Chapter 696:
Stella believed she surpassed Elena in both wealth and manners, yet Wesley always stood by Elena.
Refusing to accept it, Stella snapped, “Those scandalous photos are everywhere. Wesley, how do you plan to silence everyone? And if Elena is truly innocent, why do those compromising images even exist?”
In Stella’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?” Stella asked skeptically. “If that’s true, why hasn’t the Harper family intervened and cleared her name? Their silence seems to confirm the accusations.”
Stella 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 presence commanding, and surveyed the crowd with calm authority. Her voice was steady and clear. “Claiming 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 circulated the doctored photos to ruin her reputation. Their imaginations twisted her story, their motives plain—they took pleasure in destroying her name simply for their amusement.
Stella was taken aback by the intensity of Elena’s gaze, matching Wesley’s fierce stare.
Still, Stella was resolute not to back down. “Words are cheap. Show us undeniable proof that the photos are doctored, and I’ll believe you. Otherwise, accept the consequences and leave Klathe forever.”
She lifted her chin confidently, a smirk curling her lips. To Stella, this was her chance to crush Elena and sever her influence over Wesley for good.
In Stella’s mind, victory was assured either way: if Elena refused, the photos were genuine; if she accepted but failed to prove her claim, she’d still be forced out.
“Do you dare accept the challenge?” Stella taunted, eager to witness Elena’s defeat and exit. She was certain Elena lacked the nerve.
But Elena replied with unwavering calm. “If I prove the photos are manipulated, I expect every major Klathe publication to run a front-page retraction.”
Stella hesitated, caught off guard by Elena’s confidence.
Elena’s faint smile appeared. “Seems fair to set some conditions. Do you dare agree?”
Explore fantastic tales on gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s; çοm
With skillful grace, Elena turned Stella’s own challenge against her. As the mayor’s daughter, Stella was the perfect person to hold accountable for setting the record straight.
Determined to see Elena out, Stella 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 Stella to display the questionable image, then used image analysis software to highlight inconsistencies in the lighting—clear proof of manipulation.
Stella, unfamiliar with photo editing or the technical details, looked confused. “What does this mean?” she asked.
Elena patiently explained, “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 a large discrepancy indicates that the head and body come from different images, proving the photo is a composite. It’s a basic forensic imaging principle. You might want to verify this yourself.”
Stella’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 claims online and were shocked. “She’s right! This photo is fake!” “Did we completely misjudge Elena?”
“Who would go to such lengths to fabricate this?”
“There should be serious penalties for those spreading lies!”
.
.
.