Reading Juicy Gossip in Her Mind - Chapter 281: As Long As It Doesn't Kill

Well, well, well, the fool has blown his own plans sky-high. I can't imagine the look on his face when he realizes he's sabotaged himself. It's bound to be priceless.

Isabella watched the live broadcast with amusement. This incident exposed Oliver's villainous nature and Ava and her daughter's malicious intentions, completely ruining their reputations.

"One should always be decisive," Aiden said. "I've always believed that mother and daughter were unworthy of being Damien's family. Now, even if Damien ignores them, they'll have no moral high ground."

Ines nodded. "This mother-daughter duo is heartless, ungrateful for Damien's kindness, constantly scheming."

"Once Damien is free of them, Deborah can leave Oliver," Elaine exclaimed. "A happy ending for both!"

Roland agreed. "This engagement will definitely be called off."

The Carney family needed Deborah's marriage alliance, but the chosen partner couldn't bring such negativity. With this turn of events

The small group gossiped.

"Do you think the betrothed will change?" Ines asked.

"You have a point. They're all victims," Aiden agreed immediately.

"What? My poor girl is getting tied down again?" Elaine exclaimed, surprised.

"Oliver revealed some things, but doubts will remain, and rumors will spread," Roland said. "Besides, the elders decided the engagement. A change is still possible."

No way! Doesn't that mean Damien gets everything? His inheritance and a wife? Aren't Oliver and that mother-daughter duo handing him everything on a silver platter?

While the situation was dramatic, Alexander found it highly plausible. The marriage alliance didn't necessarily concern the children's feelings, but a formal title was essential to strengthen the bond between the families. Several collaborative projects awaited confirmation of the engagement.

Everyone let their imaginations run wild. The situation was resolved; there was nothing to worry about.

But then, a commotion erupted from Ava's side. She broke free from her bodyguard, yelling, "No way! This can't be! My daughter No, no!"

Ava then charged toward Lydia, furious. "Was it you? Did you set me up?"

Ava's incoherent ramblings alarmed everyone. Even Ruby was startled. She couldn't understand why her mother was so distraught. Could her mother despise Oliver because he was Lydia's son? Did her dislike for Lydia mean she opposed any relationship between them? Regardless, Oliver had revealed everything.

Lydia ignored Ava's hysterics. She'd initially wanted Ava removed, figuring Damien wouldn't want her around. Both families would discuss a plan to make Ava pay for her scheming.

Before Lydia could act, Ava froze, trembling uncontrollably, becoming eerily quiet. Everyone felt something was wrong; she seemed to be having some sort of episode.

On the large screen, Damien smiled gently at Oliver, saying, "Thank you for your cooperation. You've helped Deborah and me prove our innocence."

"What?" Oliver was taken aback.

Damien ended the video call, showing his previously "water-damaged" phone.

Oliver's expression changed.

"When you saw no surveillance cameras, didn't you think about phones? Or did you believe my phone was actually damaged? Oliver, you lack common sense!"

"You You How dare you! You're tricking me!"

"Go back and take a look."

Oliver panicked. He'd been boasting, and now felt like he'd been pushed off a building. He ran frantically back to the ballroom, disbelief coursing through him.

The wind seemed to slap his face. He desperately tried to think of a way to turn things around.

But when he entered the ballroom, facing everyone's mockery and contempt, he couldn't hold it together. His expression shifted from confusion to embarrassment, anger, fear, and finally despair. It was textbook worthy.

Isabella wasn't the only one who thought so; entertainment reporters, initially paid by Oliver, were documenting the explosive event.

A camera flashed. Oliver roared, "Who's taking pictures?!"

Everyone chuckled. It was his own doing; he'd set up his cousin and fiancée, reaping what he'd sown. Poetic justice.

The quiet mockery felt like an ocean wave crashing over him. Ava's face was ashen; Ruby looked frantic and angry.

Oliver's composure shattered when he saw Deborah on stage.

"Damn it, you b*tch, you set me up!" He charged toward her.

Others tried to stop him, but Deborah unexpectedly rushed toward him. Oliver was taken aback, but Deborah slapped him repeatedly.

"Deborah is actually hitting someone?" Ines exclaimed.

"Wow, astonishing!" Aiden gave a thumbs up.

"I've never seen this side of her," Elaine sighed.

"This is desperation," Roland said.

"Well done! Give him a good thrashing! Scum like him deserves it. As long as it doesn't kill him, keep hitting!"

This cleaned-up version corrects grammatical errors, improves punctuation, and enhances the overall readability of the passage. It also removes extraneous elements like the percentages and timestamps.