Chapter 1074: Blame

Roxanne hadn't explained herself clearly, but Lucian inferred the problem. Essie must have upset her, prompting a confrontation. Roxanne sensed the shift in his mood; the surrounding temperature plummeted. Instinctively, she distanced herself.

Upset by his thoughts about Estella, Lucian approached with an inquisitive gaze. As he neared, Roxanne dug her nails into her palms, striving for calm. "I think Essie is a bit stubborn," she said. "It may be due to her autism; she struggles to express her emotions clearly."

Lucian stopped. He knew Estella's stubbornness, but hadn't considered its implications. Her stubbornness intensified around Roxanne; she refused to listen to others, exacerbating her condition. Yet, time with Roxanne swiftly improved her. "How do you know this?" Lucian frowned, questioning Roxanne.

Roxanne turned, her gaze settling on Jack's parked car downstairs. She described the events: "Yesterday, I had a medical consultation scheduled with Mr. Damaris, but I had to take the day off to care for Essie. Worried, Mr. Damaris visited this morning with flowers. Essie misunderstood our relationship and punctured one of his car tires." A helpless sigh escaped her.

Lucian's gaze followed hers, darkening at the mention of Jack's name. "Do you have proof Essie punctured Mr. Damaris' tire, or did you rely solely on his account?" He trusted Estella implicitly; he couldn't conceive of her doing such a thing. The only explanation was Roxanne believing Jack's version and wrongly blaming Estella. Anger surged within him.

Roxanne was surprised. "Mr. Farwell, I understand the misunderstanding regarding my relationship with Mr. Damaris, but I've always treated Essie equally to Archie and Benny. Why would I falsely accuse her?" She wouldn't blame any child for something they didn't do. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Mr. Farwell, this may be hard to accept, but Essie confessed. I didn't believe it at first, but it's true."

Lucian's expression was glacial as he scrutinized her. Roxanne met his gaze calmly. "I don't want Essie to recount the incident. If you don't believe me, we can check the surveillance footage."

The truth was evident; Lucian chose to trust her. He frowned, looking away, his thoughts unreadable.