Aubriana Mullen was the first to react, sternly scolding, "Abigail, what kind of joke is this? It's too inappropriate!" Margaret Sinclair followed suit, angrily rebuking, "Kelly, you usually play around with Seraphina, but how could you be so careless at a time like this? You almost caused a misunderstanding!" The two women, exchanging sharp words, tried to downplay the situation as a joke. However, the people present were not fools. They could distinguish between a joke and a plot, and their minds were clear as day. Whether it was Linara or Kelly and the others, from this day on, they would become the subject of ridicule among the high society. They would be the topic of gossip at tea parties, their reputations utterly tarnished. They had shot themselves in the foot! Nicholas Hart, the patriarch of the Hart Family, shot a fierce glare at his son and daughter-in-law. "Shameful! Hurry up and take them back." Lydia Davenport, Carmen's mother, did not dare defy him and stepped forward to drag Carmen away, leaving the Whitewood Family. The other two families, embarrassed, could no longer stay at the banquet and quickly left. But leaving wasn't so simple! "Stop!" Seraphina's voice rang out, stopping the three families in their tracks. The three families paused and looked toward the stage in confusion, as did the rest of the guests, curious about what she would say. "After doing something like this, don't you think you should explain yourselves? Leaving like this, as though nothing happened, is that how you treat the Whitewood Family?" Seraphina's voice grew colder, ruthlessly questioning them. Jason, hearing her question, couldn't help but smile slightly. Smart girl! She was questioning them in the name of the Whitewood Family, not her own. This forced the three families to respond, or they would have to sever ties with the Whitewood Family completely. Aubriana chuckled, "Abigail was just joking with you, why would you take it seriously? It's all cleared up now, and no one believes you're that kind of person." Seraphina raised her hand to stop her incessant chatter. "Aubriana, do you think I'm a child? Or do you think everyone here has just come out of the cradle? Or maybe you think you're the smartest in the world, and the rest of us are fools?" Her words cut deep. For the first time, Aubriana was publicly insulted in front of so many people. She felt both humiliated and enraged. In the high society, most things were handled with tact—everyone was polite and avoided open confrontation. Seraphina's actions of tearing off their façade in the presence of others seemed reckless, but she did not care what the public opinion of her was. So what if it is reckless? At least it's better than bottling up my feelings of suffering. Who else but me will care for my own emotions? "Regardless, this matter was Abigail's fault. Abigail, apologize to Seraphina," Aubriana commanded coldly, her gaze sharp as she looked at her daughter. It was the first time in her life that Abigail had been looked at like this by her mother, and she felt a deep sense of fear. However, apologizing to Seraphina in front of everyone meant ruining her standing in high society. She had done this to ruin Seraphina's reputation, to make sure she couldn't stand, but now it was she who had to bow her head. "Apologize," Aubriana ordered, her voice insistent. Abigail felt wronged, tears streaming down her face as she bit her lip tightly. Seeing her daughter like this, Aubriana felt both heartbroken and furious at her stupidity. "I'm sorry!" Abigail was forced to bow her head and apologize to Seraphina. Carmen and Kelly, under the strict orders of their elders, also apologized to Seraphina. All three of them, along with their families, lost their dignity today. Just as they thought everything was over, and the guests assumed the matter had ended, they heard Seraphina's cold voice from the stage, "I do not accept this apology!"