Face slapped

"Oh, are you Alice?" she asked, her voice smooth and deceptively gentle. A wave of confusion swept through the crowd as they exchanged bewildered looks. Raya's face blanched, her confidence faltering.

"No," Raya stammered, her face flushed with confusion and embarrassment. "My name is Raya... I..I was the one who invited you."

A cruel smile tugged at the corners of Alice's mouth, hidden behind her veil, but the cold amusement shone clearly in her eyes. "I recall declining your invitations several times," she said, each word deliberately slow. "I only chose to attend because Miss Alice reached out to me at the last minute. It was her invitation, not yours, that brought me here, So I'd really like to know how you became the one who invited me?"

Gasps rippled through the crowd as Alice's words struck like a thunderclap, each one a blow to Raya's fragile pride. Raya's face turned ashen, and the weight of the crowd's disapproving and mocking gazes fell heavily upon her. Their voices loud without constraint.

"Tch,Tch,tch so she didn't invite the Master over"

"She really doesn't have any shame taking credits for what she didn't do"

"I feel like Master Yue hates her already Just from her tone"

"Well who wouldn't?"

Her friends, who had been so eager to support her, now looked away, unwilling to share in her humiliation. Raya's hands trembled at her sides, her confidence shattered and replaced with a burning resentment.

Alice didn't spare her another glance. She turned away from the scene, moving gracefully towards a secluded area, where she could catch her breath and savor the moment. Under the cover of her veil, a triumphant smile touched her lips. Today, Raya would learn a lesson and think twice before crossing her line and She would do it without uttering a single lie.

Alice stood off to the side, watching the unfolding scene with a sense of satisfaction hidden behind her veil. Her keen eyes spotted Marie, her assistant, blending seamlessly among the crowd as planned. With a subtle nod of her head, she signaled to Marie to make her move. Marie, catching the cue, straightened and began making her way through the sea of curious onlookers towards the embarrassed Raya.

Raya, still seething with embarrassment from Alice's earlier dismissal, was doing her best to save face. She was surrounded by a large crowd of onlookers, and some reporters who had come to capture the event and on seeing a big scene they rushed over shoving the camera's into raya's face and asking questions Just as Raya opened her mouth to answer them, Marie stepped forward, her face calm and professional, carrying the authority of someone who knew her presence was more than justified.

"Excuse me, Miss Raya," Marie said politely, her voice carrying a hint of cold amusement. "I'm Marie, Miss Alice's assistant. I've come to seek compensation."

Raya's expression darkened, her eyes narrowing in suspicion as she crossed her arms defiantly. "What compensation?" she demanded, her voice carrying the remnants of arrogance that had begun to fray at the edges.

Marie didn't miss a beat, her posture unwavering. "Master Yue, as she already mentioned, was invited here by my boss, Miss Alice. This means, as per the terms of your bet, Miss Alice is the clear winner," she stated, her words drawing the attention of everyone around. Gasps and murmurs of surprise erupted among the crowd, eager to witness the drama unfolding.

"A bet?" Raya scoffed, tilting her chin up in defiance. "I don't know what you're talking about. I never made any bet with Alice! You're making things up," she said, her tone indignant. "dont come out making unsubtential claims or else." She had ideas as to Marie's claims but decided to intimidate her into fleeing.

Marie's lips twitched into a faint smile, unperturbed by Raya's blatant denial. "You want evidence?" she asked, her voice smooth. "I'm glad you asked."

As Raya's denial grew more confident, Alice, who had been observing silently from her corner, decided it was time to take action. With practiced ease, she retrieved a mobile like, device from her robes—a piece of technology few would expect a traditional medicine practitioner to possess. Her fingers flew across the screen, bypassing the security on Raya's phone as if it were child's play. The device emitted a soft beep, indicating it had successfully hacked into Raya's phone.

Raya, oblivious to what was happening, continued to insist that she'd made no such bet. But the tension in the crowd grew as more people pulled out their phones, startled by a sudden notification. One by one, confused looks spread across their faces as they opened the message a video sent from Raya's own number.

"I don't need to provide it, Miss Raya I believe you'll do that yourself" Marie said, her voice cutting through the rising whispers. "The evidence has been sent from Miss Raya's phone, so there can be no question of its authenticity."

Eyes widened, and a ripple of shocked gasps spread through the crowd. Raya, still unaware, watched the crowd's reaction with growing unease, confusion beginning to creep into her features. She was about to retort when Marie calmly pulled out her own phone, turning the screen towards Raya. She pressed play, and the familiar scene unfolded.

The video showed Raya and Alice standing face to face several weeks earlier, the atmosphere between them tense. In the video, Raya's voice was unmistakable as she taunted Alice, challenging her to prove she had any influence over Master Yue. The conversation grew heated, and then came the pivotal moment Raya suggesting a bet, insisting that they record it for proof.

"If you manage to bring Master Yue to the gathering, I'll generously compensate you any amount for your damaged car," Raya's voice rang clearly from the video. Her confident, almost arrogant tone, now echoed back at her from every phone in the crowd. "I'll admit you were right if you succeed and apologize publicly."

The camera then shifted to Alice, who had only nodded, agreeing to the bet with a calm confidence that now seemed prophetic. The video ended, and there was a pregnant silence as the truth settled over the crowd like a heavy fog.

Raya's face went deathly pale, her lips parting in a silent gasp. She looked like she had been slapped, her mouth working soundlessly as she tried to form a coherent response. Her eyes darted frantically between the faces around her, realizing with mounting horror that the evidence was irrefutable. Her own words, her own challenge, had been sent to everyone present, and it was undeniable.

"W-what...?" Raya stammered, her face flushing with humiliation as the reality of the situation hit her. "No...this...this can't be right!" she exclaimed, trying to grasp for any excuse, but the crowd's disapproving and mocking stares left her nowhere to hide.

Marie stepped closer, her gaze hard and unrelenting. "As you can see, the evidence is clear, Miss Raya. It was you who initiated the bet, and you even requested that it be recorded for proof. Now, it's time to honor your end of the agreement. Miss Alice has fulfilled her part by bringing Master Yue to this gathering."

Raya's eyes filled with panic as she grasped for a lifeline. A desperate, defiant spark flickered in her gaze, and she straightened, trying to muster a last shred of dignity. "Fine!" she snapped, though her voice wavered. "It's just a car around two billion or so! It's no big deal," she added dismissively, though the trembling in her voice betrayed her bravado.

Marie's eyes narrowed, sensing Raya's attempt to downplay the loss while dismissively shaking her head.."Nope that's not it"

Alice, who had been watching from her secluded spot, let a faint smile appear on her lips...This her assistant was really reliable

"How much can it be?" Raya scoffed, her voice shaky but loud enough for the crowd to hear. "It can't surpass two billion."

"Well that's where you're wrong Miss Raya"