Hiding Behind Her Superficiality novel Chapter 562
Despite being aware of Elspeth’s identity from the widespread news coverage, Yozan politely asked for her name. “Elspeth Lynwood,” Elspeth responded with a smile, revealing her sparkling eyes and pearly white teeth.
“I’m Yozan Harley.” After they both exchanged pleasantries, Yelena was worried about Elspeth’s health and quickly had someone take them to change clothes. Their rooms happened to be located opposite each other, and as Elspeth was about to enter her room, she gave Yozan a quick look with an indescribable chill in her eyes.
After changing clothes and coming out, Yozan was waiting for her by the door. He stood with one hand in his pocket while smoothly pulling out a cigarette with the other. The long and evenly shaped cigarette looked even more elegant between his slender fingers. “May I smoke?” he asked.
“I think you’re not just here for that, Mr. Harley.”
Yozan looked at her and put the cigarette back in his pocket, saying seriously, “I believe you’re a smart person and should know the purpose of me waiting here, Miss Lynwood.”
“I don’t know, Mr. Harley. You’ll have to tell me.” She didn’t like playing guessing games with people, but this man seemed to want to lead her on, and it was getting on her nerves.
“Miss Lynwood, you’re good at scheming. How could you not understand my intentions?” Yozan brought up the matter of Arthur. However, Elspeth didn’t want to talk too much about it with him.
With a slight frown, her face immediately turned frosty. “Mr. Harley, if you can’t speak properly, there’s nothing more for us to talk about.” She smiled and was about to turn around, but he stopped her.
“Miss Lynwood, in that case, I won’t beat around the bush any longer.”
Yozan took a few steps forward and stood in front of her. His gaze was fixed on her face as he said, “Haven’t you ever doubted your identity, Miss Lynwood?”
Although he had never heard that he had any sisters or half-sisters, nor had he heard of any illegitimate children outside of his father’s marriage, he had a sense of familiarity when he first saw Elspeth. His intuition had never been wrong.
Elspeth shrugged, sounding casual as she said, “Of course, I’ve doubted it before. But so far, I don’t have any evidence.”
She was going to meet him anyway, so it was fine to say something.
“If you have the time, let’s do a DNA test together,” Yozan said lightly. “There may be a surprise.”
Elspeth hadn’t had a chance to respond when she suddenly heard hurried footsteps coming from the corridor. Then, she was suddenly embraced in a tight hug. The familiar smell rushed into her nose, and Callum spoke quickly, “Why were you so reckless? How can you save anyone you see drowning, seeing as your body isn’t good, to begin with? What if something happens?”
Callum was worried about her. He checked her up and down quickly, and seeing that there was nothing wrong with her, he let out a sigh of relief.
“It seems that the rumors are false. Although you two have divorced, your relationship is still as good as ever,” Yozan remarked casually.
Elspeth suddenly blushed, but she couldn’t explain it.
“Mr. Harley, nice to meet you.” Callum nodded at him, but he had no intention of shaking hands.
The man in front of him was clearly focused on Elspeth, which made him feel a little uneasy.
“Mr. Winthrop, please don’t misunderstand. I have no romantic interest in your wife, but I do have a request,” Yozan said, looking deeply into Elspeth’s eyes.
“Miss Lynwood, I hope you can give me an answer by tomorrow at 3.00PM.” With that, he turned and walked away.
Callum looked at Yozan’s departing figure and then turned to Elspeth, puzzled. “How do you know this person?” he asked, knowing that Yozan was not someone to be taken lightly. Yozan had just returned to the country not long ago, so how did they know each other?
Elspeth shook her head. “I don’t know him well. I just met him today, but there is actually something that I suspect.”
“What is it?”
“I suspect that my true identity is related to him.”
With a deep and contemplative gaze, Elspeth watched Yozan leave with a carefree demeanor.
…
Although Cecelia’s fall into the water was a sensational incident, the engagement ceremony was relatively uneventful. However, during Yelena’s vows, a sudden disturbance erupted. While Yelena was speaking, a burst of laughter from the surrounding crowd caught her off guard, and her expression immediately soured. “Excuse me, miss, do you have something to say?” Yelena’s fiery temperament was already well-known, and the disrespect shown to her at her own engagement ceremony only stoked her anger.
“Not really.” The girl brushed her fingers through her hair and twisted her body, thinking herself quite charming as all eyes turned to her. “I’m just curious. How can someone from such a humble background marry into the illustrious Damazio Family? It’s like casting pearls before swine, right?”
