?Chapter 485:


    The waiter’s gaze flickered to Willow, but he snapped his eyes shut, hands clenching as he shook his head. “Mr. Briggs, please—I don’t know anything! I swear, Ms. Gilbert’s fall was just an ident!” His voice cracked as he pleaded for mercy.


    Luca’s expression hardened. “You call that an ident? You were right there—don’t tell me you didn’t see her go overboard. If you noticed, why didn’t you shout for help? Why just stand there? Unless you pushed her on purpose!”


    The waiter stared at the deck, chewing on his lower lip, silent and visibly unraveling.


    William advanced, the sharp click of his shoes sending a chill up the waiter’s spine.


    “You have a daughter, don’t you? Eight years old, third grade at Choria First Elementary. Am I right?”


    At that, the waiter’sposure cracked. His eyes darted up, wide with fear—William’s message was clear enough.


    He broke, blurting out in a trembling voice, “It was Miss Lawson! She made me do it!”


    Gasps rippled through the crowd. The revtion hit like a thunderp—Willow had orchestrated the entire scheme.


    Panic surged through Willow as she raised her voice. “That isn’t true! I never told you to do any of this! I don’t even know who you are!”


    No longer willing to shield her, the waiter abandoned his earlier story. “You did this, Miss Lawson! I have every message saved on my phone. Don’t try to escape responsibility! Mr. Briggs, she was the one who ordered it. She wanted Ms. Gilbert out of the picture. She was behind everything!”


    Whispers rippled through the crowd. All eyes turned to Willow, her cheeks still marked by the tears she had just shed.


    Was it possible that the Lawson family’s own daughter could be capable of something so cruel?


    Realizing she was losing support, Willow tried to sound gentle as she pleaded with William.


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    “William, you know I didn’t do any of that. You’ve always said I was kind. I saved your life when we were little. You gave me this ne. Please, won’t you believe me?”


    When she reached for the ne, William stopped her without a hint of warmth.


    “You mean that ne on your neck? It’s always been a fake. You’re not the person I’ve been searching for.”


    Everything seemed to drain from Willow’s face, her eyes wide with disbelief.


    How on earth did William find out?


    She said, “That’s not true! I really am the one you’ve been searching for!”


    Taking his time, William replied, choosing his words with care. “You’re not the person I’ve been looking for.”


    Both Mr. and Mrs. Lawson red at William, their disappointment clear.


    “William, even if Willow never knew you as a child and everything’s been a misunderstanding, we can’t just call off this engagement. Our families agreed to this for the sake of ourpanies. This isn’t something you can decide on a whim.”


    Arranged marriages like theirs had nothing to do with romance. The only thing that mattered was the financial gain.


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