Piper sneered. "Do you think I'm an idiot? Everyone knows the truth! Even young Mr. Wright says it was you. Why are you still denying it?"

"There must be a misunderstanding, Piper."

Seeing the situation escalate, Suzanne intervened to help Gwenda. But Piper refused to listen. She flung Gwenda's hand away and snapped, "Madam, I respect you as my senior. However, I also ask you to be less biased! You can't condone this behavior from your granddaughter! Everyone saw it; she's the one who tried to hurt my grandson! There's no denying the evidence!"

"How can this be?" Suzanne frowned.

"Why not?!" Piper glared at Gwenda. "She just wants to hurt my grandson!"

"Gwenda, what exactly happened?" Suzanne asked solemnly, looking at her granddaughter.

Gwenda took a deep breath, wiped her face, and replied irritably, "What do you think happened? Two boys were fighting over a toy. I saw the older boy accidentally push Mrs. Kinney's grandson into the pool, so I jumped in to save him. Then Mrs. Kinney accused me of trying to hurt her grandson!"

"You're lying!" Naomi Wright (née Adams), the tall boy's mother, retorted harshly. "You're shameless, Gwenda Evans! You're trying to avoid responsibility by blaming a child!"

"I'm telling the truth." Gwenda gave Naomi's son a piercing stare. The boy trembled.

Naomi said, "Don't scare my son! Everyone heard him. My son said you pushed the child. Don't deny it."

"I pushed him? Do you dare have him repeat that?" Gwenda asked coldly.

"Why not?" Naomi gently urged her son. "Jimmy, tell them, did she push you?"

Terrified, the boy nodded. "She—she did!"

An uproar erupted. The guests whispered, "Who knew Gwenda was so deranged?" "Will Suzanne still protect her?" "Even the Reeds can't help her now. Can you really deal with Piper Kinney?" "Gwenda really asked for trouble this time."

Piper turned pale with rage. "What else do you have to say, Gwenda Evans!?"

"I already said it wasn't me!" Gwenda glared at the boy. "He's lying."

"Don't blame my son!" Naomi hugged her son protectively. "My son is well-behaved. He never lies!"

The guests joined in, shouting, "He's just a child! He wouldn't lie! You did it!" "Admit it, Gwenda!" They refused to let her speak.

Gwenda's expression darkened. Just as she was about to defend herself, a little girl, Ellie Kinney, emerged.

"Gramma" Piper turned to her granddaughter. "Ellie, why are you here? You must be frightened!"

"Gramma, that lady didn't push Sylas. You're wrong," Ellie said loudly, clutching Piper's hand.

Piper frowned. "Don't talk nonsense, dear. What do you know?"

"I saw it! That bad boy stole Sylas's toy and pushed him. That lady saved him!" Ellie pointed at Naomi's son.

Naomi's face darkened. "Miss Kinney, that's nonsense! My son wouldn't push anyone!"

"It's not nonsense! I saw it! He pushed Sylas!!"

The Wright boy turned pale and trembled.

Piper's expression changed. She glared at Naomi. "Naomi, you"

Naomi vehemently denied it. "She's mistaken! She's a child; she doesn't understand."

Gwenda sneered. "I wonder who said children never lie?"

Piper grabbed her grandson. "Tell me, did you do it?"

The boy cried, "I don't know I don't know"

Naomi rushed to protect him. "Mrs. Kinney, you can't accuse my son based on your granddaughter's words! He wouldn't do that!"

"Lies! Ellie saw it! It was your son! Get out!" Piper insisted, trying to get the boy.