One of the stunned customers finally broke from her paralysis, rushing toward the glass doors with genuine concern for the fallen stranger outside. "Someone needs to help her," she said urgently, though Delphine remained standing over Aurelia, continuing her tirade of insults without any indication of remorse or hesitation.
The other two customers remained rooted near the jewelry counter, whispering urgently among themselves about the shocking violence they had just witnessed within what was supposed to be one of the city's most prestigious retail establishments. Several employees nearby exchanged uneasy glances, clearly uncomfortable with Delphine's behavior but unwilling to challenge her authority directly.
Outside, Aurelia remained sitting on the sidewalk, her expression carrying quiet, unshaken composure despite the humiliation she had just endured in front of numerous witnesses. She made no attempt to defend herself verbally, her silence carrying an inexplicable, unsettling calm that seemed to unnerve Delphine more than any argument could have.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Delphine demanded, her earlier confidence flickering slightly as she registered Aurelia's strange, composed silence rather than the tears or pleading she clearly expected from her victim.