Chapter 132
132 Jasper Said Read Louder Please
3278
Finished
The one everyone thought was scheming and dangerous–Scarlett–turned out to be the actual victim. And the sweet, innocent Rebecca had become the arsonist.
Oliver needed to know the truth. If he didn’t, he was going to lose his mind.
Scarlett responded to his desperation with a cold laugh.
Taylor had called it a great show. But in truth, it wasn’t entertaining at all.
The ugliness of human nature only made her feel sick.
“Scarlett! ”
Martha seized the moment, stepped forward, and grabbed her by the shoulders.
“Rebecca must’ve been framed. You have to testify! She treated you so well back then–she shared everything good with you! She even told us to treat you kindly. How could you be so heartless? Tell me- what will it take for you to let her go? I’ll agree to whatever conditions you want!”
Scarlett finally looked her in the eye.
She narrowed her gaze and asked, “Are you serious ? ”
Martha’s expression lit up. Like I knew it !
“Yes. Say the word and I’ll make it happen. But you have to make sure Rebecca walks away from this unharmed.”
Scarlett smiled faintly. I’d been waiting for this moment .
“They say, when a child isn’t taught well, the blame lies with the parent.”
She glanced at Franklin and Martha.
“How about this–why don’t you both release a statement admitting that Rebecca’s thesis was plagiarized from my notes, and I’ll file for the fire investigation to be reopened. How’s that sound?”
All she said was to reopen the case–but as for what the outcome would be, that she couldn’t promise.
Martha’s fierce expression froze on her face.
Franklin’s turned a deep, angry purple. The entire hall fell into an eerie silence.
Until a low chuckle broke through the tension.
Jasper stood at the doorway, holding a medical report.
He blocked most of the light behind him.
His face was hidden in shadow, unreadable.
But the cold, unapproachable air around him sent chills down everyone’s spine.
No one dared question why he was there–or why he stood watching like it was a show. But with his arrival,
1/3
32
133 Jasper Said Read Louder Pinace
Pu
Martha immediately snapped back to her senses.
Her tone now was softalmost unbelievably so, compared to before.
“Scully.”
It was the first time that day she’d addressed Scarlett so gently.
It threw Scarlett off for a moment.
She was reminded of years ago, the first time she’d entered the Joyner family.
She’d seen such an elegant woman.
Finished
Martha had smiled and taken her hand, saying she wished her peace and happiness in life. In that moment …
It had fulfilled every fantasy she’d ever had about having a mother.
Too bad, that was the only time Martha had ever smiled at her like a loving mother.
After that came the cold, silent cruelty, without warning.
It had pushed her into self–doubt, made her believe she just wasn’t good enough.
So she worked harder, tried everything to be better, hoping Martha would finally notice her.
She’d struggled, fought for everything.
And after learning the truth, her heart ached like hell.
“Scully,” Martha said again, completely unaware or maybe just indifferent to the change in Scarlett’s expression.
“I know you probably hold some resentment toward me. Rebecca is a part of me, my own flesh and blood, and I’ve owed her for so many years. So yes, I care more about her. You’re jealous, you’re angry, you’re bitter–I get it. That’s normal. But even if you won’t forgive me, do it for the years I raised you. six years where you had food, clothing, and shelter. Let Rebecca go. At the very least, let her come home and rest. You know her health’s not good, her kidneys…”
Scarlett waved a hand.
Telling her to stop.
Because some things weren’t that simple.
“Ms. Martha, your love for your daughter is very moving. But I will still protect my own interests.”
Martha’s face changed instantly.
Dark and vicious–like she wanted to rip Scarlett apart.
But in the next second, a tall figure appeared beside Scarlett.
Blocking out all of Martha’s hostility.
The sheer force of his presence made it hard for anyone nearby to even breathe.
2/3
17:04 Sat , 9 Aug
132 Jasper Said Read Louder Please
“Ms. Martha, I assume you can read.”
Jasper’s eyes flashed with a cold gleam.
His voice was like it had seeped from an ice mountain.
“Perfect. Then read this carefully.”
He tossed the medical report in his hand onto Martha.
She had already felt uneasy when he first appeared.
Now that she saw him clearly and realized he was Mr. Fletcher, she didn’t dare make a scene.
With Jasper handing her those sheets directly, she didn’t dare ignore them either.
But the moment she read them over, her eyes flew wide open.
“No–no, this isn’t right!”
She suddenly spun around and yanked Eugene over.
“Eugene, look at this. There has to be something wrong with this report!”
Eugene glanced at it.
It was Rebecca’s most recent medical report.
Very thorough.
Especially the kidney section–it had been examined in the most detail.
The results showed that Rebecca only had a minor inflammation.
476
24 Filshed S~ᴇaʀᴄh the Findnøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access s of novels early and in the highest quality.