Next Man, Better Plan novel Chapter 175

“What a shame! Stephanie is so beautiful, but she’s not very bright. She let the other woman play her like a fiddle.”

Vivian could barely contain her glee at the thought of Stephanie going to jail.

She could see that even though they had broken up, Quennel still had feelings for Stephanie.

As for Victoria… she was clearly just a gold digger from the slums. Quennel’s attitude made it obvious he had no real interest in her.

Vivian seized the opportunity. “Dad, Mom, you have to give Ms. Powell some sort of justice. She almost died just now.”

Stephanie was Susan’s daughter, and the incident had occurred at a Yates family event.

The Yates family was indeed obligated to respond.

The crowd’s murmuring grew louder.

Susan finally stepped forward. “Stephanie, if it was you, just apologize. Letting this escalate won’t do you any good.”

Stephanie let out a cold laugh.

Even her own mother didn’t believe her.

The woman who used to stand by her side, no matter what.

There was no camera footage, no evidence to prove Stephanie’s innocence. Susan just wanted to avoid involving the police.

After all, it would be a scandal if a high-society young lady was taken to a police station.

Susan knew Stephanie well. She had been pampered her whole life. If Victoria had really seduced Quennel, it was entirely possible Stephanie couldn't control her anger and pushed her.

Susan pleaded softly, “Stephanie, listen to me. Just apologize.”

Arnold snorted. “You’re her mother. You don’t need to beg her. She’s incredibly rude.!”

Still fuming from Stephanie’s earlier provocations, Arnold was eager to reassert his dominance.

Standing on the spiral staircase, Stephanie looked down and saw the true faces of everyone below.

For Susan’s sake, she had always shown the Yates family respect. Even after Arnold had struck her, she had reined in her hurt and only responded with sarcasm.

Vivian chimed in maliciously, “Didn’t the news a while back say she disowned her own birth mother? Someone like that has a heart of stone. She’d push someone and never admit it. Mom, you’re just her adoptive mother. Why would she ever listen to you?”

Susan flinched. She knew the truth about Stephanie’s parentage better than anyone and didn't want her to be attacked for it.

Susan tried to explain, “That’s not it, Stephanie is…”

Before she could finish, Arnold put a hand on her arm. “You’re just too soft, that’s why you can’t raise a child properly. She’s your daughter, which makes her half my daughter. It’s clear to me she’s been allowed to run wild for too long. I’ll discipline her for you.”

With that, Arnold strode toward Stephanie, adopting the posture of a stern elder. “Kneel. And apologize.”

No one noticed Tobias standing in an inconspicuous corner, holding up his phone, live-streaming the entire scene for someone.

“Jonathan, this is no birthday party. It’s more like an inquisition for Stephanie. She looks so pitiful, surrounded by all these people, with not a single person on her side!”

Just as he finished his whispered commentary, Quennel stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Stephanie.

Tobias groaned inwardly. Damn it, of all the people to play the hero, it had to be this guy?