Chapter 134: A Fool
After Ephyra left, the hall was completely silent as there was nothing to be said. People glanced at each other, while some stared at the people on the stage and the duo below in disgust.
A murmur rippled through the crowd as the spell of silence finally broke, though no one dared to raise their voice too loudly. Those who had once stood beside Marianna, Myra, and Alan in their schemes now took deliberate steps away, as though proximity to them might taint their reputations further.
Below the stage, Marianna struggled to stand up, her tear-streaked face a mask of humiliation and fear. She reached out toward Eliot, her voice trembling. "Eliot, you can’t just let her leave like that! She’s ruining everything!"
Eliot, still stunned by Ephyra’s parting words, clenched his jaw and harshly tugged her hand off. "If you speak one more word, I swear I’m going to make you regret ever knowing me."
After that, he turned and walked toward the entrance. His once-proud demeanor had crumbled under the weight of his daughter’s revelations. He shifted uncomfortably under the judgmental stares of the guests.
Myra, who had remained silent throughout Ephyra’s speech, suddenly snapped, her voice shrill. "This isn’t over! You can’t just walk away like this! Father! Father, don’t go! Please don’t leave us! Forgive us—we were wrong! Father!" She turned to the crowd, her desperation evident. "You all saw what Ephyra did! She assaulted Alan! That’s illegal! She’s no better than us!"
But the guests did not rally to her defense. Instead, a few snickered, while others exchanged knowing glances. A tall man in a dark suit stepped forward, his voice carrying a quiet authority. "What’s illegal, Myra, is everything you, Marianna, and Alan have been exposed for tonight. If I were you, I’d worry less about Ephyra and more about the legal consequences heading your way."
Alan, still hunched on the floor, groaned as he attempted to sit up. His face was swollen, and his pride was shattered beyond repair. "She’s... she’s insane," he muttered weakly, his voice barely audible over the growing chatter in the room.
"She’s not insane," the man in the suit retorted sharply. "She’s just finally holding you accountable."