The longer Lila remained silent, the angrier Jane beca. Her simring fury was evident in the bright flush of her cheeks, her trembling fra betraying the restraint she clung to. Jane struggled to suppress her rage, knowing this wasn’t the ti or place to let it erupt.
The incident was already a disaster, and she didn’t want to escalate it further, risking disgrace to both her family and the young lady involved.
But the sheer audacity of this woman—accusing her granddaughter of framing her—was too much to bear. In her panic, Lila had hastily tried to explain that it was Kyra who had deliberately thrown herself down.
She was desperate to dissociate herself from bla that she hadn’t considered the timing. The tension in the room was still thick, and her ill-tid defense only served to provoke Jane’s wrath further.
From the start, Lila hadn’t anticipated that the old lady would turn against her. After all, Cressida had assured her that Jane was just as eager to find a wife for Jas.
At 32 years old, the man was well past the pri age for marriage. Jane’s warm welco and subtle hints that Lila was an ideal candidate had gone straight to her head. She thought she had cented her place within the family.
Moreover, Jane seed gullible and easily swayed by kind words. In harsher terms, she was easy to manipulate.
This had been apparent when Jane had initially taken her side against Kyra, such as when she insisted on being alone with Jas during the drive to the restaurant. On top of that, Cressida’s presence had given Lila an additional layer of confidence and security.
Relying on her assumptions and misplaced confidence, Lila had confronted Jane, but the outco left her utterly stunned. Holding her swollen cheek, she trembled in fear, her head lifting slowly to et Jane’s icy glare.
"Do you think my child has lost her mind enough to harm herself?!" Jane’s voice rang out, sharp and accusatory. The sight of this trembling woman only fueled her disgust. Kyra was the one injured, yet Lila behaved as though she were the victim.
"Answer ! Where did all your confidence from a mont ago disappear to?"
Lila flinched at Jane’s harsh words. She bit her lower lip but, despite her fear, stubbornly insisted, "I-I didn’t do it! I swear I didn’t! I was frad!"
Jane’s patience snapped. Gritting her teeth, she barked, "If it wasn’t you, then who was it? A ghost?! You were the only one standing beside Kyra, and yet you dare deny it?"
Clicking her tongue in disbelief, Jane continued, her tone laced with mockery. "There have been many won before you trying to get close to my grandson, and so of them were jealous of my child. A few even harassed her. But you—you’re the first one bold enough to attempt murder and then deny it with such audacity. I’ve never t anyone as shaless as you. Should I applaud you for your achievent?"
"I told you, Kyra did it herself and made it look like I did!" Lila protested desperately, her voice cracking under the pressure. She couldn’t let this accusation stick. Already embroiled in a scandal over plagiarized work, another charge would an certain ruin—and she refused to lose to Kyra.
The stakes were even higher because of her father. As a Directorate General at the Ministry of Defense, maintaining a good reputation was crucial for his career.
He was already furious with her over the plagiarism debacle. Another scandal would only compound his anger, and Lila knew she couldn’t afford to ss up further. Losing now would an more than personal defeat; it could spell total disaster for her life.
Jane’s patience was wearing thin as Lila continued to bla Kyra. Unbeknownst to Lila, her desperate attempts to convince Jane only fueled the old woman’s rage further. Jane raised her hand again, ready to strike, but before she could, Creighton firmly caught her wrist.
"Enough. We can settle this later," Creighton said gently, his voice soothing as he sought to calm his wife. He didn’t want her agitation to escalate and risk her blood pressure spiking. Moreover, he had already noticed Vincent and Cressida’s presence nearby. Turning to them, he asked, "How is it?"
"Kyra was taken to the hospital by ambulance, and Jas went with her," Vincent reported, casting a brief glance at Lila’s disheveled and pitiful state.
Cressida’s heart ached slightly at the sight of the once-elegant woman now in such a sorry condition. Unable to ignore her, she stepped forward and helped Lila to her feet. However, this gesture earned her a scornful look from Jane.
"Why? Are her legs broken now that she needs your support?" Jane sneered. Her biting remark stung, but Lila swallowed the humiliation, knowing she had no choice but to endure it for now. Still, the insult planted a seed of growing resentnt in her heart.
"Mother, it was my decision to help her. It’s not her fault," Cressida defended, her voice firm yet calm. Lila, stunned by Cressida’s unexpected kindness, felt a surge of gratitude. She hadn’t expected anyone to still stand by her side.
Jane, however, was even more irked. Now she’s turning my daughter-in-law against , she thought bitterly.
As Jane opened her mouth to retort, Creighton, who noticed her growing ire, gently rubbed her back to soothe her. "That’s enough," he said softly. "We need to get to the hospital now."
The ntion of the hospital imdiately shifted Jane’s focus away from Lila. "Right, let’s go," she said.
But as she took a step, a thought crossed her mind: Lila might attempt to flee. Knowing her father’s position, running away seed like the most likely course of action. A man like him, bound by the nature of his prestigious job, would never tolerate such a scandal.
Jane paused mid-step and turned back. "What about her?"
Cressida seized the opportunity. "How about taking her with us? I’m sure this is all just a misunderstanding..." Her voice trailed off as she caught her husband’s warning glance.
Jane frowned, weighing the idea. As disgusted as she was with Lila at the mont, it did seem like the most practical solution. Just as she was about to agree, a man dressed sharply in a navy shirt and black pants entered the room, exuding authority.
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