"Haynes, are you seriously going to convict me based on a few bystanders'' words? Isn''t that a bit rash?"


    Although Haynes had investigated this time-unlike before when he blindly trusted Rachel-the results were exactly what Rachel wanted him to see.


    "Ste, what are you trying to say?"


    Ste looked steadily into his handsome but distant face and said, "What I''m saying is, I didn''t hit Rachel with my car, and I won''t apologize to her. She should be the one apologizing to me."


    Haynes'' eyes grew colder. "Ste, it''s just an apology. How hard can it be?"


    "An apology is easy enough," Ste replied, calm and steady, "but only when I''ve done something wrong. I haven''t done anything wrong, so why should I apologize?"


    His gaze was icy. "Whether you meant it or not, you hit someone. An apology is a must."


    "You''re right, except I told you I didn''t hit Rachel. She hit me."


    Haynes lost his patience. "Ste, you''re being unreasonable!"


    Ste looked away. "Save your breath, Haynes. I won''t apologize to Rachel. Go ahead and throw me in jail if you think you can."


    "Fine, you''ve got guts," Haynes said with a bitterugh. "Just don''te crying to meter."


    In the following days, Haynes didn''t call. It seemed he was waiting for Ste to admit she was wrong and apologize.


    Ste paid no mind.


    Meanwhile, a news story about the truth behind Rachel''s ident shot to the top of the headlines and became the talk of the town. The article even included several photos to back up its ims.


    The news painted Ste as malicious, using her of deliberately causing the ident to kill Rachel. With so-called "solid evidence," the inte was flooded with insults directed at her.


    [This woman is pure evil! She broke the couple up, and now she''s out for blood? Does she think Mr. O''Brien will fall for her if Rachel''s out of the picture? Dream on! A woman like her will never know true love!]


    [She''s terrifying! Mr. O''Brien, run! Divorce her before it''s toote, or she might turn on you out of spite!]


    [Go to hell! I curse this wicked woman, Ste, to drop dead!]


    [We can''t let a murderer like her roam free. She needs to be locked up!]


    [Death penalty!]


    [Second that.]


    Thement section was a sea of vitriol against Ste.


    Extremementers threatened to send her death threats, photoshopped her obituary, and even leaked her contact details online. Her phone was bombarded with calls, and she received countless vile messages.


    The uproar was so intense that any rational voices pointing out theck of solid evidence got drowned out by endless usations.


    Criticizing her seemed to be the only eptable stance. Anyone who spoke as a neutral wasbeled an apologist or a troll.


    Three dayster, Ste left the hospital. Her health had improved, so she didn''t bother informing anyone.


    However, as she stepped out, a mob appeared out of nowhere, surrounding her.


    "Ste, you heartless murderer! Don''t think you can bribe your way out of thew''s reach and escape justice!"