Chapter 87
The journalists in attendance captured every word, their cameras flashing incessantly. As Mrs. Chancer glared at Sarah, the
cameras turned to her, waiting for a dramatic statement.
But before she could speak, a figure stepped in front of Sarah. With just a sweeping glance, Zachary Reynolds made the
encroaching reporters retreat, their recording devices lowered in trepidation. His expression was dark, his gaze icy, and his
restrained anger was palpable. (1)
“You’re mistaken,” Zachary’s voice was sharp, cutting through the tension. “The man in that video wasn’t there for Sarah. He
was sent by Lucy to harass her. The conversation in the clip made that very clear. Do you take everyone here for fools?”
James’s face fell. Though the video had only played for a few seconds before it was cut off, a snippet of dialogue had revealed the
man blaming Lucy for orchestrating the incident against Sarah.
Mrs. Chancer, however, was beyond reason. “Of course you’re defending Sarah!” she shouted hysterically. “You’re taking her side and twisting the truth to harm my poor Lucy!”
“Mother, stop!” James cut her off, panic flashing in his eyes. The Reynolds family was not someone they could afford to provoke.
Sarah’s cold laughter rang out. “Mr. Reynolds merely stated the facts. Lucy, I’ve told you before that I want nothing to do with your family, but you’ve repeatedly gone out of your way to antagonize me. This is just me fighting back.”
“That’s not true!” Lucy’s voice cracked with desperation, her rage making her sound like a broken woman. “You wretched woman! You’re trying to ruin my birthday on purpose! It’s all your fault!”
She threw herself into James’s arms, sobbing dramatically. “Brother, look at her! She’s so cruel! You have to get revenge for me!”
The situation had spiraled out of control. Lucy’s humiliation was complete, but she wasn’t about to let Sarah walk away
unscathed.
“Sarah,” James said, his tone feigning righteous indignation, “regardless of what Lucy might have done, she’s still your former sister–in–law. If there were any issues, you could’ve addressed them privately with me. Was it necessary to blow things up like
this?”
Sarah stared at James’s self–righteous expression, feeling a wave of disgust. During their three years of marriage, she hadn’t. seen through his hypocritical nature. It was only after their divorce that she realized how despicable he truly was.
“James,” Sarah said icily, “where were your morals when your mother and sister stormed my workplace, accusing me of things T didn’t do and demanding my dismissal? Where were they when you witnessed Lucy’s antics at the Reynolds banquet? Now, because your family’s reputation is on the line, you suddenly want to play the peacemaker?
“If you’d been honest from the start and admitted you’ve always loved Charlotte, Instead of pretending our divorce was amicable, your mother and sister wouldn’t have spread lies about me cheating. Now you have the audacity to act noble? It’s disgusting.”
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Chapter 9
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James paled. “What are you talking about?”
Though he had never denied his feelings for Charlotte, he had been unaware of how his mother and sister had tarnished Sarah’s
reputation. Yet, feeling cornered, he doubled down. “Even so, I’ve always doubted whether you were faithful during our
marriage.”
her gaze of
Just as Zachary was about to interject, Sarah gently tugged on his sleeve, stopping him. She locked her on James and spoke steadily, “Do you have any evidence for your claims, Mr. Chancer? Slandering someone without proof, especially in front of so many witnesses, is defamatory and illegal. I could sue you for defamation and damage to my reputation.”
James’s face flushed with embarrassment, shifting between shades of red and green before he finally admitted, “I don’t have
evidence.”
“Then I suggest you stop making baseless accusations,” Sarah said mockingly. “Instead, why don’t you focus on controlling your sister? You wouldn’t want tomorrow’s headlines to feature an indecent video of Lucy, would you?”
Her words hit their mark, her gaze cutting to Lucy, who shrank back, her face ashen.
