Chapter 403: Blatant Evidence

+5 Pearls

"Exactly. You've really misunderstood; we were just—" Cecilia began, attempting an explanation.

Before she could finish, Isabella sharply interrupted, "Are you sure your mouths didn't collide when you fell?"

Cody and Cecilia both denied it, but Isabella remained unconvinced.

"Oh really? You might want to wipe off that lipstick smudged all over your lips before you continue with your excuses," she said.

Isabella's words immediately drew everyone's attention to Cody and Cecilia's lips. Although Cecilia's lipstick was a subtle, natural shade, the smudges at the corners of her mouth were noticeable. The evidence on Cody was even more glaring—his lips were stained with a different color, unmistakably Cecilia's lipstick. The kiss must have been passionate enough to leave its mark. Christopher chuckled. "If you're going to cheat, at least learn how to cover your tracks. You're downright amateur."

The Quirks laughed.

Cody and Cecilia were speechless, unable to defend themselves. Wiping their lips only confirmed Isabella's accusation.

The atmosphere shifted. Everyone's perception of them changed drastically. Cody, the eldest son of the Simmons family, caught in such a scandal? It was almost unbelievable.

Isabella smirked. "If nothing else, they've certainly mastered the art of lying. No shame, no hesitation—makes you wonder how many times they've fooled Janice."

The turn of events was unexpected. Isabella, without hesitation, exposed the couple. Although she worried about Janice's reaction, she couldn't stand idly by. After all, she was the lady of the family and responsible for those under her care. It was better to end the pain quickly than prolong the agony.

Turning to Janice, Isabella said, "Do you see now? You've been deceived."

Janice didn't cry, though her eyes were red-rimmed. Her expression was cold as she slowly nodded. "I've known all along that I was being deceived. From the very beginning, Cody never truly cared for me. His affection was always for Cecilia. That's why he kept siding with her, hurting me repeatedly…"

As she spoke, Janice laid bare her heart, confronting the painful truth. Her cherished memories were illusions, distorted by rose-colored glasses.

Cody panicked. "Janice, you… How could you dismiss my feelings? I can explain. I…"

"Cody, the moment you sided with Cecilia without a second thought, and allowed me to be wronged, I should have seen the truth. I was only fooling myself, giving you the power to hurt me. From now on, we're no longer a couple. You're free to be with anyone." Janice delivered a quiet, resolute farewell.

"You… You want to break up with me?" Cody stammered, incredulous. "Don't forget, you're the one who fell for me! I'm the one who gave you the chance to be my girlfriend!"

Cody's words were nauseating; he still acted as if he'd done Janice a favor.

For a moment, Janice considered arguing, reminding him that he had made the first move. But she realized the pointlessness. He could say what he wanted. She had loved him, and that couldn't be denied. Arguing would only complicate matters further.

Because of Janice's gentle nature, Isabella missed an opportunity to press further.

"I fell for you because I was blind," Janice said coldly.

Rosalie hugged Janice sympathetically.

Cody was about to curse when Isabella interrupted, "Aren't you going to ask him why he did that? He clearly likes Cecilia, and he should have dated her. Why did he have to publicly confess his feelings for you and date you while secretly having an affair with Cecilia?"

Isabella knew the reason but couldn't reveal it. She hoped to force Janice to confront Cody, ending their relationship.

Cody's bravado vanished; his eyes darted around anxiously.

(Note: The final sentence fragment "Janina raid harsnics memena in 1/2 45 Mon," appears to be unrelated and has been omitted.)