After speaking, she shook her glass with a hint of regret.
“It’s such a shame that someone has to forcefully take away someone else’s marriage yet remain oblivious to it. It’s truly ridiculous,” she remarked.
Elspeth suspected that the girl was instigated by someone else to say such words. As she looked at the girl next to the speaker, who exuded a more composed aura, she realized that this other girl was likely interested in Hank and had used her friend as a pawn.
After hearing those remarks, the composed girl appeared slightly embarrassed, and she gently pulled the arm of the girl who made the snide comment, advising her, “This is someone else’s engagement ceremony, so you really shouldn’t say things like that. It could upset them.”
“Rosita, if I care about their emotions, who will care about yours? I thought it was all planned out. You should have been the true daughter-in-law of the Damazio Family…”
As soon as this was said, it immediately caused a huge uproar. Rosita Foley’s face immediately turned pale, as if she had really been wronged.
“I’m not… Okay, you don’t have to say anything more.”
In the next moment, it appeared as if she would be mortified and embarrassed beyond repair. The other girl confidently held Rosita’s hand, unaware she had fallen into a trap. “I know you’re sensitive and hesitant to speak up. Don’t worry. As we’re good friends, I’ll definitely help you stand up for yourself.”
She was Emmerlyn Godith, the heiress of the Godith Family, and even Hank’s father had to respect her family. So, Hank had to give an explanation to her friend, no matter what.
“But—”
“Alright, no more ‘buts.’ I’ve already said it. Just stay here and relax, and I’ll take care of everything for you.”
Emmerlyn confidently walked to the center of the stage in her high heels, raising her chin arrogantly and demanding, “Excuse me, Miss Sullivan. Shouldn’t you apologize for stealing someone else’s husband?”
Yelena was filled with anger, but as it was her engagement ceremony, and she was the host, she couldn’t easily lose her temper. Suddenly, there was a round of applause behind her.
Emmerlyn was furious and turned her head to see who had spoiled the situation.
Elspeth came into view with her nose covered and her eyes filled with disgust and mockery. “Miss Godith, if that’s the case, your unattractive face suddenly appearing in front of me is actually offensive to me. Please apologize to me.”
She had been spoiled since she was a child, and this was the first time someone had called her ugly. Most importantly, the woman in front of her was several times more beautiful than her, and Emmerlyn couldn’t find any words to provoke her. This is so frustrating!
Elspeth crossed her arms and casually glanced at Yelena on the stage. “What grudges do you have against her? Do you really have to attack her like this?”
Emmerlyn was stunned and couldn’t find any words to refute her.
“Today is her big day. Miss Godith, if you continue to create problems here, it wouldn’t be surprising if Azure Corporation decides not to associate with the Godith Family in the future.”
What was implied here was that if Emmerlyn dared to bully Elspeth’s friend, she wouldn’t do business with Emmerlyn’s family. Emmerlyn wasn’t an airhead; she knew some ins and outs of her family business. She had heard her father mention the cooperation between Azure Corporation and Godith Family before, and Elspeth was not someone she could easily offend. Nonetheless, she had already promised to defend Rosita, so retracting her words now would be difficult to explain. Emmerlyn found herself unable to respond and stood there feeling awkward.
“I…” Rosita saw that things were not going well but didn’t want to give up this opportunity.
She then deliberately pretended to be aggrieved to fan the flames and said unhappily, “Okay, Emmie, I know you’re doing this for my own good and to help vent on my behalf, but you don’t need to do this. Today is Yelena’s big day. I know they’re ruining your reputation by saying all that. But if you ruin this engagement ceremony, then…”
Emmerlyn was already a hot-tempered person with a big ego who cared about her reputation. When she heard Rosita’s words, she even felt everyone around could see how awkward she was feeling. Thus, the anger that had just died down was suddenly ignited again. “No, I have to help you vent today.”
At this moment, Emmerlyn didn’t care about family business issues, and her voice rose a few decibels. “Miss Lynwood, you don’t need to use this matter to threaten me. My Godith Family doesn’t need your partnership.”
“Well then, let’s add the Winthrop Family to your list of unneeded partnerships.” Callum, who had been silent on the side, also spoke up to defend Elspeth. His cold gaze fell on Emmerlyn, almost swallowing her whole.
