Chapter 302

Sarah felt confident now that she had "evidence." She said, "Owen, you've been fooled by Shermaine. She's not the saint you think she is. I saw her buying jewelry at Kingswood Plaza with some guy. They were all over each other, definitely more than friends. And today? She didn't go to prep, she checked into a hotel with him."

"I'm not making this up," she insisted. "My [people are] probably still there right now. Blaughter Kylie saw them and told me. Check the hotel security footage if you don't believe me. They're getting cozy with another man and going to a..."

It sounded bad, but it was just her side of the story. Everyone there trusted Shermaine's character. How could she be seeing someone else after getting engaged to Joshua? That wasn't like her at all. Joshua's expression turned colder by the second.

Sarah kept pushing. "Owen, a girl like Shermaine isn't good enough for Joshua. You need to think twice about this."

Owen lost it. "So what if she went to a hotel? Does that automatically mean she was doing something shady? The older you get, the more twisted your mind gets. I know Shermaine's character better than anyone. If you say one more bad thing about her, don't ever come to this house again. You're not family to me anymore."

Shocked by how fiercely Owen was defending Shermaine, Sarah wondered, "What spell did she put on him?"

She turned to Joshua. "Joshua, I'm not trashing your fiancée. This is the truth. Shermaine is two-timing you. She doesn't deserve you. Call off the engagement tonight."

Just then, Kylie, Janice, and Ruth were shown into the parlor by a maid. Janice and Ruth frowned at Sarah's accusations, while Kylie watched eagerly for Joshua's reaction.

She thought, "Grandma has done her job. Surely he'll break things off once he knows Shermaine's true nature."

Joshua ran his thumb over the platinum ring on his ring finger, his eyes as fathomless as a deep pool. "In our family, when we commit to someone, it's for life. But you're an exception, Aunt Sarah," he said coolly. "Abandoning your husband to remarry abroad. With your track record, do you really think it's appropriate to badmouth Shermaine?"

Sarah's face paled. That was the skeleton in her closet, and having Joshua throw it in her face was humiliating.

Joshua asked coolly, "You say Shermaine isn't good enough for me. So who, in your opinion, is?"

Taking his question as a sign of openness, Sarah pressed on. "My granddaughter, of course. Kylie is talented and has integrity. Joshua, Kylie has feelings for you. After calling off the engagement, give her a chance. I guarantee she's a thousand times better than Shermaine."

Her words were laughable. Since when did her promises hold any weight? The truth was, Owen had never liked Kylie. She was manipulative, two-faced, and arrogant enough to think she was unmatched. In his eyes, she couldn't hold a candle to Shermaine.

Kylie was confident Joshua would heed her grandmother's advice. She'd dressed exactly to his taste that day, certain he'd be captivated.

Then Joshua spoke, his voice low but lethal. "Is that so? Because in my eyes, your granddaughter doesn't even come close to Shermaine in any way."

Kylie's expression crumpled like paper.

"A woman who goes out of her way to fish for attention from a man with a fiancée, and you're talking to me about her integrity? Aunt Sarah, did you ever teach her what decency means?" Joshua rarely snapped, but when he did, his words cut to the bone.

He continued, "You broke ties with our family when you remarried abroad. Grandpa only let you back in out of respect for blood. Don't confuse hospitality with status. Also, Aunt Sarah, my wife is none of your concern. We can't afford your 'prestige' tonight. Please leave with your granddaughter. Now."

'Wife? Didn't he say fiancée?' Sarah wondered. Her face went pale. "W-wife?"

Owen exploded. "Exactly. Shermaine is already Joshua's wife. They registered months ago. I never thought you'd sink so low as to plot against Joshua. Kylie isn't fit to be my granddaughter-in-law, and your delusions stop here. Both of you, get out."

Kylie was stunned that they didn't mind Shermaine seeing another man. 'Aren't Wallington people supposed to be traditional?' she wondered.

She stepped forward. "Joshua, you must care about her actions. You're just pretending to be gracious for appearances."

Just then, Shermaine arrived at York residence with Roy and Lily, fresh from rescuing Lily from the hotel. As they entered, Shermaine heard Kylie's accusation and raised an eyebrow. "Care about what, exactly?"