Looking at Sandra''s pitiful face, Lionel felt no sympathy at all. Instead, a wave of disgust and irritation washed over him.


    After all, this wasn''t the first time she had lied to his face.


    "Lionel, I know my decision to have that projected on the screen was more of a shock than a surprise for Hannah, but I was just trying to do something nice for her."


    If not for her broken bones and other injuries, she would have walked over to cajole and plead with him.


    What she couldn''t understand was why Lionel was asking about this today. Gloria had sent her a video yesterday confirming the security footage was destroyed.


    Could Hannah have met with him privately and told him something?


    At that thought, Sandra''s brow furrowed slightly.


    "Sandra, I''m going to ask you onest time. Are you certain that what was projected on the screen that night was what you originally nned?"


    Sandra didn''t answer right away, thinking it over carefully.


    Because of the mix-up, the video of Jason beating Hannah was shown instead. Although she''d gotten away with it at first, Hannah had eventually seen through the deception.


    But Lionel didn''t have any proof!


    All she had to do was stick to her story that it was what she had prepared from the start!


    Sandra nodded emphatically.


    "Yes, what appeared on the screen that night was the gift I prepared for Hannah."


    At her answer, Lionel closed his eyes in despair.


    He had given her a chance, but she chose to deceive him again and again. There was nothing more for him to say.


    Lionel picked up his phone, pulled up a video, and tossed it to her.


    He didn''t say a single word.


    Seeing his cold demeanor, Sandra felt a growing sense of unease. She stared at the phone on the bed, hesitating for a long moment before finally picking it up.


    The instant she saw the screen, her pupils contracted. She swallowed hard, clenching her jaw.


    The video''s audio was ying out loud, and though the volume wasn''t high, it seemed to boom in the silent room.


    Every word, every sentence in the video was like a whip,shing at her again and again, ruthlessly tearing down the web of lies she had woven.


    "Is this what you call the truth?"


    The moment the video ended, Lionel spoke. "Sandra, I''ve asked you several times. Why did you lie to me!"


    Sandra''s face was ashen. She said nothing, just clutched the phone with her head bowed.


    "If you hadn''t made a mistake and mixed up the videos, what would have been ying on that screen that night would have been the footage of Hannah nearly being raped."


    Lionel''s voice grew louder with each word. "You and I both know she saved herself, that she wasn''t raped, but if that video had been shown would anyone else have believed it! Have you ever thought about what they would say about Hannah


    behind her back!"


    By the end, he was practically hissing through clenched teeth.


    His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at the woman on the bed.dn that moment, she seemed like aplete stranger o conniving, so sinister, it sent a chill down his spine.


    "You should have known the consequences. You''re a woman, too, yet you chose


    to do this! What has Hannah ever done to you that you''re so determined to


    destroy her!"


    Sandra remained silent, listening to Lionel''s relentless questioning. Her fingers slowly loosened, letting the phone fall from her hand onto the bed.