“Um…” Emmerlyn swallowed hard and suddenly didn’t know how to deal with this. She had already offended two families now and suddenly felt a little flustered. Was it worth it to offend Callum and Elspeth for Rosita? She wasn’t sure yet.
Hank, who had just helped out with the guests nearby, also noticed the situation and hurried over with a glass of wine in his hand. When Emmerlyn saw Hank, who was dressed in a white suit and looked dashing, she suddenly couldn’t speak. Although she said she was standing up for Rosita, she had also done it because of her unspoken feelings for Hank. She had liked him for longer than Rosita had. However, she knew that Hank would never look at someone like her, and compared to Rosita, she was inferior in status. In any case, she would rather her best friend have Hank than someone else she didn’t know.
“You’re causing trouble at my engagement ceremony, huh?” Hank’s eyes were calm without emotion, and Emmerlyn thought he didn’t care about the engagement ceremony.
So, she gathered her courage and spoke up, “Hank, I know you actually have feelings for Rosita. Yelena is not worthy of you, so I’m just standing up for you. I-I…”
Speaking to someone she liked made her stutter. Hank chuckled lightly, his voice like thin ice as he said, “So, I should thank you, is that it?”
“Don’t mention it. It’s what I should do.” Emmerlyn saw Hank smile at her for the first time and couldn’t help but blush.
“Then, I’ll give you a big gift.” Hank changed his tone. “Starting today, the Damazio Family will cancel all partnerships with the Godith Family, and we will never collaborate again.”
This was truly a big gift. Emmerlyn’s face turned pale in an instant. She had just offended Callum and Elspeth just now and planned to go home to apologize to her family. At most, she would be grounded for a few days, and it would pass. However, if it involved Hank… She couldn’t even imagine what the consequences would be. “Hank, I was wrong! Please don’t… My dad will definitely beat me!”
“It’s okay. Let Mr. Godith teach you a lesson on how to behave properly.”
Emmerlyn felt a deep sense of fear from the bottom of her heart. She didn’t expect that what was just a small incident that shouldn’t be causing too much negative impact would bring about such big trouble.
She reached out to grab Hank’s sleeve, but he dodged it at the last second.
“Take Miss Godith home,” he ordered his guards.
Hank stood to the side with a cool and composed demeanor and a hint of disgust in his eyes.
“No, no, no!” Three or four security guards rushed up and grabbed Emmerlyn’s arms, ready to drag her out. As Emmerlyn’s voice gradually disappeared, Hank shifted his gaze back to Rosita.
Having experienced Hank’s wrath before, Rosita had no desire to play the innocent victim and kept her head down in silence, trying to distance herself.
“Miss Foley.” Hank’s voice finally broke the silence like a spell. “You don’t need to use others to stir up trouble like this. I won’t hold it against you this time out of respect for Mr. Foley, but next time might be a different story.”
With Rosita’s prestigious background, it was indeed troublesome to offend her. A few simple threats were enough.
Rosita, being a clever woman, understood his intention, and the remaining trace of interest she had for him disappeared in an instant. She gave a faint smile and said, “Mr. Damazio, I’m sure you’re joking. Of course, I would never d-do such a thing.”
Publicly humiliating her and making her lose her reputation in front of so many people was already the biggest warning.
Hank turned around gracefully. His eyes were now filled with deep affection for Yelena on the stage. Seeing his encouraging gaze, Yelena felt relieved all of a sudden.
“Well, it was just a little incident…”
No one wanted to offend the Damazio Family, and with Callum and Elspeth’s overt support, no one dared to continue talking or joking about the matter.
The man sitting in the corner, who had watched the whole thing, sipped his drink with a hint of amusement as his smile grew wider.
“Mr. Damazio, I would like an explanation,” he said. Hank turned around, meeting the man’s cold, unapproachable expression.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Harley?” Hank asked.
“You’re aware that Cecelia fell into the water while being here, aren’t you?”
Hank knew of the incident but had no leads at the moment. “So, what kind of explanation do you want from me?”
Yozan played with the ring on his thumb, his smile growing deeper. “I’ve already found out what happened to Cecelia, and all that’s left now is for Mr. Damazio to get rid of your beloved.”
His smile was pleasant, but the chill in his voice was unmistakable. When he mentioned ‘get rid,’ Hank’s eyebrows twitched slightly as he sensed something was off. “What do you mean?” he asked.
“My men have already found out who caused Cecelia’s accident. It’s quite unfortunate, but the person is a member of your Damazio Family. Furthermore, this person has confessed that they were acting on orders from your Mrs. Damazio herself.”
