Chapter 64:


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    As Joshua spoke, he staggered backwards, spitting out a mouthful of blood into the wastebasket. A small shard of ss was visible in the blood. His expression darkened as he tilted the bowl in his hand, revealing more shards sitting at the bottom.


    “What the hell is this?” Joshua''s voice was firm and full of anger.


    The room was plunged into chaos.


    Shelia ran to his side, her voice worried. “You''re bleeding! How is that possible? “Let me see where you’re hurt.”


    Joshua''s face twisted in fury as his gaze shifted to Georgia, who looked more than a little guilty. “Would you mind exining to me why there are shards of ss in the soup?”


    Georgia, as cunning as ever, feigned innocence. “ss shards? How is that possible?”


    Alicia, seizing the opportunity, yed along. She stepped back, trembling, pretending her legs were weak from shock. “If Joshua had swallowed that… his throat would have been torn out!” she gasped, grabbing his arm with a look of genuine concern. “Did you swallow something? Are you okay?”


    Joshua’s tense expression softened slightly. "No." Shelia exhaled in relief, but her eyes remained fixed on Georgia.


    “Useless,” thought Shelia. “Georgia can’t do anything right.”


    Stepping in to smooth things over, Shelia added: “Georgia probably wasn''t paying attention. Maybe she broke something and it fell into the soup without realizing it.”


    Georgia quickly seized on that excuse. “I''m sorry, Mr. Yates. I didn''t mean to. Ms. Bet pushed me earlier, and I felt dizzy…”


    Joshua mmed the bowl down. “You''ve been working here for years!” I snapped angrily. “How could you make such a stupid mistake?”


    Georgia, knowing how to manipte the situation, knelt down, her eyes filled with tears. “Mr. Yates, I really didn’t mean to.”


    Her kneeling, for an older woman, looked pitiful, and refusing to forgive her would make anyone look heartless. But Joshua was not easily swayed by such gestures. With Shelia present, he turned coldly to his mother. “Mom, she is your responsibility.”


    Turning to Alicia, Joshua pulled her closer, his expression full of concern as he checked her mouth. “Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?”


    Alice shook her head. “I only had a small sip.”


    She yed the role of a kind and serene woman effortlessly.


    Shelia''s expression darkened, but she couldn''t intervene or separate them.


    Still kneeling, Georgia suddenly broke the silence. “Mrs. Bet, did you do this on purpose?”


    The room fell silent again, the tension palpable. Alicia, genuinely surprised, asked, “Georgia, why do you say that?”


    Tears streamed down Georgia’s face as she sobbed. “You don''t like me. You pushed me into the pond today, and you still weren''t satisfied. “So you secretly added ss shards to the soup to frame me.”


    Alicia was speechless. If she could, she would have apuded Georgia''s performance. What a talented actress!Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Georgia wiped her face dramatically. “I know you don''t like me, but if you have a problem with me, why don''t you just take it up with me? Why does Mr. Yates give the soup? What if something had happened to him?”


    Shelia, taking advantage of the moment, intervenes. “That''s why you refused to drink it, Alicia! “You were waiting for Joshua toe back so you could hurt him.”


    Alice, her eyes now red, replied calmly, “But it was Georgia who brought the soup.”


    "Maybe you hid the pieces of ss beforehand and threw them away when no one was looking!" Georgia quickly added, fueling the usation.


    Alicia pressed her lips together, her gaze fixed on Joshua. Her eyes filled with tears. “Do you think it was me, too?” She tried to make the tears flow, hoping to make her argument more convincing. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t contain her emotions.


    Desperate, she resorted to physical pain. Alice pinched her arm hard from behind. The sharp pain worked, making her burst into real tears, even letting out a soft sob.


    Joshua had never seen her cry like that. His heart instantly softened and he pulled her into his arms. “I believe you. “I’ll take care of this.”


    Alice leaned into him, continuing her act, sobbing silently against his chest. “No one here likes me. I should go. “We can go our separate ways, but please don’t let me be the reason your rtionship with your mother is ruined.”


    Shelia stood frozen, unable to speak.


    Georgia, equally stunned, couldn''t react. They had never seen Alicia give such a convincing performance before.


    Jerald, fed up with the constant arguments, mmed his hand on the table. “Enough! “You’re making a scene over something trivial.”


    Georgia, not wanting things to go any further, stood quickly up and walked away without saying a word.


    Jerald stood up, his hands firmly nted on the table. His eyes locked with Joshua and Caden. “Come with me to the study, both of you. There’s something we need to discuss.”


    Shelia stepped forward, trying to calm the situation. “Jerald, maybe we should eat first. Let’s talk after dinner, okay?” Jerald pushed her roughly away. “Stay out of it!”


    Freshly taken with his medication, Jerald wasn''t as frail as he usually was. He marched off to the studio, with Joshua and Caden following close behind.


    When the door closed, the room fell eerily silent, leaving the women alone.


    Shelia dropped her fa?ade, her gaze sharp as she looked at Alicia. “You''ve gotten more shrewd since the divorce. No wonder Joshua still keeps you around.”


    Alice calmly wiped away the remaining tears from her face, her voice sweet but sharp. “Mrs. Yates, perhaps you''ll be a little more careful next time. If those shards of ss had really caused serious injuries, it would have been quite a problem.”


    Shelia''s expression darkened slightly.


    Alicia leaned back, rubbing her temple as a wave of dizziness hit her.


    At that moment, a loud shout came from the study, breaking the silence.


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