Chapter 326: Stop Changing the Subject
Yvonne, desperate and reckless, admitted, "Yes, I was once with Aiden. When we were studying abroad, we"
Aiden scoffed, interrupting. "Are you two trying to blame me for your mess? You sure love shifting blame." He glared coldly at Yvonne.
Yvonne gazed at Aiden with a look of frantic love, but his words cut through her: "To be honest, I didn't know who you were before returning to the country. I don't know what gave you the courage to think I had anything to do with you. You're like a deranged stalker—even an obsessive fan isn't as terrifying."
The humiliation chilled Yvonne to the bone. Her imagined place in Aiden's heart shattered. Even if he rejected her, how could he insult her so?
"Aiden, are you trying to erase our past? That night, you said you loved me!" Tears streamed down her face.
Aiden retorted casually, "Next time you sleep with someone, make sure who it is first, idiot." He then produced his phone, playing two voice messages for everyone to hear. These messages, recently received, vindicated him before Ines.
The messages detailed a conversation with the host of a gathering Aiden had attended before dropping out of school. Aiden inquired about Yvonne's activities that night, having left himself. The host teased, "Yvonne? Finally noticed her? A bit late, don't you think? We all saw her pining for you, but you were blind, focused on your fiancée. She drank with you one night, maybe to give up on you. But you left her drinking with Jett. You probably didn't know Jett liked her, so she was likely with him that night. But she rejected Jett later, and he stopped hanging out with us."
Silence fell. The onlookers understood this proved Aiden's innocence, but the situation remained confusing. One thing was clear: Yvonne had been pursuing her stepson. Her previous kindness to Ralph seemed merely respectful.
However, given Aiden and Ines's ostentatious display of affection, Yvonne's pursuit hardly painted her in a favorable light. The crowd's contempt was palpable; Yvonne's face drained of color.
If the night at the manor had been an accident, she could have salvaged her relationship with Aiden. But these revelations shattered her illusions. She recalled Jett's persistent pursuit, but her love for Aiden, who had suddenly left school, had blinded her to everything else. She remembered Jett offering to take responsibility, a fact she'd completely ignored.
She believed the night they confessed their feelings was their closest moment. How could she admit to being confused and intoxicated?
"You heard that," Aiden said. "Stop blaming me. I won't be your scapegoat. It's always been Ines. I don't even know you." He ignored the distraught Yvonne and addressed Elijah. "Uncle Elijah, stop changing the subject. I can prove my innocence. What about you? Will you take a DNA test to determine if the child is yours?"
The crowd's attention immediately shifted to Elijah. Ralph also turned to his younger brother. Under intense scrutiny, Elijah's face flushed, and he recoiled, speechless.