Alice, holding the trophy, watched with amusement. Her tone was gleeful."[Sixth Brother, you''re wrong: Dad''s right.]"


    Luke looked at her incredulously."[Alice, you have the video; you know I didn''t take the photos!]" "But Chloe said you were aplices, right, Chloe? That''s what you said, right?]”


    Alice looked at Chloe, who couldn''t escape so easily.


    Chloe stammered, "[1...I didn''t say that.]"


    You didn''t say it? So, you did it, and only you should be sued, right?]* That''s not what I meant!]"


    Chloe''s voice rose: she didn''t want fail! But she didn''t want to


    me her.


    fight with Luke and have him


    Alice clicked her tongue."[So you don''t want jail. Luke should go instead.]" "[Alice, must you push them this far?]"


    Chloe was close to tears. Alice''s tactic was cruel!


    Alice smiled."[Chloe, don''t worry. Your father did the Windhams a favor. Dad always taught us to be good to you, to repay your father. He wouldn''t let you go to jail, right?]” Chloe was stunned. Those words had been used countless times. To guilt-trip Alice. Alice looked at Luke, her tone t.“[Right, Sixth Brother?] He''d said the same thing! Luke''s face went through a series of expressions. He''d said those things without thinking. Now, the boomerang was hitting him, and it hurt.


    Luke''s father snorted.“[Alice, you know this. You should drop the charges. Your debt was to Chloe''s father, not us!


    "[That''s wrong."


    Alice''s voice was cold."[Chloe''s father saved me first, then went back for Mom and Dad, and the car exploded. He died saving our parents, not me.


    Besides me, you also owe


    owe Chloe.]"


    Luke''s father frowned."[We don''t need you to say that. I''ll have Luke take the me.]” “[Dad, if I go to jail, my career is ruined! It''s Chloe''s fault!]"


    Alice sighed.“[Sixth Brother, let''s talk about you. Chloe''s parents also did you a favor. How can you let Chloe go to jail?]"


    "[I didn''t do it.]"


    "[Even if you


    didn''t, yo


    you


    should think about Chloe. You owe her! You wouldn''t let a young girl ruin her life, would you? You''re so selfish."


    Alice continued earnestly.” [You''re a close-knit family. Is this how you act?]”


    Luke stared at Alice, speechless. He''d said those exact words. Karma.


    Alice felt immense satisfaction. She''d waited for this. They''d used guilt to manipte her. Now, it was their turn.


    52.IN


    Luke''s father couldn''t take it.“[Alice, stop. We understand.]”


    No, I must speak."


    Alice smirked."[Dad, let''s talk about you.]"


    Luke''s father was wary."[About what?]"


    "You''re an aplice! Knowing Chloe was wrong, you did nothing. You failed as a brother.] "[Alice, you...]"


    "[Let


    me finish. Aren''t you fair? As the head of the family, you should take responsibility.]” Alice looked at Luke''s father.“[You''re a close-knit family. How can you let your siblings fight and go to jail? You''re selfish.]” Stop pretending to be good. You''re involved.


    take responsibility.


    Luke''s father''s face turned green. He never expected to take


    Everyone was silent. Alice, her voice hoarse, held the trophy."[Speak up! You taught me this! Why not do it yourselves? You''re too selfish!]"


    They''d lectured her relentlessly, using the phrase "blood is thicker than water". Now, they couldn''t do it themselves? Hypocrites!


    Alice''s eyes were cold; she would expose their hypocrisy!


    Chloe''s face was pale. That bitch! She''d been waiting for this. This was meant to drive a wedge between her and her brothers.


    Chloe cried, looking at Luke''s father.“[Dad, it''s my fault. I''ll take responsibility. Don''t let Sixth Brother take the me.]*


    She needed to do something; everything was on the line. Alice''s maniption was ruthless.


    Luke''s father looked uneasy; Alice had implicated him. He hesitated."[Chloe, don''t worry. It''s not your fault.]* Alice interjected, smiling.“[See? Dad''sforting you. He''ll go to jail for you.]” “[Alice, when did I say that?!]


    Luke''s father was anxious..


    Alice was surprised.“[As the eldest, when will you step up if not now?]" "[But if I go to jail, my career is ruined! Who''ll run Windham Corporation?]"


    “[Dad, you''ll ruin your career, but Chloe will ruin her reputation. How will she marry?]”


    Luke''s father felt a pang of guilt."[But what will you eat and use if Windham Corporation fails?]"


    "[I''ll beg on the streets, but I won''t be selfish! Chloe''s father helped the Windhams; Dad, you won''t let her go


    to jail!]"


    Luke''s father was furious, but he couldn''t refute her. He''d said the same things to Alice.


    Luke''s father was unwilling to yield.“[Alice, you keep saying we''re family. Why not drop the charges?]*


    You''re family, but I''ve cut ties; we aren''t family. Mr. Windham, you don''t want to take responsibility for Chloe?]"


    1


    Chapter Th


    "[Alice, is this even human?!"]


    Alice kicked


    a trash Over


    her can,


    eyes cold. You know it''s


    human.


    You said it every day!]"


    Luke''s father lowered his gaze, avoiding Alice''s eyes.


    Alice approached, pressing him. “[Speak! Mr. Windham, the head of the family, preaching about family loyalty,


    why are you silent?!"


    She grabbed his cor."[Mute? Can''t say it?]" Say it!