I chuckled lightly. "Mary has been practicing writing with both hands since childhood. If your right hand is injured, surely your left hand can write just as well. Don't be shy, Mrs. Bassett. We'd all recognize your handwriting no matter which hand you use."

"Exactly!" someone in the crowd jeered. "You're not claiming both hands are injured, are you? I just saw you carrying something earlier!"

Mrs. Bassett's eyes brimmed with tears, but I stepped forward, unfazed. "Hailey, bring the pen and paper. Let's not keep everyone waiting."

With a flourish, I added, "I once purchased a piece of calligraphy at an auction signed by Mary Schindler herself. This is Mrs. Bassett's handwriting. We'll know soon enough if it matches."

From my bag, I pulled out a paper I'd written on just that morning while waiting at the coffee shop. The handwriting on the paper mirrored the signatures on the sales receipts down to the last stroke.

The paper made its way through the crowd, eyes narrowing as it passed from hand to hand. The murmurs grew louder.

"Mrs. Bassett," one bold onlooker pressed, "please begin."

Cain's expression darkened like a brewing storm. He turned to me, his tone sharp. "Who are you? Do you even know where you are? This is not a place for troublemakers like you. Leave at once."

Before I could respond, Hailey pushed forward, her voice ringing out with indignation. "What's wrong with you, Cain? My cousin is just standing up for justice, speaking on behalf of these folks! Are you trying to bully her because you're out of excuses?"

"Is there no justice left in this world? No law?" Hailey's cry rallied the crowd.

"Yeah, pay up!"

"You think you can just weasel out of this?"

"If you don't want to settle, we'll see you in court!"

Overwhelmed, Mrs. Bassett shouted, "Enough! Fine, I'll write!"

A staff member handed her the pen and paper, and she began to scribble. Her "Mary Schindler" signature was clumsy, uneven, and downright embarrassing.

The crowd studied the paper, comparing it to the elegant strokes on the paper.

"This… is supposed to be the same person's handwriting?" someone questioned, incredulous.

I couldn't suppress a dry laugh. "To avoid paying the bill, Mrs. Bassett will go to any lengths—even this charade. But who are you trying to fool? Unless…" My voice grew colder. "Unless you're not Mary Schindler at all. So tell us, Mrs. Bassett—who are you?"

Panic flickered across her face as she stumbled back a step, her voice rising in a desperate screech. "Nonsense! If I'm not Mary, then who is? I'm the daughter of the mayor of Lith City, Cain's wife! Who do you think you are, barging in here, spreading lies? Security, haul her out!"

Her command summoned the security guards, who charged forward like wolves to a carcass.

Hailey rushed to shield me but was roughly shoved to the ground.

Cain barked orders, his voice sharp with authority. "Enough of this nonsense! You come here making baseless accusations—I'll deal with you myself!"

Mrs. Bassett followed, emboldened by the guards surrounding me. She tore the mask off my face, her expression shifting the moment she saw me. Jealousy burned behind her eyes, quick and sharp.

Hailey, held back by security, shouted at the top of her lungs. "Let go of my cousin! Do you have any idea who she is? When my uncle arrives in Oberis, he'll make sure none of you walk away unscathed!"

Mrs. Bassett's hand lashed out, striking Hailey hard across the face. "You little wretch! How dare you speak to me!"

I struggled to protect Hailey but was shoved back, rage surging as I stood my ground. "Mrs. Bassett, isn't the Schindler family known for their humility and grace? And yet here you are—quick to violence, entirely unreasonable. Is this how a well-bred lady behaves?"

She sneered, satisfaction dripping from her tone. "I'm Mrs. Bassett. Who are you to question me? Do you have any manners at all? Perhaps I should educate you on the spot."

With a single, vicious motion, she slapped me hard. My cheek stung and swelled instantly.

From childhood to now, my parents had never so much as scolded me, and yet this imposter had struck me?

Hailey's eyes filled with tears of anger. "Mrs. Bassett, do you even know who you've just hit?"

Mrs. Bassett leaned in, her voice a venomous whisper. "And if I slashed your lips right now, what would you do? What can you possibly do to me?"

I stepped back, evading her, and raised my voice for all to hear. "You're not Mary. I am Mary Schindler. And I'm calling the police."

The crowd erupted into chaos.

Cain, who had stood back, his face a mask of indifference, suddenly blanched at my words. Grabbing Mrs. Bassett, he tried to quiet her.

I pulled free of the guards and retreated a few steps, my tone icy and firm. "Mr. Bassett, you've known of this marriage agreement with Mary since childhood. Yet three months ago, you married this woman instead, parading her as me. Answer me this—when you registered your marriage, did the certificate bear the name Mary Schindler?"

