Chapter 1099

Zoe found herself unnerved and unsettled by Jameson's 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, "Did Lyse slap you?"

"l—" Zoe choked.

"You're an adult. You should be responsible for what you said. It'll be too late to regret your actions

when the facts are out."

A hushed silence fell on the crowd as they anticipated Zoe's 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, "W-When I

was arguing with Ms. Alyssa, I lost my balance, hit my face on the door, and fell to the floor .."

She omitted the part about slapping herself. Still, her partial confession was enough to prove

Alyssa's innocence and cast doubt on her own credibility.

"Woah! But did Zoe actually slap herself in the face? That was wicked!"

"Don't you get it? She crumbled under Mr. Jameson's pressure. Pfft, and to think she played the

victim just now."

"Tsk tsk. She's just a young lady who couldn't stand the pressure of interrogation. I would have

denied it. Let him present the evidence!"

"Are you seriously defending Ms. Zoe? What she did was slander. If the Taylors decided to pursue

this matter, she would be done for!"

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 Alyssa's shoulders and addressed Cornelius calmly, "Mr. Cornelius,

does your granddaughter still insist on a settlement?

"If you're not ready to let this go, we can meet at the police station with our attorneys after the

event. We'll decide whether to settle this case in private or court.”

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 Cornelius’ expression hardened.

Jonah smirked. "The Taylors will take responsibility for what we have done, but we aren't going to

give in when we're framed, especially when it happens to my dear sister.

"I will look into this matter thoroughly. Mr. Cornelius, I believe you'll share the same sentiment,

given your affection for Ms. Zoe."

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 framed Alyssa.

Preston, who had observed the unfolding drama from the sidelines, finally interjected light-

heartedly to diffuse the tense situation, "Hahaha! This is all a huge misunderstanding! It's nothing

more than a banter between two ladies that took an unfortunate turn. Haven't we all been through

similar situations when we were young?

"Zoe is a good kid, albeit a tad impulsive and a bit spoiled. When emotions run high, she tends to

speak without thinking. Sometimes, she's not even aware of what she just said! Haha!

"We sincerely apologize for the trouble. Look, we've been family friends for many years. Winston,

you were friends with my brother Bill. Zoe is Bill's beloved daughter. You know Bill, the apple doesn't

fall far from the tree."

Preston alleviated Winston's anger by skillfully handling the situation.