Felix instinctively defended Madeline. "Are you sure you''re not mistaken?"


    Madeline started sobbing. "Cousin, I really didn''t do it. You''ve misunderstood me. How could I ever frame you?"


    "Stop acting! Everyone in the industry knows you have a stable of smear campaign ounts! Just open any of the blogs ndering me and look at their history. All their previous posts were praising you! You''re pathetic!"


    "I really didn''t," Madeline insisted, her tears falling even faster.


    If she could channel this acting into her career, she wouldn''t still be without a single breakout role.


    Seeing Felix''s gaze on her, Madeline cried even harder. "Felix, I truly didn''t frame my cousin. And I don''t have any smear ounts. The inte is a toxic ce. Many celebrities have their own crazy fans who will make things up to defend their idols. Besides, everyone knows my cousin and I arepetitors. It''smon for our fanbases to be at odds with each other."


    "Are you sure you didn''t do it?" Felix asked again, seeking confirmation.


    Madeline shook her head, choking back sobs. "I really didn''t."


    ire''s two ps had been delivered with full force. She had trained in martial arts


    for her action roles and had considerable strength.


    Both of Madeline''s cheeks were swollen, making her look quite pitiful.


    Felix''s heart softened. He stepped in front of her, shielding her with his body, and barked at ire, "Did you hear that? It wasn''t her!"


    "You''d believe her if she farted!" ire was incandescent with rage.


    These two idiots didn''t have a single good brain cell between them.


    Wilbur, afraid ire would make herself sick with anger, spoke up. "Don''t waste your breath on pointless arguments. People who believe you don''t need an exnation. People who don''t believe you won''t listen to anything you do."


    "Then show me the evidence! Without evidence, you''re the one making baseless usations. You need to apologize to her!" An inexplicable fire ignited in Felix. He couldn''t stand seeing Wilbur defend ire. What right did he have to protect her?


    Noreen''s phone rang. She answered it and asked, "Are you here?"


    After getting a clear answer, Noreen''s expression rxed. She turned back to Felix. "You want evidence? You''ll get it in a moment."


    Her gaze


    urned icy. "And if we can


    retire


    prove that Madeline framed ire, then shouldn''t Madeline be the on taissue t to issue a public apology and r from the industry for good, keeping her head down like a proper human being?"  s?novels


    Felix''s brow furrowed, clearly disliking Noreen''s terms.


    He shifted his gaze back to ire and said coldly, "Let''s talk about this alone."


    "What is there for us to talk about?" ire refused.


    Felix, making a concession to their


    marital ties, softened his tone. "This is a family matter between!


    There''s no need to involve


    outsiders."


    At his words, ire let out a soft, hollowugh.


    How utterly ridiculous.


    "Then what about Madeline? Isn''t she an outsider?"


    Felix''s jaw twitched. "She''s your cousin. If her parents hadn''t adopted you, would


    you even be alive today? You should be grateful!"


    That sentence was the final straw. It


    shattered ire''sst line of


    defense. She raised her hand and,


    with a swift, sharp, and clean


    motion, pped Felix across the face.


    "Felix, the one who should be grateful is you! It''s the Quigley family that owes me!"


    Madeline hadn''t expected ire to hit Felix too. She rushed forward, full of concern. "Felix, are you alright?"


    Felix''s face burned, but his heart had sunk to the bottom of a freezing abyss.