Chapter 14

The police presented the evidence Emma provided: proof of Layla and Elijah drugging her previously, and video footage of Elijah luring her into a room and attempting to give her drugged coffee.

"No way! Elijah would never do that! It must be Aria's idea. You must have tricked him, haven't you, Aria?" Madeline exclaimed.

Aria's lips paled. It was her idea; she'd obtained the drug from the dark web. How had Emma found out? Liam must know about this, she worried.

"This has nothing to do with me, officer. Emma framed me. You can't arrest me. It's my engagement party!" Aria panicked, pleading with the police.

Emma stepped forward, whispering in Aria's ear, "Welcome to hell, Aria. Like the engagement gift I had for you?"

"I'm not going! No! Get your hands off me!" Aria screamed, then, with a yowl, fell from the stage. Blood quickly stained her white dress.

"I'm bleeding! My baby!" Aria's scream and the sight of blood sent the crowd into a panic. Shouts of "She's bleeding! Call an ambulance!" filled the air.

Madeline's face drained of color. The Taylors' acceptance of Aria stemmed largely from her pregnancy with Elijah's child—a child precious to them. This was a devastating blow.

Madeline's eyes reddened. Glaring at Emma, she snarled, "You bitch. If anything happens to my grandson, you will be the murderer, and we'll make sure you go to jail."

The Taylors were beside themselves. Madeline lunged at Emma, but officers restrained her. From the onlookers' perspective, Emma had pushed Aria, causing a miscarriage.

Elijah's face was ashen, his eyes blazing with anger. His veneer of gentility shattered. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Emma, if anything happens to Aria, I swear I'll make you pay!"

Whispers rippled through the guests. Accusations flew: "That Emma Wilson is evil!" "She thinks she can do whatever she wants because of Liam Hall? That's a real baby there!" "Arrest her!"

The police, however, were unsure from their vantage point whether Emma had pushed Aria or if she'd fallen.

Emma's laughter echoed through the tense atmosphere. Her red lips curled into a triumphant smile, her dress shimmering. Unfazed by the gravity of the situation, her maniacal laughter unsettled the onlookers. "God, she's laughing! Is she out of her mind?"

Emma stopped laughing, approached Aria, and looked down. "Aria, do you know Elijah is infertile?" Her words sent a shockwave through the crowd.

"Bullshit!" Aria struggled on the ground, the ambulance still delayed. "You pushed me, and now you're lying! Ouch! My stomach hurts so badly!"

Emma's eyes iced over, assessing Aria's performance.

"The Taylor family has a history of infertility. For Elijah, natural conception is impossible. So, how did you get pregnant? Did you lie about the baby, or did you cheat on Elijah?"

A collective gasp followed. Exclamations of "Wow, what a drama!" and "No way! That's slander!" filled the hall.

"This is Elijah's genetic information," Emma said, tapping her phone. Elijah's genetic profile appeared on the screen. She'd seen it before, knew of the family's genetic issues, and, after overhearing Elijah discussing abortion, obtained the information, confirming his infertility. Aria's fall was a deliberate attempt to cover up an affair and frame Emma.

Stunned silence followed the revelation. Then, the ambulance arrived.