Zane quickly shook his head. "No way, Natalie! I''m not that kind of person! I didn''t do it!"


    "Then break up with Ruby immediately. Now," Natalie ordered.


    "Huh?" Zane was dumbfounded.


    "What''s the matter? You don''t want to?"


    "I do! Of course, I do!" Zane quickly pulled out his phone, dialed Ruby''s number, and put it on speaker.


    "Hello, Ruby?" Zane said into the phone. "I''m breaking up with you right now. As of this moment, you''re no longer my girlfriend."


    Before Ruby could even respond, Zane ended the call and blocked all of Ruby''s ounts in front of Natalie.


    He then obediently handed his phone to Natalie. "Here, Natalie, check if you want."


    Natalie took Zane''s phone and tapped through it. "Wasn''t Ruby your girlfriend? Yet, the moment I told you to break up, you did it without hesitation? What kind of spineless jerk are you?"


    "She was my girlfriend, yes, but only because my mom liked her I never did!" Zane said, looking aggrieved. "And I swear, I never bullied Ms. Sinir with her.


    He added, "To be honest, Natalie, I knew that Ruby''s mom was a mistress. She got involved with Mr. Sinir knowingly-she wasn''t deceived. And honestly? I never wanted to date the daughter of a mistress.


    "But Ruby''s mom worked hard to please my mother, hoping to secure Ruby a ce in the Holt family. She went all out to win my mother over, and I was just the one being forced toply.


    "So the moment you told me to break up with her, I couldn''t be happier!"


    "Oh?" Natalie nced at Zane, who looked at her with a mix of grievance and ttery.


    "Natalie, I swear I never bullied Ms. Sinir," Zane continued. "If there are rumors about me bullying her, then Ruby must be the one spreading them!


    "Even though Ruby and I have been dating, I''ve never even held her hand, let alone kissed or hugged her. If you don''t believe me, ask Mr. Holden."


    Zane turned to Marcus. "Mr. Holden, you''re good friends with Ms. Sinir-you must know that I''ve never once been to the Sinir residence, right?"


    Marcus stayed silent.


    Natalie''s gazended on Marcus as she slowly said, "But before you arrived, Mr. Holden told me that everyone in our circle knows you dote on Ruby, that Ruby bullies Sophia, and that you''re her aplice."


    Marcus hesitated briefly before admitting, "Yes, that''s what everyone says."


    If he had wronged Zane without knowing the full truth, then he would apologize as he should.


    "I''ve overheard people talking about how you and Ruby bullied Sophia more than once. Would you like me to recount the details?" Marcus'' voice sounded low and sharp as his piercing gaze settled on Zane.


    "That''s not true! I swear I never did!" Zane protested, feeling even more wronged.


    He knew of Marcus and had seen him from afar at certain social gatherings, but he never had the chance to speak with him due to his lower status.


    The reason he had confidently imed that Marcus should know he had never been to the Sinir residence was because Ruby had told him so. ording to Ruby, Sophia was close friends with Marcus, who often visited the Sinir residence. Ruby imed that Sophia was secretly seducing Marcus.


    She even cursed Sophia, calling her shameless. She said that despite knowing Marcus was engaged to Emma, she continued to pursue him while in a rtionship with Sky.


    When Ruby had ranted about Sophia being a homewrecker, her face twisted with rage, and her teeth gnashed together-it was an utterly horrifying sight.


    At that moment, Zane had wanted to remind her that her own mother was a homewrecker too. But under his mother''s pressure, he ultimately held his tongue, though he had been itching to say it.


    That said, he had never set foot in the Sinir residence.


    If Marcus had visited there often, he should have realized that he had never once


    run into Ruby''s so-called boyfriend—him.


    "Mr. Holden, have you seen me bully


    Sophia with your own eyes? Or personally heard Sophia say that Ruby and bullied her?" Zane asked through gritted teeth. Though he felt deeply wronged, he was determined to clear his name.


    "I have no idea where these rumors about Ruby and me came from, but I''ve always been working diligentlyzat Goodwill Pharmacy. I can call Ruby right now and have here over. Meanwhile, Mr. Holden, you can call whoever told you these rumors here and have theme too?


    "Andstly, let''s bring Sophia here as well. We''ll confront each other face to face. I refuse to carry the weight of a false usation for the rest of my life!" Marcus


    said.


    "That''s enough. Let''s put this matter


    on hold for now," Natalie said,


    casting a smirk of mockery at Marcus. I didn''t take you for a gossip Mr. Holden. Nor did I expect you to be the type to believe every rumor you hear."


    Her words were clearly a jab at Marcus for what had happened before.


    Marcus'' expression shifted slightly. Before he could exin, Natalie continued, "Alright, Zane. Bring some people and help me move Ms. Sinir to Goodwill Pharmacy."


    Zane was a little puzzled. He instinctively asked, "Sophia Sinir?"


    "Who else?" Natalie rolled her eyes.


    "Right away, Natalie!" Zane quickly gathered his people and followed her into the hospital.


    Zane hesitated as they passed Marcus, and his expression shifted. In the end, he couldn''t hold back. "Mr. Holden, you owe me an apology for falsely using me." "You''re right. I apologize," Marcus said without hesitation. "I spoke without verifying the truth. I was wrong. I''m sorry."


    Zane was momentarily stunned. He had expected Marcus to use his status as the notable scion of Dithoria State to pressure him, but instead, he admitted fault outright.


    "If you wantpensation for emotional distress, talk to Ethan." Marcus handed Zane a business card. "He''s my assistant. I''ll let him know."


    "N-No thanks!" Zane frantically waved his hands and bolted toward Natalie.


    "Your apology is enough, Mr. Holden. I don''t need anypensation," he called back as he practically sprinted away.


    Even if Marcus were willing topensate him, Zane wouldn''t dare ept it.


    He had only fought to prove his innocence because he didn''t want Natalie to think he was a jerk.


    Besides, he had truly never bullied Sophia.


    ...


    Soon, Sophia was transferred into a Goodwill Pharmacy vehicle, and Marcus got


    in as well.


    After arriving at Goodwill Pharmacy, Zane sent Sophia to a prearranged room.


    Just as Natalie was about to follow, Marcus suddenly reached out and blocked


    her path.


    "Ms. Walker, I owe you an apology," he said. "I''m sorry."