Chapter 139: The Lie Everyone Chose to Believe
Elsie didn’t even look at the screen before rushing to deny it. “Of course it’s not me. I’ve never taken photos like that…”
Yunice scoffed. “This account has been posting non-stop for three years. You really think it’s mine?”
Owen scrolled through the feed, frowning in confusion. “If it’s not you and it’s not Elsie, how come it’s filled with stuff from the Saunders family? Who could it be?”
Elsie’s mind raced. Of all people, I hadn’t expected Owen to be so blind. But if he couldn’t recognize the profile picture as mine… then this would be easy to handle.
A flash of inspiration hit her. She said quietly, “I think I know what happened…”
Everyone turned to look at her. Elsie put on her most serious face. “It’s a friend of mine. She grew up poor and always said she admired me. She used to visit our house under the pretext of wanting to experience a better life, and she’d take pictures. I never imagined that she’d use them to pretend to be a rich heiress.”
“Making up a fake friend, huh?”
But of course, Owen bought it. He scolded, “Then stop bringing such vain people into our home.”
Elsie nodded obediently. “I’ll cut her off right now.”
Seeing this perfect opportunity for exposure slip away again, Gill couldn’t stand it any longer. “Even if that were true, what about the jadeite bracelet Mr. Quinton gave our Ms. Saunders just half a day ago? Did your friend steal that too?”
Owen glanced at Elsie, and the flicker of doubt in his eyes didn’t escape Yunice. That one flicker told Yunice everything. Deep down, Owen just didn’t want to believe that Elsie was that kind of person. No matter what evidence was presented to him, he’d still choose the more ridiculous explanation.
And it was this unwillingness that chilled me to the bone. Because when Elsie was stabbed, Owen never once questioned whether it was true. It was as if, in his heart, I was just the type to do something so cruel.
Elsie quickly came up with a new excuse. “The jadeite bracelet got on my wrist by accident; I tried everything to get it off. Then the same friend offered to help and asked me to send her some pictures. I didn’t know she was going to Photoshop them and post them on Instagram…”
As soon as she finished, she gave Owen a nervous look, afraid he wouldn’t believe her. But Owen just let out a sigh of relief, as if he was glad he hadn’t misjudged her after all.
Gill snapped, “You people are unbelievable, lying through your teeth!”
Lily said calmly, “Yunice, you should learn from Elsie’s mistake. Be more careful about making friends. Don’t bring rude people into the house.” She even gave Gill a sharp look as she spoke.
Gill looked like she was going to explode. Yunice replied, “Where is the lie in what she said? You all lie through your teeth. I think my friend is great. Polite is something you use on people who actually have it. On you? Total waste.”
Lily sighed as if she were deeply heartbroken. “You’re still defending her? You used to be so sweet. Now look at you, trying to drive a wedge between me and Gill? Cut off my support?”
Yunice saw through it all. “I wish someone had told me the truth. Then maybe I wouldn’t have wasted so many years being manipulated and bullied in the name of family.”
Lily froze, and when her eyes met Yunice’s, she could see it. Yunice had truly awakened. It wasn’t a phase or a tantrum; she had given up the things she once valued most. She lived for herself now. And a selfish person had nothing to fear. Such a person was hard to control.
Lily’s expression grew heavy. No wonder Yunice had been flourishing lately. She had probably been planning her departure from the Saunders family all along.
Lily said in a hushed tone, “So all this time you’ve been pretending you don’t care, but deep down you hate that Paul chose Elsie. That’s why you resent the whole Saunders family, isn’t it?”
What kind of twisted logic was that? She had no valid argument left, so now she was just trying to paint me as jealous!
Yunice scoffed. “I was the one who requested the separation. I dumped him. If someone else wanted to pick up the trash, I’d laugh, not get jealous.”
Lily clutched her handkerchief tightly, her jaw quivering. “If that’s really how you feel, why are you still trying to seduce Paul? Why are you sabotaging his relationship with Elsie?”
Yunice looked at her coldly and repeated, “Seduce?”
Lily took a shaky breath. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her face said it all—a mother torn between daughters, painfully forced to tell the truth. “Paul went to your room. You two met in secret. There are messages between you. People have seen it. Are you really going to deny it?”
Yunice scoffed. “Let me guess. Your witness is Elsie, right?”