Yozan’s words implied that Yelena was the mastermind behind the whole incident. Hank’s expression immediately grew cold.
“That’s impossible. She’s being framed.”
“I’ve already investigated the matter thoroughly. If I don’t have evidence, why would I bother coming to you?”
Yozan was no longer civil, thinking Hank was trying to defend Yelena.
“Earlier, I didn’t say anything to save your reputation during your engagement ceremony. However, if you insist on defending her, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
Yelena didn’t know that such a thing was happening and rushed over while holding her dress after finishing up some business. She immediately threw her arms around Hank, complaining, “You don’t know how tired I am. Engagement parties are such a hassle.”
“Miss Sullivan, you’re just in time. Perhaps you can explain why you harmed Cecelia.”
Yelena was in shock from being accused and was at a loss for words. “What are you talking about? I didn’t harm anyone.”
“Acting innocent, huh?” Yozan sneered. “How foolish.”
“Who are you calling foolish? What’s wrong with you? You were fine earlier. Why are you suddenly like this?”
Yozan took a deep breath, his face turning sour. Most of the guests had already left, and Elspeth and Callum were also coming over to say their goodbyes. Seeing Yelena almost on the verge of tears, Elspeth was surprised.
“What’s going on? Is it because of what happened earlier?”
“No, Elspeth. He’s accusing me of harming Cecelia. I don’t even know what’s going on.” Yelena pointed angrily at Yozan, almost collapsing from rage.
Elspeth was taken aback by Yozan’s boldness, and although she was bewildered, her anger toward the accusation against Yelena couldn’t be suppressed. Therefore, when she spoke, her voice was icy. “Mr. Harley, I’m not sure how much you’ve had to drink, but your words are becoming increasingly careless and thoughtless.”
“This has nothing to do with you, Miss Lynwood. It’s best if you don’t get involved,” Yozan said. He couldn’t involve her due to their familiarity with each other. Furthermore, this matter really had nothing to do with her. “What do you mean it has nothing to do with me? The individual you’re bullying happens to be my beloved Yelena. In all of Damoria, nobody would have the audacity to make her suffer in my presence.”
Elspeth raised her chin and was determined to protect her friend. Callum was a bit more composed and asked, “What happened?”
Yozan expressed his suspicion, saying, “It’s regarding Cecelia’s fall into the water, and Yelena could be the one behind it.”
Yelena immediately remembered what had happened in the morning and became angry at Yozan’s accusation. “What are you talking about, Yozan? I tried to save her, and now you accuse me of causing it? You have a terrible mind!”
“I have a terrible mind? I think you have the biggest motive for doing this,” Yozan said. Then, he made a call, and soon, a person ran in. Then, the person knelt on the ground without saying a word. Elspeth carefully studied the person. The man had a strong physique but was not tall, and he had dark, shiny skin.
“Do you know this guy, Miss Sullivan?” Yozan asked.
Yelena casually glanced at the man on the ground and snorted, “Where did you find this man? Did you get him to frame me as a witness?”
The man on the ground panicked. His eyes went wide, and he looked frantic. “Mrs. Damazio, you told me to do it. Yet, you deny knowing me?”
“When did I tell you to do that? Don’t frame me!” Yelena tugged on Hank’s sleeve and said desperately, “I didn’t do anything, and I don’t know him.”
Hank was silent for a moment and asked, “Dino, why did you frame Mrs. Damazio?”
Dino heard this and became anxious. He spoke with a bit of an accent from his hometown, “I didn’t frame Mrs. Damazio. I speak the truth. It was a moment of madness that led me to push Miss Cecelia into the water. I shouldn’t have been greedy for money. I’m willing to accept the punishment from you, Mr. Damazio.”
He bowed on the ground, almost certain of the outcome.
“See? Someone has come out to testify against you. What else can you say? You’d better admit it and pay the price,” Yozan said impatiently.
“I didn’t do it! No matter how many times you say it, I will not admit to something I haven’t done!” Yelena was angry. She walked straight to Dino and grabbed his clothes. “I don’t even know you. Who sent you to frame me?”
“Mrs. Damazio, just admit it.” Dino raised his head, glancing nervously at Hank and Yozan before lowering his head again. “I think it’s wrong to lie to people.”
“Yet, you lied even though you think it’s wrong. This boatman from the Damazio Family sure is something.” Elspeth laughed, covering her mouth. She laughed heartily, but in the quiet atmosphere, her laughter seemed a bit frightening.
