Chapter 76

"Wait!" Nathan's commanding voice cut through the tension.

Hearing Evelyn's words, an unfamiliar rage surged through Nathan's veins. His voice remained deceptively calm as he spoke. "Ms. Carter, don't you owe me an apology?"

Julian Montgomery sighed heavily, resisting the urge to physically silence his friend.

Evelyn felt a sharp pang in her chest. She turned to face Nathan with icy detachment.

Nathan felt as though her piercing, disappointed gaze had sliced through his very soul.

"It wasn't Evelyn! It wasn't her!"

A gentle, melodic voice suddenly rang out, startling everyone present.

Evelyn's eyes brightened instantly at the familiar sound.

"Eleanor!"

A delicate girl in a simple white dress came rushing toward them, her distinctive cauliflower hairstyle bouncing with each step. The fair-skinned young woman's face was a picture of innocence.

This ridiculous hairstyle was Cassandra's handiwork.

In the Blackwood household, Cassandra had always viewed her younger sister as competition.

Consumed by jealousy over Eleanor's natural beauty, Cassandra took every opportunity to humiliate her. Whenever they appeared together in public, Cassandra would deliberately sabotage Eleanor's appearance, terrified of being overshadowed.

Eleanor, being autistic, had grown increasingly withdrawn over the years. Around strangers, she would typically hunch her shoulders and retreat into silence.

During Evelyn's three-year marriage to Nathan, she and the housekeeper Agnes had been the only ones to show kindness to this neglected sister.

Since leaving the Blackwood family, Evelyn had often thought about Eleanor.

Never did she imagine their reunion would happen under these circumstances.

"Foolish girl! What nonsense are you spouting?" Cassandra snapped at her sister with venom. "Besides Victoria, Evelyn was the only one in that bathroom. If she didn't do it, who did?"

"No! Not Evelyn! Not Evelyn!" Eleanor stammered anxiously, her hands trembling.

"Eleanor, stay out of this. Go play by yourself!" Penelope Whitmore glared at her youngest daughter with disapproval.

Clenching her small fists, Eleanor nervously approached her half-brother. "Nathan! Evelyn didn't do it!"

"Why do you say that, Eleanor?" Nathan's tone softened remarkably when speaking to his fragile sister.

"I saw it! I-I was in the bathroom too! I saw everything!"

Gasps filled the room. Victoria's face drained of color.

Evelyn stood frozen, shocked that Eleanor had witnessed her confrontation with Victoria.

"I saw Ms. Sterling come to argue with Evelyn... Evelyn tried to leave but Ms. Sterling wouldn't let her go..." Eleanor gestured wildly as she spoke, tears forming in her large eyes. "Ms. Sterling grabbed Evelyn's wrist and took her bracelet... Then she broke it herself... Then she ran out screaming... But Evelyn never touched her! I saw everything!"

"Eleanor..." Evelyn's voice caught in her throat, her eyes burning with unshed tears.

She knew how terrified Eleanor was of crowds and confrontation. Yet here she was, bravely standing up for Evelyn's innocence before everyone.