Chapter 70

Uncertainty clouded Eliana's features, but Rocco gave her a reassuring nod. "You don't need to worry. Mr.Pearson and I can handle things from here. Go take care of that burn."

Relief, faint but real, flickered across Eliana's face as she let Doran lead her away. Every few steps, she glanced back, clearly reluctant to go.

Watching Eliana retreat only fueled Celine's growing rage.

Scheming had always been Celine's specialty, yet somehow the tables had turned, leaving her looking foolish in front of everyone-all because of Eliana,whom she'd never taken seriously.

Boiling over,Celine lost her composure and screamed,"You're not going anywhere! Get back here and clear my name!"

Momentum carried her forward, ready to chase Eliana down, but Rupert's hand clamped onto her arm and held her in place. A harsh yank pulled her back. "Stay put!" Eyes wide with shock, Celine spun to face her father."Dad, are you doubting me now? You really believe that bumpkin instead of your own daughter?"

Before Rupert could gather a reply, Tristan moved in with cool confidence,cutting off the moment.

"Mayor Oliver, you owe me answers. Your daughter has been mistreating my fiancée. If word gets out,how do you expect me to protect my reputation?" he said,voice sharp.

A storm gathered behind Rupert's eyes as the reality of the situation hit him.

Navigating politics had always come easily, but this kind of direct challenge from someone so much younger was entirely new-and infuriating.

"You-" His instinct was to push back, but the words caught in his throat.

A raised hand from Tristan cut him off before another word could leave his lips. Tristan said coolly, "Let's put my reputation aside, shall we? This mess isn't just my problem-you're the one in hot water if this goes public. As mayor, you're supposed to set an example.If people find out your daughter's been throwing your name around to scare people, your bosses upstairs won't be happy. You know that as well as I do." A few carefully chosen words from Tristan left Rupert reeling, his confidence knocked sideways.

People whispered that Tristan was young, but everyone knew he could take complaints to the top with a single call.

That understanding crept across Rupert's face,darkening his mood. The threat was clear. No comeback would save him now.

Inside the crowd, some faces like Hector's lingered hopefully,angling for Rupert's approval.

Even so, a larger group began drifting toward Tristan's side,eager for any chance to win his favor.

Ripples of agreement moved through the gathering,as more voices chimed in.

"Mayor Oliver, maybe it's time to set some boundaries with your daughter," one person suggested, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"We're all professionals here. It's bad form to drag personal drama into the open," another echoed,glancing around for support.

Others played both sides, dropping flattering remarks that still pushed Rupert into a corner. "Oh, let's not get carried away. He knows better than to let things get out of hand. He'd never excuse something like this from his daughter. Am I right,Mayor Oliver?"

A storm brewed in Rupert's eyes as he faced the chorus of opinions. "All of you-"

However,when he caught the steely, expectant gazes all around him, any harsh retort died on his tongue.

Steeling himself, he exhaled slowly and looked to Tristan. "You seem to have a better handle on this than anyone, Tristan. What's your suggestion for settling things?"

Without hesitation, Tristan answered, "To start, an apology from Ms. Oliver seems fair."

Rage threatened to boil over in Celine, her temples pulsing with frustration. "I've told you already! I did not throw coffee at her! I'm not about to say sorry for something I didn't do."

Tristan's eyes narrowed, curiosity coloring his voice."Are you sure about that? You all call Eliana a country girl-simple, honest, the kind who stops to help a stranger on the street. Lying just isn't in her nature."

Earlier, Celine had mocked Eliana's rural upbringing,so Tristan decided to turn those words back on her,probing with a measured tone.

Stunned for a split second, Celine's expression grew stormy, but she refused to back down. "That wasn't me! | wouldn't throw coffee at her with half the city watching. I'm not reckless."

Advancing a step, Tristan refused to let her off the hook. "Is that really the story you're sticking to?"

Hand pressed to her chest, Celine insisted, "I give you my word-I did nothing wrong!"

A low, amused laugh escaped Tristan. "If that's how you want it, I'll accept this as nothing more than a misunderstanding. Eliana isn't one to carry grudges over something so trivial. However..."

