Zoe found herself unnerved and unsettled by Jamesonâs unwavering confidence. Did he witness the altercation? Why else would he defend Alyssa?
Jameson inched closer to Zoe, his dark eyes unrelentingly fixed on her. She shuddered as he questioned, âDid Lyse slap you?â
âI-â Zoe choked.
âYouâre an adult. You should be responsible for what you said. Itâll be too late to regret your actions when the facts are out.â
-A hushed silence fell on the crowd as they anticipated Zoeâs answer.
The fleeting seconds felt like an eternity.
Eventually, Zoe succumbed to overwhelming fear, as if she had been held hostage. Never before had she felt such dread, not even in the presence of Jasper or Landon. She confessed, âW-When I was arguing with Ms. Alyssa, I lost my balance, hit my face on the door, and fell to the floorâ¦â
She omitted the part about slapping herself. Still, her partial confession was enough to prove Alyssaâs innocence and cast doubt on her own credibility.
âWoah! But did Zoe actually slap herself in the face? That was wicked!
âDonât you get it? She crumbled under Mr. Jamesonâs pressure. Pfft, and to think she played the victim just now.â
âTsk tsk. Sheâs just a young lady who couldnât stand the pressure of interrogation. I would have denied it. Let him present the evidence!â
âAre you seriously defending Ms. Zoe? What she did was slander. If Jameson effortlessly solved the problem for Alyssa, but she showed no response, not even a hint of gratitude.
On the other hand, Winston looked much relieved and gave Jameson a nod and a rare smile of approval.
Jonah wrapped an arm around Alyssaâs shoulders and addressed Cornelius calmly, âMr. Cornelius, does your granddaughter still insist on a settlement?
âIf youâre not ready to let this go, we can meet at the police station with our attorneys after the event.
Weâll decide whether to settle this case in private or court.â
Winston squinted at Jonah while silently applauding his eldest son. He would like to express the same sentiment, but it would be unwise for a man of his position to go against Cornelius. As a concerned brother, Jonah had every right to speak against Cornelius in that manner.
Looking bewildered, Penelope hugged Zoe tightly as Corneliusâ expression hardened.
Jonah smirked. âThe Taylors will take responsibility for what we have. done, but we arenât going to give in when weâre framed, especially when it happens to my dear sister.
âI will look into this matter thoroughly. Mr. Cornelius, I believe youâll share the same sentiment, given your affection for Ms. Zoe.â
The Harpers found themselves burdened by shame. Jonah, with a few words, forced them into a tight spot. What if things escalated when they faced off at the police station?
However, refusal to answer Jonah on the spot would be akin to an admission of guilt. The public would assume that Zoe had indeed lieu Aiyoou.
Preston, who had observed the unfolding drama from the sidelines, finally interjected light-heartedly to diffuse the tense situation,â Hahaha! This is all a huge misunderstanding! Itâs nothing more than a banter between two ladies that took an unfortunate turn. Havenât we all been through similar situations when we were young?
âZoe is a good kid, albeit a tad impulsive and a bit spoiled. When emotions run high, she tends to speak without thinking. Sometimes, sheâs not even aware of what she just said! Haha!
âWe sincerely apologize for the trouble. Look, weâve been family friends for many years. Winston, you were friends with my brother Bill. Zoe is Billâs beloved daughter. You know Bill, the apple doesnât fall far from the tree.â
Preston alleviated Winstonâs anger by skillfully handling the situation.