Chapter 1545 How Pathetic You AreXylia lamented, “How could I possibly have such influence over you, to make you do whatever I
suggest? We've known each other for over a decade. Don't you know what kind of person I am?”
“Of course I do—you're a two-faced scoundrel,” Ysabelle said coldly. “You're quick to stab anyone
who's doing better than you. Your kindness and communication were just tools to get close to me, all
because Timothy is my cousin. You despise Johanna, so you constantly badmouth her in front of me,
telling me about her parents, trying to make me despise her too. Because you dislike her, you're afraid
that if you take things into your hands, my cousin will find out. So, you manipulated me, urging me to
wreck Johanna's studio.”
Xylia glanced at Timothy, her expression desperate. “Timothy, I promise you, I didn't manipulate
Ysabelle into anything. She's merely afraid of you and is trying to shift the blame onto me.”
“Are you implying that I'm naive compared to Ysabelle? That I'm the gullible one here?” Timothy leaned
back, his smile turning sly.
His attractive eyes held a certain predatory gleam, unsettling Xylia and making the hairs on the back of
her neck stand. “After all these years, you still doubt me and believe Ysabelle?”
“I didn't ask for your opinion. Just keep quiet,” Timothy's expression darkened.
He retrieved his phone and played a recording, revealing the confession of Quincey's assistant
regarding Xylia's involvement. The assistant had confessed to taking money from Xylia and planting
the ring to frame Johanna during the recent incident at Quincey's apartment.
Timothy turned his gaze to Xylia without a hint of amusement. “You were angry with the company foroffering the excellent opportunities that were originally yours to Quincey. Coupled with your animosity
toward my wife, who Hugh had supported and requested to style Quincey, you decided to bribe
Quincey's assistant. Like you, the assistant thought that hiding things wasn't a big deal, tempted by the
additional generous reward you offered. So, when my wife visited Quincey, the assistant carried out the
scheme discreetly. “You took your vengeance on both Quincey and my wife. You've played your cards
well.”
“I didn't do any of that.” Even in the face of evidence, Xylia continued to feign innocence. “Quincey
made her assistant frame me by hiding the ring due to her dislike for Ms. Joule. Quincey orchestrated
the entire incident, and her assistant pinned it on me because she had a meeting with me.”
“If you believe the assistant framed you, then why don't you report it to the police?” Johanna, who had
kept quiet until then, spoke calmly. “Let the authorities investigate, and we'll see who's telling the truth.”
Johanna's unexpected move caught Xylia off guard, causing her to clench her teeth.
At that moment, a server knocked on the door, entering with several bottles of vodka. Timothy
instructed him to open the bottles and fill the row of empty glasses on the table.
Gesturing toward the drinks, Timothy commented casually, “Start drinking, and keep going until my wife
decides whether to accept your apologies.”
When it became clear that Timothy included both of them in the statement, Ysabelle's heart raced, and
she looked at the glasses on the table apprehensively. “Timothy, Xylia used me to—”
“The shop's vandalism was at your instigation,” Timothy interrupted. Ysabelle didn't dare to object further; she grabbed a glass of vodka and downed it. The fiery liquid
burned her throat like flames, causing her to wince in discomfort.
Unable to muster the courage for a second glass, she tearfully turned to Johanna and apologized,
“Johanna, I was wrong. I shouldn't have orchestrated the vandalism of your shop. I'm willing to
compensate you for the damages, twice over. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?”
Johanna didn't even spare her a glance, instead taking a slice of watermelon from the fruit platter and
beginning to eat it.
Xylia, who had been standing by, suddenly burst into laughter. “Timothy, you're pathetic. Even if you
cling to Johanna and use us as outlets for your anger, what's the point? Johanna doesn't truly love you.
Would you believe she treats the stray cats on the street better than she treats you?”
Timothy tightened his grip on the glass in his hand, his veins pulsing with tension. “Shut up.”
Xylia mockingly asked, “Can you contribute anything other than telling me to be quiet? Your facial
expression is quite unpleasant. Would you become angry out of embarrassment if I am incorrect?”