Switching to a more deliberate tone, Tristan continued,"You know, h entire world revolves around her family.She might joke about little things, but she'd never lie about something as serious as her father's troubles.According to her, you dangled Mr. Murray's predicament over her head. Are you really going to claim she made that up? In the end, she's just a girl from the countryside-she wouldn't know a mayor from a city councilman, let alone play games with power. The idea that she's inventing this is a stretch,don't you think?"

Celine's posture went rigid, her fists knotting in the fabric of her dress.

With only a moment's hesitation, she forced her expression back to cool defiance. "That's not true.I never threatened her," she declared,voice flat.

Even so, that split-second flicker of panic didn't escape anyone. The room was full of skilled players;none were fooled by her sudden composure. People exchanged knowing glances.

Tristan didn't miss a beat. "Mayor Oliver, I'm sure you're overwhelmed with public business, but some matters at home require attention too.Words tossed carelessly can bring a world of trouble. You're well aware of that."

A muscle in Rupert's forehead twitched, and he fought to keep his frustration in check.

Jaw clenched, he pinned Celine with a hard look."You're going to apologize to Tristan-right now."

Pride wouldn't let her budge. Not even a crack appeared in her mask. Celine simply stared straight ahead,refusing to give in.

A stubborn glare fixed on her face, Celine retorted,"Absolutely not! I refuse to apologize. Eliana Murry is making all of this up!"

Anger threatened to boil over.Knowing how much the Murray family meant to Eliana, she quietly hatched a plan-maybe she could convince her dad to make Louis's time behind bars even harder, just to get even. Rupert's patience ran thin. "I'm not asking again.Apologize-now!"

Frustration and wounded pride tangled in Celine's voice as she bit down on her words. "I'm telling the truth,Dad.Please don't-"

But Rupert wouldn't let her finish. "If you won't do it,then I will. Clearly, this is on me-I must have failed somewhere as a father for you to act this way."

Turning his attention to Tristan, Rupert straightened his jacket and spoke with a forced smile. "Tristan,let's put this incident behind us for my sake. I'm willing to take responsibility and consider it resolved."

"Dad..." A strangled protest caught in Celine's throat.

Panic flashed in her eyes; having Rupert apologize for her was even more humiliating than doing it herself.

Without giving her a chance to interrupt again, Rupert continued,"To make amends, I'll see that Ms. Murray receives ten times the medical costs, plus something extra for the trouble we've caused. And I'll apologize to her personally."

Rupert lowered his head, humility heavy in his posture.

Across from him,Tristan stayed perfectly composed,offering no sign of forgiveness. "Bankruptcy or not, the Murray family have me behind them now. They won't ever go hungry," he said coolly. "Keep your compensation."

Tristan dismissed Rupert's attempt at an apology with a wave of his hand, and the mayor's expression grew darker by the second.

Yet cornered by circumstance, Rupert had no other cards left to play.

A brand-new mayor couldn't afford to make an enemy of someone like Tristan-his every move was under a microscope.

Searching for a solution, Rupert's voice broke through the tension. "Just tell me what you want, Tristan. How do we put an end to this? Is it an apology you want-or are you expecting me to humble myself right here and now?"

Celine,watching the exchange, could hardly keep her anxiety in check. "Dad,please-"

Rupert cut her off sharply, his patience gone,exclaiming, "Enough out of you! You've made things bad enough already."

Any protest Celine might have made died on her lips,forced into silence by her father's glare.

A small, knowing grin touched Tristan's mouth as he replied,"No one here expects you to grovel. Eliana would never want to see something so humiliating-she's not that kind of person."

Shadow crept across Rupert's features as he pressed for clarity. "Then tell me, what exactly do you want from us?"

Arching one brow, Tristan answered with calm certainty, "Honestly, Eliana isn't worried about herself.Her main concern is what happens to her father. In light of everything that happened today-if you're hoping to ease her mind and also protect your own standing-there's a straightforward fix. I hope you can step away from his case entirely. Assign it to someone impartial and let them handle it from now on. It's the safest move for everyone, and it spares you any future whispers or doubts about your involvement.Wouldn't you agree that's the best solution?"