Chapter 59

Shirley suspected Jonathan was siding with Cynthia. Did they have a close relationship? She remembered Cynthia interviewing Jonathan exclusively—perhaps that's where they became acquainted.

But Shirley dismissed the thought. Jonathan and Cynthia were probably just friends; Cynthia was Filip's wife, and Shirley had no reason to worry.

To reassure herself, Shirley confirmed with the Cloudtop Restaurant manager that there were no surveillance cameras. No one had witnessed the incident, and she doubted any evidence remained.

Feeling emboldened, she decided to smear Cynthia's reputation. "Mr. Bennett," she said, "Cynthia and Lilian have a personal grudge. Cynthia pushed Lilian—tried to kill her baby."

Jonathan's expression remained cold. "From what I know, Ms. Jones has no reason to do that."

The crowd murmured. Jonathan's connection to Cynthia and his protectiveness were obvious. Shirley thought, "What does he mean by 'what he knows about her'? How well do they know each other?"

She laughed mockingly. "Mr. Bennett, Cynthia is in love with Filip, but he loves Lilian, who's pregnant with his child. Cynthia's jealousy drove her to attack Lilian."

The crowd seemed to grasp the situation. The rumors were true. They turned to Filip, heir to Yates Construction, whose imposing presence made it easy to believe someone might be obsessed with him.

If Cynthia were the biological daughter of the Jones family, she might have been a suitable match. But she wasn't, and her birth family's troubled reputation made her unsuitable.

"So, you're saying Ms. Jones targeted Ms. Sheppard out of jealousy and love for Mr. Yates?" Jonathan asked.

Shirley couldn't reveal that Cynthia was Filip's wife and Lilian the other woman. Cynthia, too proud, wouldn't reveal it either.

Pressing on, Shirley said, "Of course. Filip is exceptional, and Cynthia has pursued him for a long time. He and Lilian are in love, but Cynthia interferes."

Shirley cared only about ruining Cynthia in front of Jonathan. Jonathan chuckled. "That makes no sense. How could my girlfriend be after another man?"

The room fell silent. "His girlfriend?" someone whispered.

Everyone was stunned, including Shirley. 'Cynthia? His girlfriend? Impossible!' she thought.

Jonathan casually put his arm around Cynthia, gazing at her affectionately before addressing the room. "Don't we make a good pair?" he asked, the tenderness in his eyes evident.

The aloof Jonathan's display of warmth shocked everyone. Nearby socialites were envious. Shirley stood frozen.

Chapter 59

'Cynthia? Jonathan's girlfriend? It doesn't add up!' Shirley thought. Her anger flared. "Mr. Bennett, you're mistaken! Cynthia has a husband!" she blurted.

Shirley's thoughts raced. Cynthia's beauty made Jonathan's attraction understandable, but surely he didn't know she was married. Confident she had exposed Cynthia's lie, she pressed on, determined to reveal the truth.

Jonathan remained unfazed. Calmly, he asked, "Oh, really? My girlfriend's married? Tell me who her husband is."

Shirley froze. She and Lilian had fabricated the story, portraying Cynthia as the homewrecker. Revealing Cynthia and Filip's marriage would flip the narrative, exposing Lilian as the mistress and Shirley as her accomplice. The Yates family wouldn't take it lightly.

Lilian watched nervously, fearing Shirley's confession. Filip frowned, noticing Jonathan's hand on Cynthia's waist.

Shirley attempted to salvage the situation: "Regardless, Cynthia is married. She's deceiving you—she's cunning and malicious."

Jonathan's expression turned icy. "You've slandered her and accused her falsely. You are malicious and indecent."

Publicly labeled malicious was humiliating. Shirley trembled with rage as whispers filled the room. The judgment stung.

Her voice shook. "Mr. Bennett, you can't make accusations without proof. Even if Cynthia is your girlfriend, you can't ignore the facts to protect her. She pushed Lilian—we all saw it! That shows how ruthless she is."

Jonathan smiled coldly. "Are you sure? If not, you're falsely accusing her. Ms. Jones, do you want to face the consequences of framing my girlfriend? Will you swear you're telling the truth?"

Shirley felt the weight of his threat. His stare was menacing, but she was focused on destroying Cynthia.

"I swear I saw Cynthia push Lilian! If I'm lying, the Jones family will go bankrupt, and I'll live in poverty!" Shirley exclaimed.