Liam compared Justin to a valiant Gatsby, but he subtly likened Bella to a woman with a questionable reputation.
That was essentially casting doubt on Bellaâs character.
Upon hearing this, the Thompsons were seething with anger, on the verge of erupting, but someoneâs reaction outstripped theirs.
Justinâs sturdy arms tensed like a drawn bow, his eyes bloodshot, and his large hands clenched tightly. He was ready to charge
forward and teach Liam a lesson. However, a soft hand gently wrapped around his bulging fist, promptly preventing him from
going further.
âJustin, donât do it.â
Justinâs breathing halted as he locked eyes with Bella, whose eyes sparkled like radiant stars. It felt like his entire being was
submerged in a pristine mountain stream, gradually regaining composure. 2
Bella stepped forward with an air of arrogance and smirked. âMr. Liam, you can rest assured that Justin will not let any
wrongdoers o
the hook or falsely accuse any innocent person.â
Her words made it clear that the Hoffmans were still at fault.
âAs for Mr. Blackâs accusations, claiming that Justin was acting on
my orders to tarnish and frame the Hoffmans... Haha... In this day
and age, there are surveillance cameras everywhere. If | truly wanted
to frame someone, wouldnât | leave some clues behind? Why would
someone be accused of being the culprit without evidence pointing to your family? You keep insisting itâs because | hold a
grudge against
Ms. Hoffman, so why werenât your horses injured? Why wasnât she harmed? You're saying it as if I'd rather hurt myself to
entertain your entire family when Iâm unsure if | could even harm my enemy!â
The eloquence of Bellaâs words was undeniable.
Those present could not help but nod in agreement. Even Mrs. Hoffman found herself instinctively acknowledging Bellaâs logic.
âYou little...â Logan was speechless, his eyebrows twitching.
Bellaâs captivating eyes exuded confidence. Her gaze was piercing, and her lips curled into a knowing smile. âI'll say something
that might sound harsh to some, but if | truly wanted to harm Ms. Hoffman, | wouldnât have waited until today. | may not have
many virtues, but one thing about me is that Iâm ruthless enough. Framing and shifting blame are meaningless to me. If it were
up to me, whatever fate befell my horses, she would share the same fate!â
The crowd murmured in awe, âWow! Ms. Thompson really is a tough
and fierce lady!â
âBella! How dare you?! How could you harbor such malicious.
thoughts?!â Mrs. Hoffman, who was already weak, gasped for brea her hand clutching her chest in distress.
âMom, please donât get worked up over this. Your health isnât great, so donât let anger affect your well-being...â Zoe hurried to
support her mother, her expression filled with resentment as she shot a glance at
Bella.
âMalicious? Mrs. Hoffman, do you think itâs appropriate for you to say
that?â
Celesteâs expression turned serious, her usually gentle voice now icy yet commanding. âBella was merely speaking her mind, but
your daughter dares to act upon her words. Before the horse race began, Ms. Hoffman slapped herself and attempted to frame
Bella for doing it. Itâs still making headlines online. Did you forget about it? Well, we all remember it perfectly well. Do you have
no idea whoâs being malicious here and who started the provocation?â
The faces of the Hoffman mother-daughter duo turned pale and red alternately, unable to come up with a defense for
themselves.
Wyatt fixed his gaze on Celesteâs side profile, a hint of surprise glinting in his eyes as he raised an eyebrow.
His third wife, who had been with him for over twenty years, had always been characterized by her gentle demeanor and
reserved nature. It was the first time she had displayed such a commanding
demeanor.
Well, that is more like it.
It was about time to let outsiders see that the Thompsons w
to be trifled with.
âHmph! Ms. Thompson's verbal skills
are truly exce Hak : Fy gneremark,
and aol ith another ten
thousand. The valu
instilled in the Thompsons are remarkable!â
Liam, acting as the mouthpiece for Logan, seized every opportunity to
retaliate, portraying himself as a loyal
defender. âBut regardless axe! m
elaquence.ligs Thampadn:y u
C Kot alter the truth!â You've
slandered the innocence of the
Hoffman family, tarnishing our
reputation. We won't let this slide! Also, Ms. Thompson, now that
you're already the champion of the horse race, what more do you
want?â
Unable to contain his frustration,
Logan sneered, âDo you really have to
tarnish the Heffmaans cebutation lst
tdelevate yourselves to secure your
collaboration with Mr. Reed without
hindrance? Is that what you need to
achieve complete satisfaction?!â
Bella remained composed, although Wilsonâs expression betrayed a
hint of complexity.
Clearly, the remarks from the Hoffmans had struck a nerve.
Suddenly, almost simultaneously, everyoneâs phones buzzed.