Chapter 479 The Hidden Recordings
Everyone turned to stare at Owen. His teeth chattered slightly, as if he were being grilled alive.
He used to convince himself, lie to himself–that Wyatt was just jealous and trying to save face by claiming Yunice was still a virgin.
But after that forced confrontation with Paul, he could no longer deny the truth.
Still, there was no way he could admit in front of Mr. Carl how he used to bully and neglect Yunice.
After a long internal struggle, he finally muttered, “Wyatt said… when he got with Yunice… she was still a virgin…”
Everyone except a few who already knew were stunned.
Especially Elsie, who cried out in shock, “What?”
She immediately challenged it: “The rumors about Yunice and Paul were already everywhere seven or eight years ago. People described them in vivid detail–there were even witnesses! How could she possibly still be a virgin?”
Lily, after a few seconds of shock, also jumped in, “Exactly. Wyatt, you must’ve known when you married her that she wasn’t pure. Now you’re making this up just to save face… that’s not right.”
She looked troubled. “Owen really is the one being wronged here. You can’t use his situation to whitewash yours. The two things are totally unrelated…”
Yunice asked, “Why are they unrelated?”
Lily replied confidently, “Because Owen was set up. You were willing.”
Yunice fired back, “You saw with your own eyes that Owen didn’t agree to it?”
Lily got worked up. “How could anyone see something like that with their own eyes? I’m not a pervert!”
Yunice said calmly, “So you didn’t see it happen, but you’re sure he was set up. And you didn’t see what happened to me either, but you’re certain I was willing? That’s pretty hypocritical.”
At that, Lily shot a nervous glance at Carl. Not willing to back down, she argued, “That’s because Owen made a fuss about it. He insisted he was framed. But you–back then, you didn’t even complain. You looked like you were enjoying it…”
That lie finally pushed Yunice over the edge.
“I didn’t complain?” she snapped. “The day those rumors started, I went straight to the hospital to get all the evidence–my alibi, my physical exam, even collected the slanderer’s statements. I did everything I could. But I was a minor. You were my legal guardians! You knew I wanted to press charges, and instead of helping, you destroyed my evidence, cursed me, humiliated me, and dumped all the blame on me. You said I embarrassed the family and forced me to stay in front of my father’s grave for three days to reflect on myself. You’re telling me none of that happened?”
Owen couldn’t even lift his head.
Elsie, however, chimed in, “Yunice, don’t make things up just to make yourself look better. None of that ever happened. How are we supposed to admit to something that doesn’t exist? If Mr. Wyatt truly loved you, he wouldn’t care about your past. So why are you lying to yourself?”
A brilliant deflection.
It had been seven or eight years. Only the three of them had known the truth. If they claimed nothing had happened, what weight did Yunice’s words hold on their own?
Oscar glanced at Owen, who kept his head bowed in silence, seemingly agreeing with Lily and Elsie.
Of course…
Owen was too cowardly and selfish to let Mr. Carl completely lose faith in him. Better Yunice take the fall.
What no one expected was that instead of being angry, Yunice let out a laugh. “Not every truth in this world has to remain buried. Sometimes, there are exceptions.”
The room didn’t understand what she meant. Right now, she seemed to have the weakest position–no real evidence.
Then Yunice turned toward the television in the Crawford living room. She switched it on and tapped her phone a few times to connect.
Suddenly, a video began to play.
“Get out of my way! I’m going to the police! I’ll take this to court!”
The familiar voice made the Saunders family instinctively stand up, their faces frozen in shock as they stared at the screen.
“This is…”
A surveillance recording from the Saunders home–seven years ago.
Everything Yunice had just described replayed before their eyes.
On the screen, Yunice was seen trying to leave. A younger, more impulsive Owen grabbed her and shoved her to the floor. “I–said you’re not going anywhere!”
Yunice landed at Lily and Elsie’s feet, documents scattering everywhere. But the two of them just stood there, aloof and cold, like they were watching a stranger.
Elsie said, “Yunice, what’s done is done. You and Paul were engaged–what’s the big deal? Even if it happened, it’s not like it’s shameful. Why are you making a scene? You’re just giving people more reason to laugh at us. They’ll say the Saunders family acts all noble while behaving like this.”
Then Owen’s voice came, cruel and venomous: “That’s the polite way to say it. The ugly truth? She’s just a whore trying to play the saint. Can’t keep her legs closed, and now she wants to cry foul? You have no shame, but the Saunders family does!”