The woman opened her mouth, but no clever retort came. Flustered and humiliated, she spun on her heel and hurried toward the washroom, clutching her ruined dress.
A brief, heavy silence settled over the circle.
Then another woman's gaze dropped to Shuyin's left hand. Her eyes narrowed on the striking blue diamond that caught the light with every subtle movement.
"Miss Lin… are you married?"
The question cut through the quiet like a blade.
Shuyin glanced down at the ring, then lifted her gaze slowly, meeting the woman's eyes with serene confidence. "Look at me," she said calmly. "Do I not look like someone worth marrying?"
A few women nodded instinctively before they could stop themselves.
"Then why wouldn't I be married?" Shuyin replied, the corners of her lips curving into a faint, elegant smile.
She began to turn away, but another mocking voice stopped her.
"Married? To who?" the woman sneered. "That ex-fiancé of yours? The one whose mind is now like a child's?"