Cain took another step back, his face pale as snow.

Mrs. Bassett stepped forward to shield him, her voice trembling. "I grew up with my husband! Our marriage has nothing to do with you!"

I let out a sharp laugh, reaching into my bag to pull out my identification. Clear as day, my name, my photo, and my identity were spelled out: Mary Schindler.

"I'll be contacting my lawyer," I said, "to hold you accountable for impersonating me, stealing my identity, and using my name for your schemes to climb the social ladder."

The crowd burst into an uproar.

"No wonder that Mrs. Bassett's handwriting was so terrible! I was thinking—how could a Reindan not know how to write their own name in Reindese?"

"And come to think of it, wasn't it odd that no one from the Schindler family showed up at their wedding? That struck me as strange at the time."

"The whole wedding was so shabby for someone marrying into wealth. I heard it was just a few friends, no grandeur at all. I remember thinking, 'Why would the son of the richest family have such a low-key ceremony?'"

Mrs. Bassett dabbed at her eyes with a silk scarf, her tears glistening as she sobbed pitifully. "The marriage between the Schindler and Bassett families was meant to be dignified and discreet. I didn't want any fanfare—it could've affected my father's reputation. And yet now, it's become fuel for everyone to slander me..." She paused, her voice trembling. "But no matter what I say, none of you will believe me. You'd rather trust the words of this stranger."

She turned her teary gaze toward me, her tone shifting to one of accusation. "Or have you been secretly coveting my husband? Are you trying to ruin my name and drive me out of this family? Young lady, do you even understand what reputation means to a woman?"

Her voice cracked with desperation as she declared, "I see there's no way to clear my name except through death!" With that, she staggered toward the glass door, intending to hurl herself against it.

A collective gasp rose from the crowd.

"What are you doing, darling? Don't be foolish over some nonsense spouted by a stranger!" Cain cried as he caught her just in time, pulling her into his arms. Mrs. Bassett collapsed against him, weeping uncontrollably, her frail figure trembling.

His face darkened with rage as he barked, "Security! Arrest this woman for spreading rumors and slandering my wife's name! I'll make her regret setting foot here!"

Just as the guards lunged toward me, Hailey broke free from their grip and shielded me with her body. But her defiance was short-lived; two burly guards struck her down with brutal force. Another pinned her to the ground, delivering slap after slap to her face.

"Where did this crazy girl come from?" one guard sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "How dare you cause trouble at the Bassett residence?"

Two more guards moved toward me, but I quickly grabbed a pen from my pocket and pressed its point against my neck.

"Anyone who dares come closer will regret it," I said through gritted teeth. "I'm the real Mary Schindler. My father will be back in three days. If anything happens to me, let's see how you all explain yourselves then!"

The guards hesitated. They glanced nervously at Cain, who stood fuming.

Cain's face turned a menacing shade of red. "If I let you off without punishment, everyone will think the Bassett family is easy to bully. How dare you tarnish my wife's reputation? Get her! If something happens, I'll take full responsibility!"

They surged forward, their strength overwhelming. The pen slipped from my hand as they twisted my arms behind my back. A sharp pain radiated from my wrist, and I felt a warm trickle of blood on my neck where the pen had nicked me.

"You're just a girl—how dare you cause trouble here?" one guard spat, shoving me roughly.

I struggled against them, glaring at Cain. "You lay a finger on me, and my father will make you regret it. I'm not lying—she's the one impersonating me!"

Cain's expression twisted with cruelty. "We'll see if your father can save you in time. Hit her! Let's make her think twice before spreading slander again!"

"No! This is too much—hitting a young girl like this?" someone in the crowd murmured.

"Record it! Post it online! Let everyone see how the Bassett family abuses their power!"

"Shouldn't someone call the police?" another voice chimed in.

"I can't bear to watch. That girl looks so delicate—this is unbearable!"

The guards tightened their grip as one of them slapped me hard across the face. A sharp sting spread over my cheek, and I felt the swelling start immediately.

"Don't hurt her!" Hailey cried, her pale face filled with desperation.

They stuffed something into my mouth to silence me, and I could only let out muffled cries.

Cain's gaze was as cold as ice. "She needs to learn her lesson. Keep hitting her!"

The guards raised their hands again, their palms poised to strike. I braced myself, knowing there was no escape.

But before the blows could land, a thunderous voice cut through the chaos.

"Stop! I wanna see who dares lay a hand on my daughter!"