“How did you know he’s a boatman? I didn’t say anything about his identity.” As Elspeth nonchalantly revealed the boatman’s identity, Yozan’s suspicion grew stronger. Perhaps, his earlier speculation was wrong; Elspeth could have been involved, too.
“Stop staring at me like that, Mr. Harley. Don’t you observe someone when you meet them for the first time? Short-sleeved shirts, shorts, and vests are obvious signs of a boatman’s attire. Plus, his skin is dark from working by the water for years. If I’m right, he should be a southerner, too.” Elspeth smiled and looked at Dino as if she could see through him, making him feel a bit uneasy. Dino couldn’t articulate his feelings, but his inner sense of unease continued to intensify.
“So, may I ask, do you have any evidence to prove that Yelena instructed you to do these things?”
The man suddenly became confused. He felt like the woman in front of him was not easy to fool. “I can definitely provide evidence.”
The man pulled out his phone from his pocket and showed her the transaction record. “Look, this is the money transfer that Miss Sullivan made to me.”
Elspeth casually glanced at it and confirmed that it was indeed the Sullivan Family’s credit card. She read out the string of numbers and asked Yelena, “Are you still using this card?”
Yelena’s face turned pale in an instant. “Yes, I’m still using this credit card,” Yelena admitted. She never paid much attention to the details of her spending since her father directly deposited money into her credit card. She hurriedly checked the credit card’s expenditure record and found that it was missing 30 thousand.
“I don’t know what happened, but I really didn’t transfer any money to him. I don’t even know him.”
However, her defense seemed weak.
Yozan made a final judgment, almost certain that Yelena was the culprit. “Miss Sullivan, I advise you to admit your mistake and not escalate the situation.” Yozan signaled to the people around, and in the next moment, a few of them tried to grab Yelena.
Hank quickly shielded her, looking very upset. “What are you trying to do, Mr. Harley?”
“At the very least, she should apologize to Cecelia, and then… kneel down before Cecelia. If Cecelia doesn’t mind, then it’s no big deal.” Although there was no actual harm done, the humiliation was something Yelena couldn’t bear.
“I didn’t do those things. I’m not going to apologize.” Yelena poked her head out from behind and refused to admit her guilt.
“That’s not up to you, Miss Sullivan,” Yozan warned her.
“Mr. Harley, don’t act recklessly for now,” Elspeth said with a half-smile and her tone was somewhat threatening. “The matter has not been resolved yet. How can you just take someone away?”
“Isn’t what I saw the truth?” Yozan realized that she was just trying to buy time, and his favorable impression of her vanished. He had thought that someone so similar to himself would at least be his equal in rationality, but he didn’t expect her to be like this.
Elspeth didn’t rush to refute, but slowly said, “Give me some time, and I’ll be able to find out the truth of the matter.”
Yozan’s patience was almost gone. “Alright, I’ll give you 10 more minutes, and then I must take her away.”
“Okay.” Elspeth walked slowly to the man who was kneeling, bent down, and asked with a smile, “Excuse me, you said Yelena asked you to do this. When did you meet her?”
The man’s brain worked quickly, and he continued, “It was the night before last. She met me and ordered me to push Miss Cecelia into the lake on the day of the engagement party.” It sounded plausible. However…
“The night before last, that’s… The timing does match up.” Elspeth nodded thoughtfully.
It seemed that this person knew Yelena’s schedule well and chose the right time.
Yelena was furious. “What nonsense are you spouting? I went to try on my wedding dress that night. How could I have met you?”
The man knew that he shouldn’t say too much and quickly glanced at Yelena before lowering his head again.
“I’m telling the truth,” the man insisted.
“Fine, that’s not important. Let’s move on to the next question,” Elspeth said, stroking her chin. “Are you sure everything you just said is true?”
The man nodded earnestly. This was something he had prepared in advance, and it was foolproof. Elspeth sneered, “Then tell me, how did Yelena know that Cecelia would definitely get on that boat?”
The man gritted his teeth and replied, “Miss Sullivan said that Miss Yhorman came from Southern Damoria and would definitely go boating.”
“Then why would she tell someone she isn’t familiar with about the fact that she came from Southern Damoria?” Elspeth raised an eyebrow.
“I-I don’t know. That’s just what was said at the time. I’m just a boatman. This is all I know.”
The man stuck to his original statement.
