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Novel Catalog
Chapter 85
The room fell into stunned silence as Catherine’s words echoed through the banquet hall. Her sharp voice sliced through the tension, striking at the heart of everything the Jones family had tried to present to the world.
Jeffery’s face contorted in rage, his eyes flashing with a mixture of anger and fear. His hand clenched into a fist, but he remained frozen, unable to respond to her bold accusations.
Catherine didn’t back down. She stood tall, her posture unwavering, even as the weight of every eye in the room pressed down on her. “You wanted a perfect image, didn’t you?” she continued, her words dripping with disdain. “You wanted to show everyone that your family is flawless, that you’re all perfect and without flaws. But the truth is, it’s nothing but a facade.”
Her eyes briefly flickered to Rebecca, who stood rigidly by Ethan’s side, pale and trembling. Catherine’s smile was laced with irony. “And yet, here we are, in a room full of lies. How lovely. Everyone smiles, pretending, but the reality is far uglier than any photo can capture.”
Catherine’s voice grew colder. “The truth is, you don’t care about your family. You never have. Your own mother is paralyzed, and not once during this entire ceremony did you even acknowledge her existence. But hey, at least you managed to string together enough theatrics to fool the guests.”
Catherine turned her gaze to the rest of the room, letting her words sink in. “Do any of you even care about the person who should be the center of attention today? My grandmother, the one who gave everything to this family, is being ignored in favor of a false image. How convenient.”
There was a heavy silence, the tension hanging thick in the air. The guests, who had once murmured excitedly about the engagement, now looked uncomfortable. Some shifted in their seats, avoiding eye contact, while others exchanged uncertain glances. This was not the spectacle they had been expecting.
Ethan stood there, his face flushed with embarrassment and guilt. Catherine’s words stung, cutting deeper than he had anticipated. He wanted to speak, to defend himself, but he knew that anything he said would only make the situation worse. He had already made his choices, and now he was trapped by them.
Rebecca’s eyes darted from Catherine to Ethan, her lips trembling with anger. “Cathy, you’re insane,” she spat. “What are you even trying to prove? You’ve always been the troublemaker in this family. This has nothing to do with you anymore!”
Catherine didn’t flinch. Instead, she raised an eyebrow, her voice steady. “Nothing to do with me? Oh, trust me, Rebecca, this has everything to do with me. You think you can play games with me and get away with it? You think you can use me as a pawn in your little drama? I’m done being your scapegoat.”
Wesley, who had been quietly observing from the side, stood up as well. His presence, calm and composed, added weight to Catherine’s words. He knew that now was the moment for her to take control of the narrative, to stop being the victim in everyone’s story.
“Let her speak,” Wesley said quietly, his voice cutting through the tension in the room. “It’s time for the truth to come out.”
Catherine met his gaze, her eyes filled with both gratitude and determination. Wesley had been one of the few constants in her life, someone who saw her for who she truly was, not the person everyone else tried to shape her into.
She turned back to the microphone and addressed the room one last time, her voice filled with quiet strength. “I won’t apologize for revealing the truth. This family has been built on lies and manipulation, and I refuse to be a part of it any longer.”
With that, Catherine dropped the microphone, the sound of it hitting the stand ringing out like a final declaration of defiance.
She turned away from the stunned crowd, her eyes locked on her grandmother, who had watched the entire scene unfold with a quiet understanding. Catherine made her way back to the table, her steps deliberate, leaving behind the chaos and turmoil of the event. It was time for her to leave the Jones family behind, once and for all.
The whispers in the room intensified as Catherine walked out, but she didn’t care. She had made her statement, and she was no longer afraid to stand up for herself, no matter the cost.