?Chapter 696:


    Ste believed she surpassed Elena in both wealth and manners, yet Wesley always stood by Elena.


    Refusing to ept it, Ste snapped, “Those scandalous photos are everywhere. Wesley, how do you n to silence everyone? And if Elena is truly innocent, why do thosepromising images even exist?”


    In Ste’s mind, Elena wouldn’t have been condemned if she hadn’t done something wrong. Someone so scandalous deserved public shame!


    Wesley’s expression darkened, his gaze cold. “Who told you those images are real?”


    “Are you saying they’re fabricated?” Ste asked skeptically. “If that’s true, why hasn’t the Harper family intervened and cleared her name? Their silence seems to confirm the usations.”


    Ste eyed Elena with contempt. “If the pictures are fake, why has she stayed silent? Does she enjoy being maligned like this?”


    Elena’s demeanor instantly grew cold. She stepped forward from behind Wesley, her presencemanding, and surveyed the crowd with calm authority. Her voice was steady and clear. “iming the photos are fake changes little. Who here would believe me? It’s easy to spread lies but exhausting to prove them false. What difference would my words make?”


    Elena understood the crowd craved a spectacle. They eagerly circted the doctored photos to ruin her reputation. Their imaginations twisted her story, their motives in—they took pleasure in destroying her name simply for their amusement.


    Ste was taken aback by the intensity of Elena’s gaze, matching Wesley’s fierce stare.


    Still, Ste was resolute not to back down. “Words are cheap. Show us undeniable proof that the photos are doctored, and I’ll believe you. Otherwise, ept the consequences and leave the forever.”


    She lifted her chin confidently, a smirk curling her lips. To Ste, this was her chance to crush Elena and sever her influence over Wesley for good.


    In Ste’s mind, victory was assured either way: if Elena refused, the photos were genuine; if she epted but failed to prove her im, she’d still be forced out.


    “Do you dare ept the challenge?” Ste taunted, eager to witness Elena’s defeat and exit. She was certain Elenacked the nerve.


    But Elena replied with unwavering calm. “If I prove the photos are manipted, I expect every major the publication to run a front-page retraction.”


    Ste hesitated, caught off guard by Elena’s confidence.


    Elena’s faint smile appeared. “Seems fair to set some conditions. Do you dare agree?”


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    With skillful grace, Elena turned Ste’s own challenge against her. As the mayor’s daughter, Ste was the perfect person to hold ountable for setting the record straight.


    Determined to see Elena out, Ste clenched her teeth and said, “Agreed.”


    Elena’s eyes gleamed with quiet triumph. She knew several ways to prove photo tampering but chose the simplest and most effective approach.


    Elena instructed Ste to disy the questionable image, then used image analysis software to highlight inconsistencies in the lighting—clear proof of maniption.


    Ste, unfamiliar with photo editing or the technical details, looked confused. “What does this mean?” she asked.


    Elena patiently exined, “Notice how the light on the neck and shoulders varies by thirty degrees. In an authentic photo, this variation is usually less than fifteen degrees. Such arge discrepancy indicates that the head and bodye from different images, proving the photo is aposite. It’s a basic forensic imaging principle. You might want to verify this yourself.”


    Ste’s face paled as her expression tightened. Though the technical terms were beyond her understanding, she didn’t want to appear ignorant, so she remained silent.


    Meanwhile, others began verifying Elena’s ims online and were shocked. “She’s right! This photo is fake!” “Did wepletely misjudge Elena?”


    “Who would go to such lengths to fabricate this?”


    “There should be serious penalties for those spreading lies!”


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