"E-Even if the photo is real, the person in it isn''t me!"


    Elizabeth stubbornly argued, still trying to wriggle out of the truth.


    If she ever admitted to the truth, it would be the end of thest shred of civility between her and Jonathan.


    Jonathan, however, remained cold and unmoved. "Many people saw you that night; more than one person recalled exactly what you were wearing. The person in the photo is wearing the same set of pajamas as you did that night. Plus, her physique and the features of her profile are identical to yours. Do you really think you can talk your way out of this?"


    Her breath caught in her throat. She knew nothing she said would change


    anything anymore.


    Tears spilled from her eyes as she gazed at her son, overwhelmed with remorse and anguish.


    "I''m sorry... I''m so sorry, Jonathan... I never meant to deceive you. I just... I had too much to drink that night. I was so disoriented when I first woke up that I couldn''t even remember where I was. My instincts just took over, and I ran for my life. It wasn''t until I reached the foot of the hill that I gradually came back to my senses and recalled you were still in the vi. As soon as I did, I turned around and ran back immediately!"


    Wracked with panic and guilt, she looked at him with pleading eyes.


    "You im to be so drunk that you werepletely out of it, yet you somehow had the strength to escape the fire and even run that far?"


    He coldly returned her stare. His sharp gaze bore straight into the depths of her eyes, mping down on the fear and panic buried deep within.


    "I..." she stammered. "P-People can do crazy things when their s-survival instinct kicks in..."


    Something clicked into ce for Anneliese, who had been watching Elizabeth closely until now.


    "If you were trying to escape the fire, running out of the burning vi would have been enough. You''d stop once you reached safety. There was no reason to run that far. This... feels more like you were running from something else."


    Before she even finished speaking, Elizabeth red at her viciously.


    "Shut up!" Elizabeth snapped, her voice shrill. "It''s all your fault! And you haven''t even exined yourself: Did you have an illegitimate child with Steven?"


    She couldn''t understand what was happening—it was supposed to be her moment. She was supposed to have leverage over Anneliese; it was supposed to be her chance to turn the tables on Anneliese.


    But somehow, it had turned into a tribunal against her-everyone was pressing her for answers instead.


    "You haven''t even exined yourself. What right do you have to question me?" She red at Anneliese, unconcealed loathing and hatred zing in her eyes.


    Her gaze was frightening, but Anneliese didn''t even flinch. She met it with an equally sharp look-sharp enough to make one tremble at the sight.


    "Have you forgotten? My father died in that fire. It ultimately destroyed my entire family! I won''t speak for anything else, but when ites to anything or anyone connected to that fire, I have every right to demand answers until the truth isid bare!"


    Those wordsnded with unmistakable force.


    The frosty authority radiating from Anneliese made Elizabeth struggle to breathe, her chest heaving violently as a sheen of cold sweat formed on her forehead.


    Her lips moved, but once again, it felt as though her voice had been stolen—no sound came out.


    When Elizabeth remained silent, Anneliese turned toward Derek and Penelope, "Grandpa, Grandma... My maternal grandmother once told me that there''s more to the fire than the official investigation results revealed. She never epted the ''idental'' yerdict, that''s the real reason she vehemently opposed my rtionship with Jonathan. She couldn''t allow my father to die in vain.


    "I trust her judgment. More importantly promised to uncover the truth behind the fire. Now, it has been revealed that Elizabeth not only fled the scene during the fire but also appeared on a mountain road far from the vi. Isn''t that suspicious? I have reason to suspect she was the arsonist who


    started the fire that night!"


    Elizabeth yelled, "You''re talking absolute nonsense! Are you insane? It wasn''t me!


    How could it have been me? What reason would I have to set fire to my own husband and son?"


    Panicking, she turned toward


    Jonathan. "Jonathan, do you see


    what she''s doing? She''s clearly trying to turn our family against each other! She''s been targeting me from the beginning! I even suspect that she''s only with you because of the fire back then. After all, you indirectly caused the death of her adoptive father. She approached you, seeking revenge! She doesn''t love you at all. She even hid the fact that she had an illegitimate child with Steven. She haspletely yed you for a fool. And now... now she''s trying to drive a wedge between us, to turn us into enemies!"


    Before Elizabeth could finish, Jonathan suddenly let out a shortugh.


    Elizabeth froze, staring at him in shock, unable to understand his reaction.


    Her stunned expression brought him back to his senses, and he finally reined in his emotionless burst ofughter.