Chapter 304: A Scapegoat

Upon hearing this, Ines nearly collapsed, her knees buckling as she sank to the ground. Isabella and Alexander were dumbfounded. Elijah was so shocked he could only stammer, "You… how… it was him? Wait, that's not right. It wasn't an accident. So, you were planning to sleep with Aiden? You set him up! Why? How could you…?"

A flicker of unease crossed Yvonne's face. "It wasn't a setup," she stammered. "I just…" She was momentarily speechless.

Isabella was beside herself. The constant revelations were overwhelming. "So," she thought, "Yvonne got the wrong man. She believed she slept with Aiden and that the child was his. No wonder she treated him that way! Elijah said he left as soon as he woke up; Yvonne never learned the truth. She thought Aiden ran away because he couldn't face reality, that he knew about the encounter and the child. That explains everything!"

Isabella continued her internal monologue: "Then Elijah inadvertently revealed the truth, and now he wants to back out. Yvonne was wrong, so why should he take the risk? No one knows it was him—the perfect opportunity to escape! What a master of deflection, Elijah! Are you going to let Aiden take the blame?"

The Quirks were flabbergasted. As Aiden approached, their sympathy shifted from Ralph to him. One was betrayed; the other was about to be scapegoated. Father and son, both victims of circumstance.

Alexander hadn't anticipated such a series of mishaps. People saw only what they wanted to see, never questioning inconsistencies. He mused, "There was something between Yvonne and Aiden in the past, but Aiden doesn't remember her."

Lost in thought, Alexander heard Yvonne speak again. Perhaps Elijah's expressive, somewhat chauvinistic and emotional demeanor made her uneasy. Yvonne, perceptive as always, recognized that playing the sympathy card might be more effective. Confronted with her misunderstanding, she chose honesty.

"I didn't do it on purpose," she said, her voice trembling. "I took advantage of his drunken state… but I didn't think I'd get pregnant. I never intended for Aiden to acknowledge the child, so I never told him. I never expected to lose the baby; now we're both suffering so much." Her pitiful tone momentarily silenced Elijah.

"What do you mean? Did you two know each other? Was there something between you?" Elijah was genuinely surprised and curious.

"Yes, we've known each other for a while. We used to see each other," Yvonne replied, her voice serious.

Isabella thought, "What's going on? This is nonsense! She's lying. Aiden doesn't remember her. Did she have plastic surgery and assume a new identity?"

Alexander dismissed the idea. Perhaps, like that night, Yvonne was simply delusional. Everyone in their close-knit university group knew each other's lives. They knew Aiden only had eyes for Ines.

The two were inseparable in university. They planned to study abroad together, but the Deleon family sent Ines to a different country, forcing a long-distance relationship. They stayed in daily contact until Aiden, unable to bear the separation, dropped out of school to be with Ines. Given his devotion, there was no room for another woman.