with my looks. That’s more than you can say—considering you threw yourself at him and still got rejected.”


    The color drained from Judie’s face as she leveled a seething re at Corrine.


    Zaylee, watching Judie falter yet again under Corrine’s sharp retort, couldn’t hold back any longer.


    ?????? ?????????????? @ ?????????ν??????﹐?????


    “Miss Hond, you’re here as a representative of the Ford family. If you’ve made a mistake, own it. Embarrassing yourself is one thing, but dragging the Ford name down with you? That would be a real disaster.”


    Corrine’s brow arched slightly, impatience flickering across her face.


    “I already told you—it wasn’t me who ruined her dress. If you don’t believe me, go check the surveince footage.”


    But her sharp tone and unwaveringposure only fueled the onlookers’ suspicions. To them, she wasn’t just defending herself—she was unting her power, using the Ford family’s influence to crush Judie on purpose.


    A low murmur rippled through the crowd, thick with disapproval. Whispersced with scorn piled onto one another, a tide of condemnation threatening to swallow Corrine whole.


    Karina, watching the scene unfold, scoffed.


    “Are you all blind? Did anyone actually see Corrine ruin that dress? This ce is massive. And yet, somehow, Judie just happened to ‘bump’ into the table? Please. She’s setting Corrine up, and you’re all falling for it.”


    Judie’s earlier agitation smoothed into something cold.


    “Miss Brooks, I know you and Miss Hond are close, but blind loyalty won’t convince anyone. Everyone here is speaking up for me because they saw it with their own eyes. And seeing is more persuasive than any surveince footage.”


    Then, as if her words weren’t already bold enough, she took it a step further.


    “I don’t want to make a big deal out of this. Just take off your suit in front of everyone and hand it over to me, Miss Hond. Then we’ll call it even.”


    Karina inhaled sharply, fingers twitching at her sides. She wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug expression off Judie’s face. Instead, she exhaled slowly, reigning in her temper.


    “Judie, since you’re so aware of the Ford family standing behind Corrine, you should also know when to back off. Otherwise, you might find yourself in a situation you can’t get out of.”


    .


    .


    .