Chapter 315
Maybe it was Richard’s
litary background that gave him an imposing presence. His cold eyes were fixed on Cassandra, making it clear he had already judged her to be in the wrong.
It baffled him that she would be slapped without provocation at this event.
Cassandra looked at Richard and sensed the discipline of a soldier. Perhaps because of Kenneth, she instinctively wanted to show Richard respect. Yet, his expression made her feel he was the type to side with family over fairness.
“Mr. Houston,” Cassandra said with piercing eyes and an icy tone, “if what Emma says is true, why not check the surveillance footage? This event has 360 degrees of coverage. To know if I’ve harassed her about the school issue, all you need to do is look at the cameras. Why come at me so aggressively?”
Richard wasn’t happy with the suggestion, to the point of anger. His gaze towards Cassandra turned from cold to furious. “I don’t need to check the footage. I believe my granddaughter. Ms. Yates, you’re not giving me an acceptable answer.”
“Why say more? You’ve made it clear you won’t believe me, Cassandra countered. coldly.
“If that’s all you have to say, then apologize,” Richard softened slightly. He didn’t intend to be harsh with such a young girl. To him, as long as Cassandra apologized, this incident could be put to rest.
“What if I don’t apologize?” Cassandra asked directly.
“Then I’ll have no choice but to be rude,” Richard said, his tone taking a harsh turn.
Cassandra challenged, “Mr. Houston, you keep insisting you trust your granddaughter, so where does that leave my explanation? I’m telling you to check the cameras, and you won’t do it. Now you’re demanding an apology. Do you think I’m an easy target because I’m alone, or is it that the Houston family’s power is so great you can do as you please in Drieso?”
Cassandra thought to herself, ‘Is this the man who sets up girlfriends for Ken without? Assuming Ken’s practically part of their family without any formal tie.
‘I’ve really seen it all now. No wonder a family like theirs raised someone like
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Emma.
“How dare you! Stick to the facts. What’s with all this nonsense?” Richard’s loud rebuke turned all eyes on them.
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“Mr. Houston, there’s no need to yell. The truth is clear once you check the surveillance. You want me to apologize simply because you trust your granddaughter? If you can’t discern right from wrong, let me clarify. I was headed for that corner. She came toward me from near the center stage. Who is troubling? Or are you too blind to see that?” Cassandra held her ground unyieldingly.
Anyway, Cassandra hadn’t expected to be cornered at the Modern Beacon Synergy gala.
“Look here, kid, what’s with the tone? Mr. Houston’s not giving you a hard time. He’s simply asking for an apology. Seems to me you’re at fault. So apologize and be done with it!” A man, filled with righteous indignation, spoke up in defense of Richard.
Cassandra glanced at him sharply, her intense gaze causing the man to involuntarily step back.
“Don’t comment without knowing the full story. If I were you, I’d keep my mouth shut,” she told the man, her voice ice–cold.
“You seem to prefer the hard way. But don’t blame me if you find yourself thrown. out,” Mr. Houston went on, a note of threat in his voice. “Being kicked out of a banquet can tarnish one’s reputation. Admit you’re wrong, apologize to my granddaughter, and we can move on. Why don’t you get that?”
As if on cue, Emma wiped her eyes, playing the victim. “Grandpa, don’t be too. rough on Cassandra. I’m sure she didn’t mean it. She probably just doesn’t like me at school.”
“Bullshit!” Sofia and Cassidy fought their way through the crowd to stand by Cassandra, angrily pointing at Emma, “We’ve seen shameless behavior, but you take the prize, Emma! Who’s really the problem here?
Are you still bitter about the freshman representative selection speech? The principal chose Cassandra over you, and you’ve been holding a grudge! You’ve
been making life difficult for Cassandra, setting traps everywhere. Remember your accusation of cheating on the midterm, which turned out to be your own
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wrongdoing? Have you forgotten how your dear mother stormed the principal’s office over it? How quick we forget, huh?”
Suddenly, the door to the upstairs lounge opened, and Kenneth descended with a
stern face.
Kenneth had sensed something was off, preferring not to be far from Cassandra, but the noisy hall wasn’t the place for discussions, and he’d been drawn into an upstairs lounge.
The sudden hush in the main hall had given Kenneth a bad feeling until Sofia’s loud voice reached him upstairs.
Emma’s face turned from pale to flush. Helen immediately stepped forward, pointing an accusing finger at Sofia, “Who are you to speak up? Are you with Cassandra to slander Emma?”
“Slander her? She apologized in front of the entire school just a few days ago, has she forgotten already? Emma, claiming Cassandra’s been making things tough for you is shameless.” Cassidy chimed in, saying to Emma, “Cassandra was walking towards me and Sofia. You’re the one who intercepted her. I don’t know what you said, but you were the first to get physical. Cassandra was merely defending herself.”
Cassandra let out a soft chuckle, then turned to Richard. “You see, there are eyewitnesses. Mr. Houston, do you still believe everything your granddaughter tells you?”
“Whatever my granddaughter may have said, it doesn’t justify you hitting her. She didn’t lay a finger on you,” Richard said, not buying a word Sofia said.
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