But refusing the test wouldn''t silence the gossip either; those same spections would still spread. She was caught between a rock and a hard ce.


    Just as the murmurs grew louder and the situation threatened to spiral out of control, with Ste trapped on the stage, a clear, crisp voice rose from the crowd.


    "Ms. Lynne, whether or not Star is the daughter of Mr. Skyler and Ms. Nora isn''t for you alone to dere. It requires confirmation. Before presenting definitive proof, you chose to publicly expose this matter at old Mrs. Cameron''s birthday g, practically broadcasting this family scandal for the whole world to hear... Ms. Lynne, do you have a grudge against the Camerons, or against the Williamses? As far as I know, you never even met Ms. Nora, so there shouldn''t be any personal animosity. So, what exactly is your motive for doing this?"


    Everyone turned to see who had spoken. It was none other than Joshua. Thanks to his striking looks and his close association with Ste, he was well-known in their social circle. Nearly everyone at the g recognized him as Ste''s bodyguard.


    Lynne red at Joshua, her face darkening. The memory of how he had yed her for a fool made her teeth grind with hatred.


    "Joshua, you''re just Ste''s bodyguard. In a setting like this, I don''t believe you have the right to speak."


    Lynne sneered inwardly. Joshua loved to hide his true identity, didn''t he? Today, she would put him in his ce and silence him for good.


    However, Joshua''s next words shattered her n.


    "You''re mistaken, Ms. Lynne," he said calmly. "It''s true that I''m Star''s bodyguard, but tonight, I am her escort. As her bodyguard, I have no right to speak. But as her escort, when I see my date being ndered, I most certainly have the right to speak up for her."


    Lynne was no match for Joshua and was left speechless. "You..."


    Joshua''s words made the crowd pause and think. He was right. Regardless of whether Ste was the true heiress, a matter like this was undoubtedly a family scandal. Who in their right mind would air their dirtyundry in public, turning their family into fodder for gossip?


    Seeing the suspicious looks directed


    at her, Lynne grew flustered and angry. "That''s because I only found


    out today that Ste isn''t


    my aunt''s


    biological daughter! And my


    grandmother was about to give her shares! I was worried my


    grandmother was being deceived, so


    I had to expose it!"


    Joshua''s expression shifted to one of dawning realization, his voiceced with insinuation. "Oh... so it''s about the shares."


    Every family that had managed to stay powerful for generations was full of shrewd people. Joshua''s


    implication was not lost on themet


    Lynne imed Ste had faked a


    DNA test to get her hands on the family fortune. But couldn''t the same logic be applied to her? Could Lynne be ndering Ste to keep the Cameron shares from leaving the family?


    Besides, who were the Williamses? Was Skyler really so easily fooled?


    While the crowd still harbored doubts about Ste''s identity, they were now even more suspicious of Lynne.


    From his corner, Leonard watched


    the scene and muttered coldly, "Idiots." He wasn''t just referring to Lynne, but to the entire Cameron family The idea that Ste would fake a DNA test for money was usible motive. But they never should have used the public gifting of shares as the stage for their usation.