Celeste''s smug face was suddenly marred by a bright red handprint. She red daggers, her makeup slightly smeared into a twisted scowl. "You dare p me?"


    Hannah felt a rush of satisfaction as the tension she''d been holding in her chest finally released. For some reason, with her sister by her side, she felt more spirited, more daring in her words. "Why wouldn''t I p you? You started this whole mess! You hit me first, and now you''re surprised I hit back?"


    Miranda allowed herself a small, approving smile. This was the Hannah she knew - no pushover.


    Celeste clutched her cheek, her gaze darting between Hannah and Miranda, fury evident in her eyes.


    "Miranda, do you have any idea what happens when I got hit?" she sneered, her toneced with threats.


    The surrounding staff members wisely kept silent, not daring to make a move.


    Miranda walked over slowly. "Ms. Sterling, you''re something else. Snatching leftovers and then hitting people over it. Even stray dogs have better manners. Maybe tomorrow, we should make headlines and show everyone the real Ms. Sterling. Let''s see who ends up embarrassed - the Sterling family or the Lancaster family?"


    She positioned herself beside Hannah, offering an unspoken support that made Hannah stand even taller. Miranda''s words snapped Hannah out of her initial intimidation from Celeste''s bravado.


    "Exactly, those were my leftovers before my photoshoot. If you wanted some, you could''ve just asked them. You ate it and then had the nerve to hit me. Who''s the onecking manners here?"


    Celeste''s face was a thundercloud of conflicting emotions. "You''re spouting nonsense!"


    Miranda smirked. "Didn''t you notice there were supposed to be eight pastries on that te? A few are missing now. What made you so sure they were for you? Eating someone else''s dessert and then throwing a tantrum - don''t you find that embarrassing, Ms. Sterling?"


    Celeste nced at the cake tter Miranda mentioned, her confidence visibly wavering. Her assistant


    sprinted over and whispered


    something in her ear, and a


    expressions flitted across her face.


    of


    As her seething aura was appeased, it seemed she finally realized Miranda was telling the truth.


    But she still said to Miranda and Hannah, her voice icy. "Even if I made a mistake, what of it? A


    Lancaster family side-branch girl et


    and an adopted daughter - daring to turn against me? I think you''re searching for trouble. You''ve both


    clearly forgotten your ce. I''m


    telling you, you''re done for!"


    To Celeste, someone like Hannah should be groveling for her favor. As for Miranda, the adopted daughter, she was insignificant.


    With just a word, Celeste believed she could have Miranda cklisted in the entertainment industry and ensure both sisters were ostracized in high society.


    Miranda feigned concern. "Oh, I''m just terrified."


    Hannah snorted, ready to argue, but Miranda''s words made her chime in with sarcastic agreement. "Oh, I''m so scared!"


    With their sarcasm cutting through her, Celeste was fuming. She shot them a withering re. "Just you wait." And with that, she stormed off with her entourage. Celeste had been there for her solo magazine shoot that day, so she needed to carry on.


    "That Celeste - she''s supposed to have this cool, untouchable image in the media, right? Mira, do you see anything calm and collected about her?" Hannah quipped.


    Celeste, being a third-generation


    socialite with a prestigious


    background, was used to getting her


    way. Everyone in the industry


    l.ne


    catered to her whims, so she''d never


    expected to be challenged so


    openly.