Elspeth shook her head, looking a little regretful. “I’m sorry, but you’ve been exposed.”
“What do you mean?” The man was a little stunned.
“First of all, Cecelia never had a private conversation with Yelena, so she had no way of knowing that Cecelia was from Southern Damoria.”
Hank nodded in agreement. “Secondly, only a handful of people know that Cecelia is from Southern Damoria. Probably only those close to her would know.”
The man snorted. “What does that prove? Maybe they told each other. It has nothing to do with me.”
Elspeth smirked. “Finally, and most importantly, when Cecelia fell from the boat, I witnessed a woman pushing her. Coincidentally, this ring on my hand has recording capabilities, and of course, it’s waterproof. Don’t worry, I’m not lying to you. If you still don’t want to tell the truth, don’t blame me for being ruthless toward you.”
Elspeth was clearly smiling, but there was a hint of killing intent in her smile. The man panicked; he didn’t expect this woman to be so clever and meticulous in her thinking. She even had concrete evidence to refute him. Elspeth stared directly into his eyes, waiting for him to continue. The man couldn’t handle the pressure, and in the end, he caved.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have falsely accused Miss Sullivan.”
Elspeth shrugged as if she had expected this all along.
Yozan didn’t expect her to actually uncover the truth of the matter. He checked his watch and saw that only seven minutes had passed.
“Tell us the truth of what you know!” Yelena squatted down and grabbed his collar, threatening him with a fierce expression.
Seeing her lose her temper and on the ground in her wedding dress, Hank quickly pulled her up. “Okay, don’t be angry. Let me handle this.”
Hank stared at the man in front of him. His tone was icy as he said, “Who told you to lie?”
The man was trembling and couldn’t even kneel properly. “I-It was Miss Foley!”
Hank’s face grew even darker. “Why did she want to harm Cecelia?”
“I don’t know anything about that. I’m just a hired hand. Miss Foley promised to pay me 300 thousand after it was done.” The man knelt on the ground, still trembling. He regretted taking this job and didn’t know how he had been persuaded to do something like this. Knowing Hank’s personality, he would surely be punished severely. Thinking of his fate, he couldn’t help but feel dejected.
“What else did Rosita say to you?”
“S-She said I have to pin the blame on Yelena and make everyone think Yelena did it.”
So, everything Rosita did was just to frame Yelena. The truth was finally revealed. Elspeth raised an eyebrow and looked at Yozan with some disdain. “Mr. Harley, next time when you apprehend someone, please make sure you have enough evidence and understand the truth of the matter.”
Yozan was indeed too hasty this time, and he couldn’t refute her. He shifted all his anger onto the man kneeling in front of him. “So, you harmed Cecelia and framed Yelena. Is that right?”
The man widened his eyes and tried to defend himself before things got worse. “I only framed Yelena, but I didn’t push Cecelia into the water.”
“Are you saying that Rosita herself pushed Cecelia into the water?”
The man nodded hurriedly.
“Okay, I got it.” Yozan waved his hand, and the group of bodyguards surrounded the man and dragged him away.
Yelena, relieved of the injustice, swung Elspeth’s hand back and forth in admiration. “Elspeth, did you really record what happened?” She was more impressed by Elspeth’s foresight.
Elspeth smiled wryly. “Of course not. I wouldn’t have known to record the scene ahead of time. Besides, how can a small ring have such a big function?”
Yelena was surprised. “So, you were just bluffing?”
“Yes.” Elspeth blinked. “That person was too stupid to notice.”
Yelena couldn’t help but give her a thumbs up. “You’re really amazing. How did you figure out that someone else pushed Cecelia into the water?”
Elspeth calmly explained, “He needed both hands to paddle the boat, so he didn’t have the time or energy to push Cecelia. That would be illogical.” She had spent some time in Southern Damoria before and knew that paddling a wooden boat required the use of both hands simultaneously, but this man had overlooked this point.
Rosito Foley? She’s remorkoble, huh?
Honk’s foce grew even dorker. “Why did she wont to horm Cecelio?”
“I don’t know onything obout thot. I’m just o hired hond. Miss Foley promised to poy me 300 thousond ofter it wos done.” The mon knelt on the ground, still trembling. He regretted toking this job ond didn’t know how he hod been persuoded to do something like this. Knowing Honk’s personolity, he would surely be punished severely. Thinking of his fote, he couldn’t help but feel dejected.
“Whot else did Rosito soy to you?”
