Chapter 4

I instinctively clutched my clothes, not letting her succeed.

The relatives kept fanning the flames from the side.

"Just let her lift your shirt and we'll know. Truth or lie, we'll see at a glance."

"Exactly. If you don't have that mole, won't that prove you've been wrongly accused? The fact that you're resisting so much means you have a guilty conscience."

"I think what Ethan said must be true."

Mrs. Hayes tugged at my clothes for a long time without success. Frustrated, she turned and shouted at the relatives: "Come help me!"

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone immediately responded.

Seven or eight hands reached toward me simultaneously. I was pinned in place, unable to move, could only struggle desperately.

In desperation, I looked up at Liam, hoping he would help me.

"Liam! Make them stop! I've been falsely accused!"

But he just frowned slightly, with no intention of helping at all.

"Stop shouting. At this point, is there any point in you still arguing?"

This sentence completely shattered my last hope.

The relatives' strength grew greater and greater. I could feel my shirt being lifted bit by bit.

Finally, my shirt was completely lifted, my waist fully exposed to everyone's view.

That mole appeared before their eyes.

"Ah! There really is a mole!"

"What Ethan said is all true! And she still wanted to call the police—talk about a thief crying thief!"

"I told you, there's no smoke without fire. How could Ethan slander her for no reason?"

Mrs. Hayes released my clothes with disgust, as if she'd touched something filthy, vigorously wiping her hands.

I pulled down my clothes as fast as possible and curled up on the floor, trembling.

My face had turned red from shame and anger.

Ethan walked up to me triumphantly, looking down at me from above.

"See, you kept denying it. Now you can't argue anymore, can you! I told you I wouldn't mistake you for someone else."

I collapsed on the floor, my brain racing.

Recalling everything that had happened today.

Vaguely, I seemed to grasp something that didn't add up.

A thought suddenly flashed through my mind, instantly connecting all the events.

I think I knew why Ethan was slandering me like this.

Seeing that I hadn't gotten up, Liam walked up to me with a frown.

"Get lost. You disgust me."

I used my hands to support myself on the floor, slowly standing up. Though my body still trembled slightly, my eyes were exceptionally firm.

I stared into his eyes and said word by word:

"Liam, who's the disgusting one between us? Today's events—you orchestrated all of this, didn't you?"

The moment the words fell, Liam's expression changed dramatically.

"Harper, what are you saying? You did those shameful things yourself and won't admit it. Now you're trying to throw dirt on me? Have you no shame?"

Mrs. Hayes immediately defended her son.

"Exactly! You shameless woman, you dare slander my son! I think you've lost your mind!"

I ignored Mrs. Hayes' shouting, my eyes moving back and forth between Liam and Ethan.

"Things I've actually done, I'll definitely admit. But things I haven't done—no one can force me to confess!"

I took a step forward, closing in on Liam.

"Everything Ethan said—you taught him to say it, didn't you! And those so-called evidence photos, you personally composited them, didn't you?"

As soon as these words came out, the Hayes family relatives were stunned, all focusing their eyes on me, Liam, and Ethan.