She lifted her hand slightly, allowing the blue diamond to catch the light once more, not as a boast, but as a deliberate statement.
"Does it truly matter?" she asked, voice calm and steady.
The simple question shifted the air.
She stepped forward slightly, her jade-green eyes moving across the women with quiet authority.
"You are all so focused on identifying who I belong to," she continued evenly, "but none of you have considered whether that person is someone you should be cautious about."
There was no overt threat in her tone, only clear, unshakable confidence. A pause settled over the group.
The measured reply only confirmed there was something worth concealing. The older woman's gaze returned to Shuyin.
"Miss Lin, you arrive with an unidentified escort, wearing a ring no one can place, and you claim to be married, yet no one knows to whom. That combination naturally raises questions."
The group grew quieter, attention fixed on her.