“S-She soid I hove to pin the blome on Yeleno ond moke everyone think Yeleno did it.”
So, everything Rosito did wos just to frome Yeleno. The truth wos finolly reveoled. Elspeth roised on eyebrow ond looked ot Yozon with some disdoin. “Mr. Horley, next time when you opprehend someone, pleose moke sure you hove enough evidence ond understond the truth of the motter.”
Yozon wos indeed too hosty this time, ond he couldn’t refute her. He shifted oll his onger onto the mon kneeling in front of him. “So, you hormed Cecelio ond fromed Yeleno. Is thot right?”
The mon widened his eyes ond tried to defend himself before things got worse. “I only fromed Yeleno, but I didn’t push Cecelio into the woter.”
“Are you soying thot Rosito herself pushed Cecelio into the woter?”
The mon nodded hurriedly.
“Okoy, I got it.” Yozon woved his hond, ond the group of bodyguords surrounded the mon ond drogged him owoy.
Yeleno, relieved of the injustice, swung Elspeth’s hond bock ond forth in odmirotion. “Elspeth, did you reolly record whot hoppened?” She wos more impressed by Elspeth’s foresight.
Elspeth smiled wryly. “Of course not. I wouldn’t hove known to record the scene oheod of time. Besides, how con o smoll ring hove such o big function?”
Yeleno wos surprised. “So, you were just bluffing?”
“Yes.” Elspeth blinked. “Thot person wos too stupid to notice.”
Yeleno couldn’t help but give her o thumbs up. “You’re reolly omozing. How did you figure out thot someone else pushed Cecelio into the woter?”
Elspeth colmly exploined, “He needed both honds to poddle the boot, so he didn’t hove the time or energy to push Cecelio. Thot would be illogicol.” She hod spent some time in Southern Domorio before ond knew thot poddling o wooden boot required the use of both honds simultoneously, but this mon hod overlooked this point.
“Rosita is really cunning. She pushed Cecelia into the water and then pinned the blame on me. She even instigated Emmerlyn to cause trouble at my engagement banquet.” Yelena was still angry about it.
“There’s one more thing.”
Yelena turned to her and asked, “What’s that?”
Elspeth’s gaze was profound, and it stirred up ripples in her otherwise serene eyes. “How did Rosita make 30,000 disappear from your credit card?”
Yelena suddenly realized. “Right, it did show that 30,000 was missing from my card. How did Rosita do it?”
Hank added, “Even if she hacked into your account, she still would have needed someone to provide information.”
Elspeth looked sharply at them as she said, “Someone around you is causing trouble.”
Someone around Yelena had defected and become a spy.
“I don’t think I know many people. Just you, Hank, Ms. Foley, um—”
Elspeth immediately interrupted her, “What’s your assistant’s surname?”
“Foley,” replied Yelena, who suddenly realized it at the same time.
This situation was serious, so Hank quickly made a decision. “I’ll investigate the relationship between Rosita and Ms. Foley.”
Yozan narrowed his eyes. All these things were irrelevant to him. He only cared about who hurt Cecelia. “Then I’ll go deal with this woman called Rosita.”
Whoever dared to mess with him and almost hurt his child didn’t deserve to live.
…
Three days later, a video appeared online out of nowhere. A woman was tied to a chair, stripped naked, and covered in a greasy substance. Then, several burly men came in and started mocking her with vulgar language. They threw her onto the bed and took turns violating her. Although they were violating her, there was a noticeably intoxicated smile on her face. The video was incredibly explicit, and within a day, it had been reshared over 10 million times. The most shocking thing was that the female lead in the video was none other than Rosita Foley, the heiress of the Foley Family. The Foley Family realized the severity of the situation and sent people to suppress the news, but the video had been saved by many people. Even if they deleted the source file of the video, they could not stop others from privately circulating it. Rosita was completely ruined.
When Elspeth saw the news, she couldn’t help but sigh in her heart. Yozan’s methods were ruthless and unpredictable, but indeed, Rosita had nearly harmed his beloved woman and child. Any man wouldn’t easily let such a person go. When Yelena called, Elspeth had just closed the horrible video.
When Elspeth saw the news, she couldn’t help but sigh in her heart. Yozan’s methods were ruthless and unpredictable, but indeed, Rosita had nearly harmed his beloved woman and child. Any man wouldn’t easily let such a person go. When Yelena called, Elspeth had just closed the horrible video.
