He Buried Me But I Painted My Own Resurrection novel Chapter 29

At Eleanor's explosive question, it was as if someone had choked the very air out of the grand hall.

The gossiping guests were now dead silent, terrified to even breathe too loudly.

That single dollar coin still lay abandoned on the marble floor, glaringly obvious under the chandeliers, a damning piece of evidence of exactly what had transpired.

Madeline was the first to recover, forcing a stiff, awkward smile as she hurried forward to mediate.

“Eleanor, the kids were just messing around. Don't let it upset you.”

Eleanor didn't even bat an eye. With a flick of her wrist, she swatted away Madeline's hand.

The movement was swift, ruthless, and left absolutely no room for dignity.

“Messing around?”

She took two steps forward, the tip of her cane coming to rest mere inches from the dollar coin.

“Humiliating someone with loose change and pouring wine on them—is that what you call messing around?”

Seraphina's face contorted, bracing herself as she spoke.

“Eleanor, I really didn't mean to. It was so crowded, my hand just slipped.”

Eleanor ignored her pathetic defense.

“Your hand slipped and magically tossed a coin? You have quite the talented hands.”

Someone in the crowd couldn't hold back a quiet snort of laughter.

The sound wasn't loud, but it struck Seraphina like a physical slap to the face.

Her cheeks burned crimson, her chest heaving, yet she didn't dare talk back to the matriarch.

In her youth, the Gauthier matriarch was an absolute force of nature. While she had stepped back from daily operations, when she lost her temper, absolutely no one dared cross her.

She glared at Seraphina, her voice low but terrifyingly clear.

“Apologize.”

Seraphina's head snapped up, the fake veneer of innocence practically shattering. Her eyelashes trembled in utter disbelief that Eleanor would force her to grovel in front of the city's elite.

“Eleanor...”

“I said, apologize to Sienna!” The demand hit even harder this time, laced with undeniable fury.

“I'm sorry.”

Sienna lifted her chin, her tone icy and composed. “Who are you apologizing to?”

Seraphina stiffened, her lips pressing into a thin line.

Eleanor glared at her, her presence suffocating.

“Seraphina, have you forgotten how to speak?”

Seraphina dug her nails into her palms, the sharp pain radiating through her skin, but she was completely numb to it.

No matter how much she despised Sienna, she wouldn't dare continue fighting at Eleanor's birthday.

Moreover, the room was filled with the most influential figures in the city.

If this got out, it wouldn't just ruin her reputation, but her family's as well.

She took a deep breath, practically chewing on her own words.

“Sienna, I am sorry. I shouldn't have spilled wine on you, and I shouldn't have humiliated you with that coin.”