Chapter 427 The Punishment
"I assure you, I'm on my period. You can confirm it if you're skeptical," one of the girls pleaded, certain that a woman of Mrs. Bourbon's standing would never stoop to such a level of verification.
The antics of the girls brought a ripple of amusement to Mrs. Bourbon's otherwise stern demeanor.
"Do you wish to depart?" Claire inquired, her voice laced with amusement.
The girls responded with frantic nods of affirmation.
"Then perhaps you can enlighten me as to how the cake ended up scattered on the floor?" Claire's gaze, sharp and piercing, darted from one girl to the next.
None of the girls had the courage to confess that Samantha had spitefully defamed Abella, so they resorted to lying, insisting they had been too distracted to witness the incident.
"In that case, remain here until your memory returns," she commanded, dismissing them with a nonchalant wave of her hand.
Samantha was on the verge of uttering a protest, but Claire silenced her with a curt interjection. "Enough. I have no interest in hearing your voice."
Samantha fell into a chastened silence.
After a while, Ophelia arrived, her hasty departure from the house evident in her disheveled attire. Despite her breathlessness from the hurried pace, she managed to force a smile upon catching sight of Claire.
"Please accept my apologies for the delay, Mrs. Bourbon," Ophelia panted, approaching Claire. She paused to cast a glance at Abella. "So, this is your future daughter-in-law? She's absolutely stunning... a perfect blend of sweetness and intelligence..."
As she spoke, her gaze swept over the young ladies in search of her daughter. “Where is that disobedient child of mine? Samantha! Come here and apologize properly!”
“Don’t be overly harsh on her,” Mrs. Bourbon interjected, seated gracefully in her chair, her demeanor radiating dignity and elegance, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “She has made it abundantly clear that she's not mincing her words today. She's intent on confronting my daughter-in-law.”
“That ungrateful child, spewing such nonsense…” Ophelia laughed bitterly, swiftly moving to grab Samantha’s hand and pull her in front of Mrs. Bourbon, “Now, apologize to Mrs. Bourbon and to her daughter-in-law, Abella, immediately!”
“You haven't even asked me what happened!” Samantha retorted, her voice tinged with resentment.
“You defame others and even consider resorting to violence. You believe you have the right to argue?” Ophelia, her anger flaring, smacked her daughter’s arm, “Apologize now!”
“I’m sorry…” Samantha mumbled, her voice barely audible.
“Speak up!” Ophelia demanded, clearly dissatisfied with her daughter's lack of volume.
“I’m sorry—” Samantha raised her voice, her pride smarting.
“You insolent girl, who are you apologizing to!” Ophelia smacked her arm again, demanding a more formal apology.
Samantha felt humiliated, “Mom, my classmates are watching…”
“You weren't concerned about shame when you were causing a scene earlier, why the fear now? Apologize properly!”
Samantha was seething, but she knew better than to cross her mother. The Bourbon family had been generous to them and her mother always handled matters with fairness. A single glance from Claire was enough to send her mother into a rage.
With this in mind, Samantha swallowed her anger, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Bourbon. I’m sorry, Abella.”
“And what exactly are you apologizing for?” Claire lifted her eyelids, her gaze icy, “Is it for referring to my daughter-in-law as riff-raff, for slandering her, or for attempting to assault her?”
Ophelia nearly swooned with anger upon hearing this; her daughter had actually insulted someone by calling them riff-raff!
“Mrs. Bourbon is speaking to you. Answer her! If Abella is riff-raff, what does that make you? You’re beneath contempt! Have you forgotten who is responsible for the prosperity of the Samantha family?” Ophelia's words were a bitter pill for Samantha to swallow, leaving her no choice but to apologize sincerely.
“Last time at the club, I saw your daughter troubling my daughter-in-law. And then, just a few days later, she was causing problems for her again right under my nose... Does the Bourbon family seem easy to bully? Has a child become so brazen to act out so egregiously?” Claire's tone was a blend of disappointment and warning.
“This insolent child…” Ophelia hadn't anticipated the incident at the club being brought up and, in her anger, she smacked her daughter on the shoulder, “Why must you cause trouble all the time!”
"Please accept my deepest apologies, Mrs. Bourbon," Ophelia implored, her body bowing in a gesture of regret. She then turned to Abella, her form folding into a ninety-degree angle, a testament to her earnest remorse. "I must admit, I have failed in disciplining Samantha as I should have. Rest assured, upon our return home, I will rectify her education. I give you my word, there will not be a repeat of this incident."
Abella responded, her voice a calm, clear stream, refusing to wield the Bourbon family's influence as a weapon. "There's no need for you to apologize; you are not the one who erred."
Ophelia couldn't help but notice the child's demeanor, so fitting for the Bourbon family. It was as if she was born to be one of them. Indeed, they could easily pass for mother and daughter.
Ophelia sighed, her voice heavy with regret. "You are kind and wise beyond your years; the fault lies solely with Samantha. We have spoiled her since she was a child..."
Her gaze then shifted to her daughter. "How did the cake end up on the floor, Samantha?"
Caught off guard by her mother's question, Samantha hesitated, unsure of how to respond.
Ophelia's tone hardened. "Even if the cameras missed it, I have other means of discovering the truth. I suggest you tell me what happened, and if I find you've lied, there will be severe consequences."
Samantha, startled by her mother's threat, finally lowered her head in defeat and murmured, "I knocked it over myself..."
"By what means? How did you do it? Explain yourself!" Ophelia demanded, her fury palpable.
"I was... still upset about the incident at the club. When I saw her today, I... I elbowed the cakes..." Samantha confessed.
Ophelia's hand flew out, delivering a sharp slap to Samantha's face. Stunned, Samantha could only stare at her mother in disbelief.
"How have I raised you, Samantha? You can dislike someone, you can distance yourself from them, refuse their friendship, but you must never cause them harm! Today, you not only hurt Abella, but you did so in a despicable manner. How could you behave so childishly at eighteen years old?"
Samantha, cowed by her mother's wrath, began to cry.
"Your ignorance is astounding! Anyone who didn't know better might think this is how our family behaves!" Ophelia insisted that Samantha apologize once more.
This time, Samantha didn't dare to offer a half-hearted apology. She sincerely expressed her regret.
"And what about you?" Claire's gaze then shifted to Samantha's friends.
The girls, terrified, stumbled over their apologies in their haste. "We're so sorry, Mrs. Bourbon, sorry Abella. We saw Samantha knock the cakes to the ground, but we didn't step forward to support Abella... it was our fault."
"We're truly sorry. Please give us another chance."
Seeing their fear, Abella finally intervened, urging Claire to let the matter rest. They then ascended the stairs for afternoon tea.
Ophelia quickly sought out the restaurant manager and arranged for a card, signifying that any future expenses incurred by the Bourbon family or Abella at this establishment would be charged to the Samantha family's account.
Then, she took Samantha by the ear, leading her home for a stern reprimand.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