“Elspeth, have you seen that video?” Yelena’s tone was full of smugness and gloating. “It’s all thanks to Yozan. He truly believes in the principle of ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’. Now, Rosita won’t dare to mess with us again. However… I feel like what we did might be a bit too much. Rosita suffered a lot.”
Although Yelena was pleased with the outcome, she couldn’t help but feel that their actions were inhumane. As a kind-hearted person who didn’t fully understand the ways of the world, she sympathized with someone who had ill intentions toward her. Elspeth didn’t feel that Yozan’s actions were excessive. On the contrary, she thought that he had done just enough. In her opinion, true revenge meant bringing the other person down to the same level, nothing more and nothing less.
“By the way, Cecelia is still in the hospital. Are you free today? Come with me to visit her,” Yelena suggested. After all, the incident happened at her engagement banquet, so it was only appropriate for her to visit Cecelia.
Elspeth nodded. “Let’s go today then.” She quickly packed a bag and headed to Damoria Hospital.
When Elspeth arrived, she saw Yelena’s car parked downstairs. As she approached the door of the room Yelena told her, she heard the sound of breaking glasses coming from inside. Elspeth’s heart tightened, and she pushed the door open.
However, upon pushing the door open, she was caught off guard by the scene inside. Yozan was standing amidst shattered glass, showing no intention of moving.
“Can you please stop showing up?” Cecelia’s face turned pale and her emotions were unstable. “I’ve told you that I don’t want to see you again. Don’t you understand human language?”
“I…” Yozan had no intention of leaving just like that. He even wanted to step forward and grasp her restless hand.
“Don’t come any closer!” Cecelia was completely annoyed. She had never encountered such an insistent man. “I’ve already told you that I have never loved you. We were just friends with benefits. Do you know what that means?”
“Cecelia, don’t you think what you’re saying is disgusting?” Yozan couldn’t care less about her pregnancy and the need to care for a pregnant woman’s emotions. He simply said what was on his mind.
“You mean you’ve never liked me?”
“Of course not. I’ve told you countless times. I hope you can realize the true nature of our relationship. I even went back home to avoid you. Can’t you see that?”
“I don’t believe it. Why did you have my child then?”
Speaking of the child in her belly, Cecelia couldn’t help but show a contemptuous smile. “Yozan, just because I’m pregnant with your child doesn’t mean I want to be with you. Do you think I would use a child to threaten you to be with me? Don’t be silly. It’s just a child. The Yhorman Family can afford to raise it. Or is it that you think this child is important and must be taken back to the Harley Family?”
“You know that the one I really care about isn’t the child.”
Cecelia didn’t seem to understand as she asked, “Mr. Harley, are you worried that you won’t have an heir? Surely you won’t be lacking in that aspect…”
“You!”
“What about me? Don’t you understand what I’m saying?” With that, Cecelia no longer wanted to look Yozan in the eye.
Pointing at the door and lifting her chin, she said, “Mr. Harley, please leave now and don’t ever show up again.”
Yozan clenched his fists, making a cracking sound.
“What are you waiting for? Do I have to personally show you out?” Cecelia was very clear in her goal to drive him away. As soon as the words fell, a loud slamming sound echoed through the room, almost scaring her. Luckily, he was gone.
However, upon pushing the door open, she wos cought off guord by the scene inside. Yozon wos stonding omidst shottered gloss, showing no intention of moving.
“Con you pleose stop showing up?” Cecelio’s foce turned pole ond her emotions were unstoble. “I’ve told you thot I don’t wont to see you ogoin. Don’t you understond humon longuoge?”
Cecelia’s face turned red, and because she didn’t know the boy in front of her, she stepped back warily.
On her third doy there, she met someone. It wos o Fridoy, ond she come bock to her smoll villo ofter school only to find o person covered in blood ot her doorstep. The boy wos weoring on expensive dress shirt ond seemed to be o scion of o weolthy fomily who wos being pursued by his enemies. He olso looked like o Choric. Her mom hod told her to help out fellow countrymen when obrood ond o host of other things… but her life wos more importont. Despite feeling sorry for him, Cecelio chose to protect herself, becouse whot if she wos olso torgeted for retoliotion? She threw o bottle of medicine ot him from inside the house ond colled the ombulonce, but the bottle of medicine hit Yozon on the heod. Yozon hod thought thot this young girl, who looked quite kind, would help him, but he never expected her to be so clever. The impoct from the bottle mode his discomfort even worse.
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