Aurora was so enraged by Joshua''s shamelessness that she could barely breathe. Ste couldn''t help but look away. Joshua had taken Leonard''s old ybook and turned it into a weapon, beating him at his own game so thoroughly that he had nowhere to turn. If Leonard knew his past words had be a boomerang striking the woman he adored, would he feel a shred of regret?


    The others were stunned by Joshua''s exnation. After a moment, Israel pointed a trembling finger at him. "I''ve seen shameless people before, but you take the cake! A joke? Who do you think you are to joke with us? You get caught on tape, and suddenly it''s all a joke? Go tell that to someone else and see if they believe you. Stop making excuses. You''re the one who framed Aurora!"


    Joshua remained unfazed, like a man who couldn''t be reasoned with. "What are you talking about, Mr. Israel? If Leonard can make jokes in front of everyone, why can''t I? As the saying goes, the burden of proof is on the user. If you want me to confess, you''ll need to produce evidence and confront me with it, just like Star did."


    His eyes swept over the room. "You think the police will believe you based on a recording of me joking around? I may be a bodyguard, but I have rights. The Williams family wouldn''t be looking for a scapegoat to frame, would you?"


    Israel, Coleman, and Aurora, who knew Joshua''s true identity, were seething with suppressed rage. His rogue-like, ''what-can-you-do-about-it'' attitude waspletely unbing of a family head. Even the shrewd Skyler was momentarily baffled, unsure if Joshua had actually done it or if he was just trying to get revenge for Ste.


    Either way, the Williams family was silenced, because they had treated Ste the exact same way. If she hadn''t found evidence back then, everyone would have used her of framing Leonard.


    Ste began to understand. She nced at Joshua and said, "Joshua is right. If you want to convict hime you need proof. He has a strong sense of justice and often speaks without thinking. You shouldn''t take his words to heart. Besides how could a mere bodyguard orchestrate a plot against Leonard, Sellers, and Aurora?"


    The phrase "strong sense of justice" made Aurora let out a bitterugh. "Star, don''t


    let him fool you. He''s the real viin here."


    Joshua wouldn''t stand for being ndered in front of Ste. He raised an eyebrow. "So Leonardmits countless wicked acts for the Williams family and hes not a viin, but I tell one little joke and suddenly I am? Don''t you think that''s a bit of a double standard, Ms. Williams?"


    While Aurora, Coleman, and Israel were convinced of Joshua''s guilt, Skyler and Jonathan were still unaware of his identity. Ste''s words had given them pause. Did


    a bodyguard truly have the nerve to frame three powerful families?


    Skyler hesitated. "Aurora, could there be a misunderstanding?"


    Aurora was at a loss for words. Even if she exposed Joshua''s identity to prove he had the capability, it would be useless without concrete evidence. In fact, if she revealed he was the head of the Gardner family, she would be held to an even higher standard of proof. Otherwise knowing Joshua''s meticulous nature for settling scores, he would surely imitate Leonard and demand a formal apology from the Williams family.