Chapter 280: Revealing Everything

"No wonder she was so lively before. She's quite the actress!"

"Thinking back on how she relentlessly smeared her brother's name makes me sick to my stomach."

"They're insane! Mother and daughter are insane, treating their own family like this."

"They're not only deranged, but vicious. Malice is in their very being. 'Evil' and 'cruel' could be etched onto their foreheads. It's a misfortune for Damien to have such relatives."

"Joining forces with outsiders against their own son is incomprehensible."

"Oliver's no better. He called Damien an animal—the pot calling the kettle black!"

"Still playing the victim? He should look in the mirror before claiming such a role!"

"What a scumbag! He conspired to sabotage his cousin, even offering his fiancée. Look at the Carney family's expressions—utter humiliation!"

The Winters family looked grim. Everyone's eyes turned to Lydia. As Oliver's mother, they expected her to be furious. Surprisingly, she remained calm and composed. Seeing this, Ava was livid, her eyes blazing with rage. She struggled violently; if not gagged and restrained, she would have berated Lydia.

Isabella, initially enjoying the spectacle, sensed something was amiss. Ava's animosity toward Lydia was undisguised. Was it simply because Lydia had them restrained?

Oliver had revealed everything. Seeing Damien's upset expression, he chuckled. "I haven't treated you unfairly. I never touched Deborah, and now she's all yours. Consider her a trade for the heir's position. You're already down and out. Once Deborah returns, everything ends."

Pausing, Oliver arrogantly continued, "Perhaps, if you kneel and beg, I might spare you some dignity. Don't dream about the heir's position. You're destined to be defeated by me."

Damien's demeanor shifted. He scoffed, "Defeated? You used despicable tactics and are proud of it? You've let Aunt Lydia down."

"Shut up! I gave you a chance, but you won't take it? Fine. I'll ensure you're convicted for forcing yourself on Deborah." Oliver's rage flared at Damien's defiance.

"Hah! Do you think Deborah will cooperate after you drugged her?"

"She's a woman who[The following text is unintelligible]"

"enough, she'll play the victim later. Otherwise, her reputation is ruined. But even if she pretends nothing happened, it won't work. It depends on whether I agree," Oliver said smugly. Damien chuckled. "Do you really think everything will work out in your favor?"

Oliver, engrossed in his scheme, missed the shift in Damien's tone.

"What? You think I can't do it? It's simple; we get a doctor to examine Deborah to see if she's been with someone! No excuses. If she refuses, she's hiding something!" A fist connected with flesh.

"What right do you have? Who do you think you are?" Damien was furious.

He'd skillfully set a trap, but Oliver's shameless assumptions threatened his composure.

Even Isabella and others hadn't anticipated Oliver's moral blackmail—an insult to Deborah's dignity.

Everyone looked at Deborah on stage. Her eyes were downcast, her face like ice.

"Go ahead, hit me. The harder you hit, the worse they'll think of you later, hahaha!" Oliver, unable to win a fight, provoked Damien.

Damien panted, then laughed coldly. "Oliver, you're beyond redemption. But don't be smug; do you really think you can succeed? Nothing happened between Deborah and me." Oliver was taken aback. "Impossible! If nothing happened, what were you hiding?"

"Don't you know how long the drug lasted?" Damien's voice was icy. "If we were up to something, do you think I'd be awake?"

As expected, Oliver doubted himself and didn't respond.

"True, I was drugged, as was Deborah, but I remained alert. I hurt my hand to stay awake while waiting for rescue," Damien continued.

Oliver seemed to have a moment of clarity. "Alexander and Isabella!"

"That's right. Our friends brought a doctor, and we just returned," Damien said. "Your plan is useless. Deborah is innocent. You can't harm her." Oliver's triumph was interrupted; his face darkened. He glared, then laughed.

"So that's it? Why did you ask to meet alone if you're unsure? Even if you insist nothing happened, who'll believe you? We found a crime scene! I can still demand Deborah be investigated, whether she agrees or not. I've made my suspicions clear. I refuse to believe the Winters family would announce you as heir with this hanging over you!"

"What crime scene?" Damien frowned.

Oliver was smug again.

"The room after you slept together."

"Bullsh*t! That's another one of your setups."

"So what? You're unlucky because that was left by me and your sister. It's your fault for hiding. Since someone discovered it, I decided to leave it for you, hahaha."

Oliver still hurt Damien through his family. Flaunting his affair with Damien's sister and their plot deeply satisfied him.

But for Damien, it no longer mattered. His heart had broken from his mother and sister's manipulation.

Astonishment reigned in the ballroom. Everyone lamented. No wonder the ungrateful sister treated her brother this way—favoring outsiders.

The wealthy world was chaotic, and Damien was unfortunate.

Ruby's face was red. Though she'd slept with Oliver, she didn't want to be discussed. Oliver, unable to hold his tongue, had revealed everything.

It was truly over.

Unnoticed, Ava, who'd been struggling, quieted as if her spirit had left her body. She was still as death.