h4Chapter 194: Chapter 194/h4

    Upon hearing everything they had just said, Cora took a slow, deep breath and finally stepped forward. Her voice was calm, but there was no mistaking the sharp edge in her tone. She looked directly at them not with fear, not with desperation but with the kind of collected confidence that made everyone fall silent almost instantly.

    "I’m not the kind of woman who stands still and watches while people throw baseless usations at her," Cora began, her eyes locking with Victoria’s first, then Abigail’s. "And I’m certainly not someone who has all the time in the world to waste on pointless drama. I have businesses to run, contracts to oversee, and people who actually respect my time."

    She let those words sink in. The entire room, though still, felt heavy with tension. Even the air seemed to pause.

    "You both said earlier that you were going to leave without getting what you want, right?" she continued. "Then please do so. I won’t stop you. In fact, I won’t even try to reason with you because clearly, you came here with one goal in mind to start a scene and create problems."

    Then her expression turned a little more serious, the kindness that was once lingering at the edge of her face now gonepletely. "But you need to remember this what you’re doing right now is stepping way out of line. You’ve gone too far. There’s a fine line between expressing disappointment and throwing usations like confetti. And unfortunately for you two, that line has been crossed."

    She nced down briefly, almost as if she was considering her next words carefully. "At first, I genuinely thought of giving you the diamond dress since you wanted them so sadly," she said slowly, "just to keep the peace... just to show that even though mistakes happen, we can all move forward with grace."

    But then, her voice hardened.

    "But now? No. You’re not getting it."

    Again more gasps filled the room.

    "You think being loud makes you right? That being proud and condescending makes you powerful?" Cora shook her head with a faint smirk. "That’s not power. That’s weakness hiding behind a big mouth."

    Then she folded her arms confidently.

    "I don’t like arrogant people. And I definitely don’t reward them."

    At that moment, Cora leaned in just a little closer, her lips barely moving as she whispered with sharp precision into Abigail’s ear. Her tone was calm, but her words were piercing like ice. "You walk around like you’re royalty. Like the ground should tremble when you speak. You say you’re important, untouchable, above everyone else. But tell me, where was your diamond invitation card? Where was your diamond dress? Hmm?" Her voice carried a dangerous softness, the kind that makes people freeze more than if she had shouted. "So how exactly are you that important, Abigail?"

    She pulled back slightly, just enough to look Abigail in the eyes with a cold, firm gaze. "You need toe down from that high horse you’re riding. This arrogance? It’s not cute. You think acting high and mighty will bring you connections? Respect? No. Sometimes, you have to lower yourself a little not to be weak but to truly rise. What you’re doing now... it’s just noise, Abigail. You should know better."

    Abigail didn’t flinch, but her jaw visibly clenched. There was a flicker of something in her eyes anger? Shock? Embarrassment? Maybe all three. She opened her mouth slightly as if to speak, but before she could find the words, Victoria, who had been standing stiffly by her side, could no longer hold herself back. Her face was flushed, her fists clenched, and she looked ready to explode.

    Just as Victoria opened her mouth, Abigail gently raised her hand, stopping her in her tracks without even looking at her. She turned her full attention back to Cora, scanning her from head to toe, her eyes narrowing. Her tone was steady, but there was a hint of curiosity in it.

    However before Victoria could say anything Cora uttered.

    "You know... your face looks very familiar," Cora said, her head tilting slightly. "It’s not just your face. The way you speak... your voice. It feels like I’ve heard you somewhere before." She paused, eyebrows furrowing deeper. "Have we met each other before?"

    At that moment, even before Victoria could say another word, Cora’s expression shifted from sharp curiosity to sudden realization. Her eyes narrowed, and a smirk slowly tugged at the corner of her lips.

    "Wait a minute," she said softly, but clearly enough that everyone around the podium could hear. She leaned in slightly, her eyes fixed on Victoria’s face like a hunter who just spotted a hidden prey.

    "Oh... now I remember. Your face. That voice. It looks just like him." Her voice was firm. "You’re Robert’s sister, aren’t you?"

    Gasps broke out among a few onlookers who were familiar with the name.

    Cora didn’t give Victoria a chance to speak. She continued, "Do you actually know Robert? What’s your full name? Your surname?"

    Immediately the color drained from Victoria’s face. Her jaw clenched slightly, her hands slowly curled into fists by her side, but her body stilled. For the first time since the confrontation began, she was no longer boiling with anger or trying to speak over anyone. There was a flicker of hesitation in her eyes proof that Cora had struck a nerve.

    That silence Victoria’s failure to respond immediately was all the confirmation Cora needed.

    She tilted her head and let out a low chuckle, then straightened her posture, her tone now colder but even more confident.

    "I knew it. My guess was right. From the very beginning, I had this strange feeling. Something was off. The way you looked at me. The way you kept attacking me over and over again. It wasn’t about this girl. It wasn’t about the diamond dress. Not even about the invitation. No. This was personal. From the very start, you’ve been sizing me up like you were waiting for me to slip. Trying to push me into something... provoke me into reacting."

    She turned her gaze briefly to Abigail, who was still standing in silence, watching the tension build. "And you you’re not innocent in this either. You yed along quite well. Or maybe both of you were in this together."

    Victoria still didn’t speak, but the stiffness in her jaw told everyone how exposed she felt.

    Cora took a single step forward, as if challenging both of them. Her voice dropped lower, almost like a warningced with amusement. "If you think I’m someone you can drag into your little drama, your grudge, your brother’s leftover bitterness then you’ve clearly underestimated me. You should have stayed quiet, Victoria. Because now that I know who you really are, things won’t stay the same."

    She paused, allowing the tension to sit thick in the air.

    Then, still facing them both, she added with quiet certainty, "You’re actually trying to size me up, trying to push me into something, right, but if that is your ns don’t even dare!"