Carly quickly rushed over and clung to Adam’s arm possessively. “Adam,” she called sweetly. Amused by Carly’s defensive stance, Celine couldn’t help but smile faintly, finding the situation rather entertaining.

Just then, James walked over. “Tracy, you’re here? Come, let me introduce you. This is Dr. C—my mentor. By seniority, you should respectfully address her as Dr. Caswell.”

Tracy’s face turned as pale as a sheet of paper.

Celine smiled. “James, I’ve long heard that Tracy is your prized mentee.” With that, she gracefully took a seat. “By seniority, Tracy is my mentor’s mentee, which makes her my grand-mentee. In that case, she should formally show her respect.”

Celine sat in the center of the room, looking at Tracy with a faint smile. Tracy felt as though her most prized achievement—her prestigious education—had just been crushed under the weight of Celine’s status.

“Alright, prepare the tea,” James instructed. Soon, a maid brought over a tray with tea. James turned to Tracy, saying, “Tracy, go ahead and present the tea to Dr. Cas a sign of respect and be sure to address her properly.”

Tracy stood frozen. Celine smirked. “Tracy, why aren’t you coming over?” Laughter rippled through the crowd. “Tracy, it’s a blessing to have Dr. Cas your grand-mentor. Shouldn’t you be showing your respect?” Sonia and Lucy stood behind Tracy, looking utterly helpless.

With no way out, Tracy reluctantly picked up the teacup and walked over to Celine. “Dr. C, please have some tea,” she said, her voice trembling. She was on the verge of tears.

As Celine recalled Tracy’s once-arrogant and condescending demeanor, she didn’t reach out to accept the cup. Instead, she smiled lazily. “Is this how you show respect? When you were fooled by that fake Dr. C, I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t listen. Shouldn’t you kneel while serving me tea?” She wanted Tracy to kneel.

Tracy’s eyes reddened, and they misted over with unshed tears. Celine watched her coldly. Compared to the humiliation and harm the Tate family had inflicted on her, this was merely collecting a small fraction of what they owed her. Not to mention her father’s death—she would take full revenge for that.

James spoke up, emphasizing the tradition. “Tracy, what are you waiting for? It’s customary for a grand-mentee to show proper respect when honoring their grand-mentor.” Tracy looked at Celine, then slowly lowered herself to her knees with a heavy thud.

She raised the teacup high, offering it to Celine. “Dr. C, please have some tea,” she said. Sonia, Carly, and Lucy watched in horror as Tracy was utterly humiliated.

Celine looked down at Tracy. “Tracy, as a medical professional, you must remain humble and pure-hearted. Arrogance has no place in this field. Remember, there will always be someone greater than you. I hope you’ll take this lesson to heart.”

Tracy’s tears fell onto the ground. She had truly been humiliated. The pride she had built over 20 years crumbled before Celine, leaving her as nothing more than a laughingstock.

Tracy’s lips trembled as she whispered, “I keep that in mind.” Only then did Celine accept the teacup, taking a graceful sip. “You may rise,” she said.

Tracy stepped aside, swallowing her humiliation. Someone noticed Sonia and called out, “Mrs. Tate Senior, you’re here too! You must be incredibly fortunate to have a granddaughter as legendary as Dr. C.”

Sonia could only force an awkward smile. She had always considered Carly and Tracy the pride of the Tate family, but now they paled in comparison to Celine. The Tate family’s so-called fortune had indeed shined upon them—but in the form of Celine.

Another guest recognized Lucy. “Isn’t that Mrs. Tate? Mrs. Tate, how on earth did you give birth to someone like Dr. C?” “Mrs. Tate, you must have amazing genes! You have to share your secret with us!”