Chapter 164


    No sooner had the words left his mouth than the people around began to echo in agreement, finding


    Brielle shameless for maintaining suchposure at a time like this.


    There had been whispers that Brielle had been bullying Lillian in the Haywood household, putting on


    one face in public and another behind closed doors. It seemed now that those rumors were not


    unfounded.


    Brielle took a sip of her wine, her tone nonchnt. “When I was brought back to the Haywood family, I


    was only ten. Do you really think a ten–year–old child could y the entire Haywood n like puppets,


    even fooling hospitals and orphanages? Doesn’t that sound absurd to you? She makes an usation,


    and you all believe it? If I really had such power, the Haywood shares should be mine, shouldn’t they?


    But do I have them?”


    Brielle swirled the red wine in her ss, the liquid glistening against her pale fingertips. “The Haywoods


    made their own mistakes, yet they want me to take the fall, to apologize. Why should I?”


    The question ‘why should I?‘ weighed heavily in the air, striking at the hearts of all who heard it. Indeed,


    Brielle had been only ten years old. Could she truly have been so calcting as to deceive everyone?


    Robert was a cunning old fox of the business world, and couldn’t see through a child’s trickery? The


    notion wasughable.


    The once certain crowd began to murmur doubts among themselves. Their eyes shifted to Robert


    amidst the crowd, noticing his dark expression, his lips tightly pursed, veins throbbing on his forehead.


    Meanwhile, Miranda on the stage was clenching her palm so fiercely that herplexion turned pale,


    confronted with a Brielle whose aura had never been so formidable. In the past, even if Brielle had


    been disagreeable, she was mostly docile.


    Miranda was shaking with fury, struggling to contain her emotions, but a reassuring squeeze from


    Lillian brought her back to her senses.


    “Bri, my earlier words weren’t targeted at you. I’ve spoken with the director of the orphanage. There


    was maniption behind the scenes, and we’ve all been victims. I’m pained for you, but my heart


    aches even more for Lillian. She’s my flesh and blood, yet she’s called me ‘Ms. Miranda‘ for years.”


    Miranda’s strategic retreat shifted the narrative. Her words made the crowd feel that Brielle was taking


    offense, especially since Miranda hadn’t explicitly used Brielle of any backdoor schemes.


    Who would be so quick to defend themselves? Surely, someone who felt they had been hit where it


    hurt.


    Brielle’s eagerness to clear her name only cast further doubt.


    1/2


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    Chapter 164


    Miranda had practiced this scene countless times in preparation for tonight..


    The crowd looked sympathetically at Lillian, recalling how Brielle had arrived at the soirée dressed to


    the nines. Was she trying to overshadow Lillian at this pivotal moment of acknowledgment, intending to


    cause trouble?


    The onlookers‘ gazes were like knives, stripping Brielle of her dignity. The women, already envious of


    Brielle’s beauty, felt they’d found their moment.


    “She’s been tormenting Lillian, the true youngdy of the Haywood family, all these years.”


    “Tonight’s probably thest time we’ll see her. With her status, she won’t be wee at such


    gatherings anymore.”


    “Weren’t there photos of her with Kenzo? Since he hasn’t addressed them, he probably just wants to


    avoid getting entangled. Give a woman like her an inch, and she’ll climb over you to reach the top.”


    Lillian listened to the whispers below, a faint smirk formed on her lips. This was her goal for the


    evening, to use the event to cast Brielle down into oblivion, never to rise again. Once the whispers had


    settled, she emerged as the peacemaker.


    “Bri, don’t misunderstand mom. She and I agreed that even after acknowledging me, she would still


    treat you as her own. She doesn’t intend to cast you aside. Dad also mentioned he’d find you a good


    match, ensuring you marry with honor.”


    She spoke with such sincerity in her eyes. How benevolent the Haywoods appeared. Even after


    Brielle’s earlier insolence, even though she wasn’t a true Haywood, they still epted her. They were


    even concerned about her prospects after her engagement to Spencer had been called off, going so far


    as to arrange a new match for her in advance.


    Who wouldn’t regard the Haywoods‘ actions as magnanimous? Certainly, if it were up to any of them,


    they wouldn’t be so considerate for a non–blood daughter. Wasn’t lineage what big families valued


    most?


    For Brielle to have been raised in such a family, it truly must have been her good fortune.