Chapter 449



“Mommy, I didn’t say that at all! I didn’t!” Sophie protested, her voice bright and angry. Kallie wrapped her arms around Sophie, offering comfort and reassurance. “I was right with you just now. I heard everything. You didn’t say that at all. He’s making it up.”

It was hard to believe a kid that young could lie so blatantly. Just then, someone in the crowd recognized the woman. “Hey, isn’t that Jenny Patterson, the philanthropist?” someone said. “Maybe there’s been a misunderstanding here.”

“It is her! There’s no way she’d do something like that; she’s done so much good and taken in all these homeless kids.”

“I think you should just let it go. Don’t be so harsh on them.”

Kallie was taken aback. She hadn’t expected the woman to be a philanthropist. Jenny looked young and well-off, but Kallie had never heard of the Pattersons. They didn’t seem to be one of the big, influential families. A few nosy people even started snapping photos with their phones.

Sophie clung to Kallie’s neck, terrified by the commotion. “Mommy, let’s go home,” Sophie whimpered. “I’m scared.”

Kallie patted Sophie’s back reassuringly. “It’s okay, honey. Mommy’s got this.”

The recognition from the crowd seemed to inflate Jenny’s ego. She lifted her chin slightly, a smug look on her face. She looked down her nose at Kallie. “I know you rich folks think you can bully anyone you want,” Jenny said haughtily. “I’m willing to let this go if you apologize to Craig. Then we can forget this ever happened.”

Kallie’s anger flared even hotter. Taking a deep breath, she set Sophie down and pointed at the ruined sandcastle. “My daughter was playing happily over there just a minute ago. There was no issue between her and Craig. He just walked over and stomped all over her sandcastle for no reason. Plenty of people saw it. I didn’t slander him. So, what do you think we should do about this?”

Kallie’s voice was firm, each word laced with controlled fury. Jenny’s face flushed with embarrassment. She looked down at Craig, silently urging him to explain himself.

Craig rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed. He quickly concocted an excuse. “Everyone’s supposed to build their own sandcastle for the competition. But that little girl got her mom to help her! That’s cheating! I wouldn’t stand for it, so I wrecked it,” he declared, his voice defiant. He said it with such conviction that it almost sounded believable.

“I built this one all by myself. My mommy’s is way better than this one,” Sophie piped up.

Jenny walked to inspect the demolished sandcastle. Then she turned back to Craig, a smile spreading across her face. She ruffled his hair affectionately. “Good job, sweetie. We can’t let people cheat. Imagine learning to cheat at such a young age! What will she be like when she grows up?”

Kallie’s voice crackled with fury. “Miss Patterson, do you have proof that my daughter cheated? There were tons of people on the beach! Everyone saw Sophie build that sandcastle herself. There were other kids around!”

Jenny planted her hands on her hips, her voice dripping with indignation.

“What? Are you calling me a liar? Accusing me of slander? Everyone in Halstead knows I’m as honest as the day is long. I’d never accuse someone falsely. Folks, just look at this sandcastle. It’s a masterpiece! Her daughter’s barely out of diapers. There’s no way she could’ve built this on her own!”

The crowd gathered closer, murmuring in agreement. Some people remembered seeing Sophie working on the sandcastle, but now they weren’t so sure.

Maybe Kallie had lent a hand when no one was looking. A few brave kids tried to speak up for Sophie, but their parents quickly shushed them. Nobody wanted to get on Jenny’s bad side.

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