Zacharias froze, his breathing catching, eyes wide in shock.


    After a moment that felt like an eternity, his shock gave way to a furious outburst. "Impossible! Jonathan, you''re talking nonsense! You''re framing me!"


    Zacharias couldn''t ept it.


    "My grandmother hated you and refused to ept you as her grandson-inw, so now you want to transfer her hatred onto my mother and family? Don''t even think about it!"


    How could my mother be involved?


    She had always been close to Anneliese''s mother-surely she would never have done such a thing. Jonathan must be lying,pletely shameless.


    "Are you angry because you''re embarrassed or because you can''t ept the truth?" Jonathan sneered.


    Zacharias swung at him.


    "Ridiculous!"


    Jonathan sidestepped, catching Zacharias'' fist in hisrge hand. His sleeve strained over defined muscles.


    "I only say this because Roretha can serve as a witness."


    Jonathan caught Zacharias'' punch and pushed it back firmly.


    Zacharias staggered, pale, startled by Jonathan''s certainty and the terrifying possibility he had just revealed.


    Suppressing his shock and anger, he spoke coldly.


    "Hah! If you bought one or two witnesses, they''d say whatever you wanted. If this were true, why didn''t Roretha speak up back then? Ridiculous! If you had proof, you could have called the police directly!"


    Exactly. If Jonathan had proof, he would have called the police long ago to clear his name with my grandmother. Why use my family now? What''s his motive?


    Is he trying to alert the enemy?


    No-there''s definitely no such thing.


    "I will report it to the police. So, you''d better take good care of your mothertely. After all, the attempted murder of my mother-inw resulted in two deaths. I''m just kindly reminding you—the good days like this won''tst long."


    Zacharias ground his teeth, ring at Jonathan.


    "Hah! Framing, ying tricks—it''s all misdirection! I''ll wait!"


    He turned and strode away.


    Jonathan raised his hand at the bodyguards by the door, but they did not stop Zacharias this time.


    Zacharias left, disappearing into the private room. Only then did Zion step in and nod toward Jonathan.


    "Everything''s fine, Mr. Fullbuster."


    Zacharias sped off, running red lights to get back to his vi.


    The servants rushed over in rm, seeing his disheveled clothes, bruised face, and overall battered appearance.


    "M-Mr. Shaw, do you need the police?"


    Zacharias didn''t even look at them, storming upstairs with a dark expression.


    He paused, then turned back and ordered the servants, "You''re not needed here today. Go home immediately!"


    Seeing his icy expression, the servants nodded without question, removed their aprons, and left.


    Upstairs, Melody and Lenora were in Lenora''s room. Lenoray crying on her mother''sp.


    Though they had been bailed out from detention, the case still loomed over them— they weren''t allowed to leave Oceaton.


    Lenora had reached her limit. Today, she had gone to meet a few so-called friends, only to be mocked mercilessly.


    Everyone looked at her with disdain, as if she were a criminal.


    Trying to please them, she had


    spent a lot of pocket money buying each a


    urse


    Yet when Yet when she returned from the bathroom, they were publicly humiliating her.


    "A prospective criminal thinking she''s ady, howughable."


    "The Shaws have no real


    background. She''s just a


    nouveau-riche younger sister. Do you think we haven''t seen the World?


    you think why ess·uld ven


    That bags worthless wouldn''t even give it to our maid."


    "I heard ever since Anneliese divorced Mr. Shaw, uderias Tech has been


    declining."


    "Yes, Mr. Shaw has repeatedly made


    poor decisions, losing several big


    deals. Alpetition is fierce these


    years the Shaws won''t stay prominent long