“What nonsense are you spouting? Joss is not a fugitive from the slums.”


    Carrie stood there, ring at Molly, shouting in agitation.


    “Do you all still believe her? Hahaha…”


    Mollyughed more and more wantonly amidst the shocked crowd, then pointed her skeletal finger at Paige, her voice shrill and usatory, “Paige, do you dare raise your hand and show everyone the electronic shackle on your wrist?”


    Everyone’s eyes fell on Paige, bewildered by the sudden turn of events.


    The electronic shackle-it was a mark of those from the slums, the most direct evidence.


    Some instigators began shouting, “Show your hand! Show your hand!”


    The cries grew louder, heading toward a ridiculous crescendo.


    Rey stood there, furious, pointing at the crowd below and shouting, “Don’t go too far! Show it, then. How could our Peak Club president possibly be a fugitive!”


    Paige was on her way to bing a member of The Public Law Council. For Molly to publicly use her of being a slum fugitive was a direct attack on Paige’s future!


    Paige had nothing on her wrist. After spending so much time with her, how could Rey not know?


    After shouting, Rey stepped up to Paige and, without hesitation, grabbed her arm and raised it high.


    Paige’s expression remained emotionless.


    Nick and Carrie, who had guessed some of the truth, tried to stop him, but it was toote.


    All the cameras immediately adjusted their angles, focusing on Paige’s hand.


    Sunlight passed over Paige’s hand, delicate and fair like a work of art, and on her wrist, she wore a pure jade bracelet.


    But at this moment, fine cracks began to spread across the bracelet.


    Rey heard a faint crack. He looked up in shock, only to see that the cracks on Paige’s jade bracelet were increasing at a visible rate.


    “…”


    His eyes widened in disbelief as a shattering sound echoed, and the bracelet broke apart, its fragments falling into his hand.


    The sunlight dazzled everyone’s eyes.


    Under the gaze of all, Paige’s wrist, now devoid of the bracelet, revealed a silver electronic shackle.


    An electronic shackle, the mark of someone from the slums.


    “Paige…”


    Rey, nearly in shock, looked at Paige’s stillposed face, his hand instinctively letting go as he took a step back.


    She really was from the slums.


    Sometimes, guessing is one thing; confirmation is another.


    Bobby, M, and the others turned pale, staring in disbelief at Paige.


    The shackle on her wrist was like the statue of the goddess behind her-noble and elegant, but once covered in dust, the entire statue lost its halo.


    Paige stood there as Molly continued to shriek, but even the speakers couldn’t drown out the roar of the massive crowd.


    Jaden was already taking action. The security guards did their best to control the scene, preventing some of the more aggressive individuals from storming the podium.


    This was using the same method she had once used against Malik against her.


    Several security guards rushed onto the podium, standing beside Paige, bowing respectfully, “Miss, Assistant Jaden has instructed us to escort you away. We can hold a press conferenceter to exin the situation.”


    It’s toote.


    If she left now, she would only protect herself temporarily. All her previous efforts would be in vain.


    Paige stood there, looking at the crowd that had just been shouting their support for her, now moring for an exnation, using her of being a fraud…


    An exnation?


    Since there’s no retreat, then she wouldn’t retreat!


    Paige pressed her lips together, looked down at the shackle on her wrist, then resolutely grabbed the microphone from the podium, raising her voice, “That’s right. I’m not Joss. I’m Paige, the adopted daughter of the rkes, twenty-one-year-old Paige.”


    Her words were crisp and sharp.


    Her deration brought a hush over the entire square; everyone stared at her in stunned silence, while Molly sat on the ground, ring at her in hatred.


    Rachel sat among the crowd, her smile growing brighter.


    “Three years ago, I was framed by the rkes and sent to Wind Ind, bing a person of the slums. It was only then that I learned of the injustices, the rot, and the crime-ridden slums that people spoke of.”


    Paige spoke into the microphone, her voice clear and firm, “I changed my name and became a member of The Public Law Council for a reason. That reason is exactly what I said in my speech earlier-I want to perfect this country’sws. I want to make this country more equal. I want to reveal the truth about the slums!”


    The entire square fell silent.


    Jaden stood far away, looking at the figure on the podium, sweat beading on his forehead.


    The members of Peak Club stared at Paige, as if a cloud had just lifted from their president’s head.


    “The slums you know were never the real slums. The secrets they hold are enough to shake all of Country A.”


    Paige had already decided toy everything on the line.


    She knew if she didn’t speak now, she wouldn’t have another opportunity to stand before the public for a long time.


    She gripped the microphone, taking one step after another, “A century ago, Wind Ind was designated as the slums because it had be a breeding ground for crime and disease. Thews isting Wind Ind were passed to protect the nation, but I can tell you, all of this is false!”


    The crowd, massive as it was, remained eerily silent.


    “A century ago, the major corporations fought and killed each other. The losers were either crippled or blinded, all sent to Wind Ind. The remaining corporations, to maintain bnce, gradually turned Wind Ind into the slums it is today.”Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Paige continued to expose the secrets of the slums into the microphone, “Over the years, the so-called meritocracy was just a cover for the corporations, and ‘survival of the fittest’ was nothing but a lie. The poverty, crime, and disease in the slums… all had the corporations’ fingerprints on them!”


    Her words once again sent shockwaves through the crowd.


    What she revealed was brief but explosive, a secret so massive that no one could fullyprehend it all at once.


    Just as Paige was about to reveal more, the sound system suddenly cut out.


    Her voice could no longer reach every corner of the square.


    Paige paused, looking up to see numerous vehicles converging on the area. Arge group of uniformed officers pushed through the crowd, making their way toward the podium.


    They arrived quickly, just as nned.


    “Miss, quickly, let’s go!” The security guards, sensing the danger, hurriedly pulled Paige away.


    Paige pressed her lips together, following them, but before leaving, she cast a deep look at the Peak Club members. Some were confused, some fearful, and others were simply lost…