The guests all looked on, visibly taken aback. With calm composure, Seraphina addressed the room, "Today is my seventeenth birthday, and it's also the first time I've met many of you—family, friends, and elders. This day is incredibly important and meaningful to me. But they tried to ruin it. They may not have succeeded this time, but if they had, how was I supposed to handle it? If a quick and casual apology can just wipe away what they tried to do, then does that mean I could use the same excuse to harm others in the future? There's an old saying, 'The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.' They acted without any sense of respect or consequence—are we really to believe that their parents aren't at fault? I don't accept their apology. If there's to be an apology, it should come from Mr. Gardner, Mr. Thomson, and Mr. Hart as a substitute for their daughters." The crowd was in an uproar. If the younger ones apologized, it could pass. But for the elders to apologize to someone younger? That wasn't just a slight—it was a blow to the entire family's reputation. For prestigious families, reputation was everything. Seraphina's demand was nothing short of shocking. Evelyn felt a rush of excitement—there was something undeniably satisfying about it. This is how one should live. Damarion was so angry he almost laughed. A young girl wants me to apologize? She doesn't even deserve it. Oberon was equally stunned, his mouth agape. He never imagined that his daughter would confront the situation in such a bold manner. To ask several family leaders to apologize? What is she thinking? When it came to choosing between the dignity of the Gardner, Thomson, and Hart Families and his daughter's prestige, Oberon decisively chose the former. "Sera, let's let it go. Once we're back, Mr. Gardner and the others will properly discipline them. No one is perfect; everyone makes mistakes." Oberon smiled magnanimously.Evelyn was fuming, her little face puffed up in anger. Adults are so hypocritical! Clearly, I am the one who has been wronged, yet Dad pretends to be magnanimous. Seraphina smirked inwardly. Let them off? Impossible! Just as everyone expected Seraphina to compromise and let the matter end there, a deep, resonant voice interrupted the silence. "I think Miss Seraphina is right. 'The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.' Some things can be brushed off with a smile, but today's incident has gone too far." No one expected Jason to speak up at this moment. Before anyone could fully process this, Jayden stepped out from the crowd, walking up to the stage and standing next to Seraphina. His sharp, intelligent eyes scanned Oberon and the Thomson Family. "On this matter, I fully agree with Miss Seraphina," he said. He was here today to support Seraphina, and there was no way he would let her fight this battle alone.The Foster and Drakon Families looked down on the Thomson, Gardner, and Hart Families, and they were not afraid of offending them. Families hoping to build connections with the Drakon and Foster Family quickly stepped forward to stand up for what was right. "They've gone too far. A simple apology won't be enough to make up for this." "Mr. Hart, you come from a family of scholars—this is how you handle matters?" "All three of you are respected families. How can you bring yourselves to bully a young girl?" ... Faced with the public's reproach, the expressions of the three families grew darker with each passing moment. Seraphina's gaze shifted from Jason to Jayden, her emotions a whirlwind. My own family won't stand up for me, but it's the others who are willing to defend me. Seraphina silently vowed to remember this kind of friendship. In truth, she didn't need their help—she could make them bow down on her own. But with the support of the Drakon and Foster Families, she no longer had to fight this battle alone.