"You go around bad-mouthing my friend, trying to drag her into your mess, and you think I won't stand up to you? Do we really need to schedule a proper time for this confrontation?"
Whitney stepped in front of Tiana, shielding her with her 5'5" frame, her presence overwhelming Endora.
Her defiant tone made Endora's eyes widen in shock, "You dare hit me? Do you know who my fiancé is? Guards, seize her!"
Several of the Melford family's bodyguards quickly surrounded them.
Tiana, pale-faced, tugged at Whitney's sleeve.
Noticing Tiana's torn dress strap, Whitney's gaze turned even colder.
Fearless, she even allowed a smile to play on her lips as she faced Endora, "Oh, I'm well aware that the famous Mr. Doonan is your fiancé. Why don't we invite Mr. Doonan over to sort this out?"
She glanced at Tiana, hitting Endora where it hurt.
The last thing Endora wanted was for Parker to see Tiana and stir up more trouble.
Endora's face clouded over, and she scoffed, "You assault me, and think you can get away with it, Ms. Valentine? This isn't over. With everyone here as witnesses to your violence, let's call the police!"
Whitney smiled again, "Calling the police? Perfect. Let's see who they believe when they find out who came looking for trouble first, acting like a puppet master, encouraging Mr. Uriah to harass my friend?"
"Ms. Valentine, why must you be so aggressive? Yu Fei is my friend, and I know her well. She's a straightforward and innocent girl. Perhaps she was just trying to warn Mr. Uriah, thinking he was being deceived by Miss Tiana. Maybe you've misunderstood?"
A soothing voice cut through the tension.
Everyone turned to see Elaine approaching gracefully, the picture of benevolence.
Whitney sneered inwardly. Was this her chance to stir up drama using Endora?
But Whitney wasn't afraid.
Raising an eyebrow, she retorted, "Oh, so Endora is Elaine's friend? Birds of a feather flock together, I see."
"What do you mean by that?" Elaine feigned hurt, "I'm just trying to keep the peace. Let's not blow this out of proportion."
"Elaine, why bother playing nice with her? Everyone knows what kind of person she is. Riding on her recent popularity, does she really think she's something special? As for reputation, Whitney and Tiana are perfect for each other, teaching her how to climb the social ladder through Mr. Uriah."
"That's a lie!"
Tiana, trembling and pale, protested, "I was only presenting my project to Mr. Uriah. Everyone saw it until you manipulated him into harassing me..."
Elaine, maintaining her gentle demeanor, turned to Tiana, "Ms. Melford, it's not that we don't believe you, but your past does raise some questions. Now, with nothing to your name, using the Melford Group's reputation to deceive others doesn't look good on you."
She glanced at Whitney with a smug look.
Using the situation to her advantage, she aimed to wound Whitney for overshadowing her earlier.
Elaine, hailing from the prestigious Bartels Group, carried weight in her words.
The whispers around them started, "It takes two to tango. Even though Mr. Uriah's behavior was out of line, who knows if it wasn't Tiana's seduction plan?"
"The Melford family is desperate, Tiana could do anything."
"Endora said Whitney taught her, showing Whitney's true colors. With the backing of Skye Gem Ltd. and Royal Jewelry Company, it's clear she's had her share of male support."
"Compared to Elaine, a true lady of grace, there's a clear difference."
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