Chapter 1927 A Screening


    "So you''re admitting you lied to Ms. Zimmerman?" Cecilia asked.


    Miranda turned her head slowly, casting Cecilia a re filled with resentment.


    Cecilia pretended not to notice.


    Miranda said nothing. Herck of denial spoke volumes.


    By now, the surrounding societydies pieced together what had happened.


    "I''ve met Felix before. He''s always been a handful. Honestly, I was surprised when I first heard he got beaten up. Seemed out of character. Now it makes sense. He was just ying the victim."


    "The apple doesn''t fall far from the tree. If the mother''s a liar, how much better can the child be?"


    "I remember her boy used to bully another kid back in kindergarten. Walked around like a little tyrant, bragging that his mom told him he''d inherit the entire Rainsworth Group."


    That drew a few quietughs.


    "What kind of parenting is that? Do Nathaniel''s children not exist to them?"


    "Exactly. She actually expects Nathaniel to hand thepany to her son? Shameless."


    Miranda, her hearing sharp as ever, absorbed every cruel word spoken around her. With each passing moment, her face grew more flushed with distress, yet she struggled to keep herposure. If she allowed her frustration to show now, the humiliation would only worsen in the days toe.


    "Miranda, I can''t believe you." The realization hit Isabelle hard. Every word Miranda had spoken earlier the usations, the dramatics-had been nothing but lies.


    All of it, from Cecilia''s supposed dominance at the Rainsworth Manor to the fabricated stories, had been part of Miranda''s web of deceit.


    Without another word, Isabelle spun on her heel and stormed off, leaving Miranda standing there, alone.


    Miranda''s face burned crimson with shame. She slunk away from the group of high-society women, her head down and her pride shattered.


    But she didn''t leave the venuepletely. Instead, she retreated to a quiet corner, her frustration boiling over. "Just you wait, Cecilia. I''ll make you pay for this."


    As soon as Miranda left, everyone gathered around Cecilia and Elena, chatting warmly with them. After some friendly exchanges, the crowd gradually began to disperse.


    Once they were alone, Elena turned to Cecilia "You handled yourself well today. In front of others, we must always uphold our dignity. We can''t let anyone wrong us without standing up for ourselves.


    Cecilia offered a soft smile. "It''s all thanks to your guidance."


    Elena chuckled, clearly amused. “When did you be so good at ttery? I used to look down on you, remember? I don''t recall teaching you anything."


    She said it lightly, but there was an undertone of reflection-she knew she hadn''t always treated Cecilia kindly.


    "Aren''t you teaching me now?" Cecilia replied.


    Elena reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I must''ve been blind, not to see your worth sooner."


    "That''s all in the past," Cecilia said gently. "What matters is now."


    In this world, there are no eternal allies, nor evesting enemies.


    Cecilia and Elena shared no blood ties. Their rtionship as mother-inw and daughter-inw existed solely because of Nathaniel.


    Cecilia had long understood it was unrealistic to expect Elena to treat her with the warmth reserved for a daughter. All she ever hoped for was mutual respect-and, over time, they hade closer to achieving that.


    The charity auction g was about to begin. Guests took their seats, the lively chatter gradually quieting as everyone settled in to watch the day''s auction unfold.


    The first item to appear was a dazzling, jewel-encrusted ne-one Chelsea


    had received from her father on her birthday.


    Rumored to originate from an ancient royal family, the ne was said to be of exceptional value, both in history and craftsmanship.


    "Wow, how extravagant. I''d bet that ne is worth at least ten million."


    "Much more than that—I heard it once belonged to a queen."


    "Buying it would definitely elevate someone''s social standing."


    Guests murmured among themselves, eyes fixed on the glittering ne as it was brought out for disy.


    Even Charlotte couldn''t hide her surprise. "They''re putting something that valuable up for charity?"


    "It''s not just about charity," Cecilia said softly. "This might also be a kind of screening."