Chapter 71
Alice heard Chloe’s voice and knew, without turning around, what Chloe was up to.
Alice had been the target of Chloe’s schemes for years, so she could practically smell them coming
Without looking back, Alice grabbed the hem of her dress.
As Chloe approached, Alice stepped aside and subtly tugged at her hem.
Chloe, aiming to trip Alice, instead caught her heel on the flowing fabric. She stumbled, losing her balance in a most dramatic fashion, and fell, accompanied by the spilled glass of wine.
There was a towering champagne fountain situated smaXX–dab in the middle of the opulent ballroom.
Chloe fell right into the towering champagne fountain. The cascading bubbly crashed down on her, soaking her completely.
The whole thing happened so fast, and nobody saw it coming.
Alice remained perfectly still, a flicker of icy amusement in her eyes as Chloe screamed, a bedraggled, champagne–soaked mess.
Alice thought, “It’s been years, but Chloe’s silly tricks haven’t changed a thing.”
However, this time, Alice was finally done playing the victim.
The shattered fountain drew everyone’s attention.
“Chloe, are you okay?”
Luke and Noah rushed to Chloe’s side as soon as they realized what happened.
Luke, stepping over shattered glass, hauled Chloe up.“How did you fall so carelessly?”
Chloe, drenched and stinging from cuts and scrapes, seethed inside while she was bleeding.
She thought to herself, “It should have been Alice enduring this torment right now!”
She looked up at Alice, eyes brimming with manufactured tears, her voice choked with false innocence.“Luke, I…I just tripped. Nobody pushed me.”
Alice’s lips curved into a sardonic smile.
She had anticipated this play.
Noah noticed Chloe’s glare at Alice, wondering, “Could Alice have done this?”
He frowned.“Chloe, since it was an accident, be careful. Luke, get her to the hospital.”
Chloe stared at Noah, dumbfounded. That wasn’t the reaction she expected.
She’d intended to glare at Alice just to tell Noah that it had something to do with Alice.
She claimed she just tripped just to play the innocent victim.
In the past, Alice’s brothers would question Alice. But Noah’s reaction today didn’t go according to plan.
Luke, though, looked unconvinced. His tone hardened. “Chloe, tell me the truth. Did Alice make you fall?”
Chloe hesitated, then mumbled, “Luke, please don’t pursue further. It was none of Alice’s business. I just fell.”
Her subtext was clear.
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< Chapter 71
Luke scoffed, turning to Alice. “Why did you hurt Chloe? Is it because I brought her to the party, not your
He couldn’t think of another reason.
Alice raised her eyebrows slightly. “Luke, I had an invitation. I didn’t need anyone to bring me over.”
Her voice dripped with confidence.
Luke felt a pang of unease. “Don’t act innocent! You’ve always resented Chloe for stealing your spotlight. You wanted to humiliate her!”
Alice let out a short, sharp laugh. “What spotlight? She had nothing worth stealing at all*
Chloe’s face darkened.
Luke was speechless.
Jane chimed in sarcastically, “Everyone knew that Alice was the star of the night. As a wildly popular streamer, she was the main attraction! Chloe didn’t even have an invitation. Who was stealing whose spotlight?
Daniel added, “What’s wrong with you Welch family? Alice is the focus of tonight’s party. Don’t you know who’s using whom for clout?”
The comments stung Luke, making him look embarrassed.
Chloe, frustrated, looked at Luke with fresh tears welling up.“Luke, that’s enough. It was my fault. I tripped. It had nothing to do with Alice.”
She touched her wrist.“But…my bracelet… It’s broken. I remember it was so expensive.”
Luke saw the broken bracelet and glared at Alice.“Are you satisfied now?”
Alice’s response was indifferent.“Chloe’s jewels were from me. Forget about them since they are broken now. Why are you so petty, Luke?”
Luke was furious.“It’s not the same! Alice, if you refuse to confess, let’s check the security footage!”
Chloe looked nervous.“Luke, just let it go. We’d better not make a scene.”
Noah frowned. “Luke, Chloe said she fell. Just get her to the hospital.”
“No! I need to find out the truth today!”
Seeing Alice’s unconcerned expression only fueled Luke’s anger. He was determined to see Alice admit her
mistake.
Noah turned to Alice subconsciously.“Alice, tell me what happened exactly?”
Noah couldn’t believe that Alice was really responsible for it.
Alice’s eyes were cold. “I don’t care. Do you want to check the footage? Just go
ahead.”
Soon, hotel security provided a USB drive.
Luke snatched it over.“This will show the truth!”
He hadn’t seen the footage, yet he was certain the video would incriminate Alice.
The footage showed Chloe stepping on Alice’s dress, but Alice moved out of the way just in time.
Chloe, caught off balance, stepped on Alice’s dress and fell.
After seeing the footage, Alice remained indifferent. “Did you see it all, the so–called truth?”
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* Chapter 21
Noah looked at Luke coldly.“Did you see that? It had nothing to do with Alice! Chloe tripped herself!”
Luke, seeing the clear evidence, was convinced that it was an accident.
Meru
Embarrassed, he flushed and mumbled stubbornly, “Alice must have heard Chloe’s voice. She should have stayed still! Then Chloe wouldn’t have fallen!”
Everyone gasped. What a bizarre statement.
Noah yelled, “Luke, are you mad?”
Alice tossed her drink in Luke’s face.
Irritated, Luke roared, “Alice, what are you doing?”
The next instant, Alice threw her glass.
This time, Luke dodged it, and the glass smashed against Chloe.
Alice sneered, “Luke, why did you dodge? Didn’t you realize that dodging would cause Chloe to get hit? You’re so selfish.”
Luke sputtered, “Alice, you deliberately framed me!”
Alice’s gaze was laced with disdain.“I simply learned it from you.”
Jane exclaimed, “Yes. You said Alice should have stayed still, but you dodged so fast. Hypocrite!”
Daniel, coach of the Blitzkrieg Team, added, “It was clearly Chloe who tried to trip Alice on purpose, trying to embarrass her, and ended up hurting herself. Serves her right!”
Jane nodded.“Chloe owes Alice an apology!”
How could the Welch family ignore such an obvious truth?
Noah turned to Chloe.“Why did you step on Alice’s dress?”
The incident was undeniably suspicious.
Seeing her deception unraveling, Chloe bit her lip and feigned helplessness.“I was trying to catch up to Alice and accidentally stepped on her dress. I didn’t mean to.”
Luke insisted, “I know Chloe didn’t mean to, but Alice let her get hurt on purpose.”
Alice’s eyes
shone with mockery. “I’m used to such an outcome. It always goes this way.”
Noah felt a surge of guilt after hearing that.
He slapped Luke across the face, his eyes cold.“Luke, apologize to Alice!”
Luke was stunned.“Noah, it was Alice’s fault!”
He couldn’t understand why he was the one getting punished.
< Chapter 72
Mer
Chapter 72
