Chapter 5

###Chapter 5

Lewis immediately dropped to his knees in front of Hector. "Mr. Miranda, this has nothing to do with me!"

"It was Madam! She wanted to sell Ms. Meyer to some old man with a taste for abuse. I tried to stop her, but she threatened to kill my family if I didn't help her..."

Hector's expression turned icy. He grabbed me by my long hair and yanked my head back.

"Beatrice, Kendall only replaced your gold beads and exposed your lies, and you tried to sell her off!"

My heart had never felt so cold.

I roared, cutting him off. "I'm not as vicious as Kendall!"

Hector snatched my phone from me and checked it.

A few seconds later, his expression darkened further. He slapped me hard across the face.

I staggered and fell to the floor as he threw my phone down in front of me. "Then what is this?!"

On the screen was a post from an underground human-trafficking marketplace. The person in the photo was Kendall.

Kendall let out a shriek and collapsed into Hector's arms. "Beatrice, I never imagined you'd hate me this much. I'll resign and leave Mr. Miranda, okay? I only ask that you let me go!"

Hector shielded the tearful Kendall in his arms, his brows drawn tightly together. "Beatrice, what else do you have to say?"

I looked at the corner of Kendall's lips, secretly curled into a smug smile.

Then I looked at Lewis, who kept his head lowered in silence.

Wasn't this exactly the trap she had laid for me?

If Hector had already decided not to believe me, was there any point in explaining?

Hector walked over, grabbed my head, and slammed my forehead against the floor in Kendall's direction.

He didn't let go until blood was streaming down my forehead.

"Like mother, like daughter. Maybe your mother really should have died. The world would be better off without her."

With a disgusted glance, Hector took Kendall's hand and led her away.

He never once looked back at me.

I curled up on the floor, the pain sinking so deeply into my soul that eventually, I could no longer feel anything at all.

Suddenly, the sound of helicopter rotors came from outside the window.

A beam of light swept through the room and a figure swiftly climbed through the window.

"Are you Miss Hudson? Professor Montgomery sent us to get you out."

I looked at him and managed to whisper weakly, "I'm Beatrice Hudson."

The man in tactical gear hurried over and carefully gathered me into his arms.

"Hold on tight. We're leaving."

I nodded and used what little strength I had left to wrap my arms around his neck.

He carried me onto the helicopter and settled me into a spacious seat before taking off his jacket and draping it over me. Then he skillfully treated the wound on my forehead.

"Get some rest. We'll be there soon."

The helicopter flew into the distance, disappearing completely into the darkness.

I closed my eyes and finally surrendered to exhaustion.

Hector, goodbye. I never want to see you again for as long as I live.

...

When the sun rose again, an account under the name "Leila Hudson" posted an apology and clarification video.

For a time, the internet was flooded with insults directed at my mother and me, along with sympathy for Kendall.

Hector sat on the sofa drinking coffee while Kendall nestled against his shoulder, holding a tablet.

She looked utterly satisfied and gave Hector a sweet smile. "Thank you, Hector. You helped clear my name. Maybe now my depression can finally be treated."

"But aren't you worried Beatrice will be angry?"

Hector snorted. "I did this for her own good. I want her to understand how terrifying the backlash of public opinion can be. Once she learns her lesson, she'll naturally behave herself."

Just as he finished speaking, another video suddenly shot to the top of the trending searches.

"Our team has verified that the apology video posted under Ms. Leila Hudson's name is fake. It was generated using AI."

"Ms. Hudson couldn't possibly have recorded this video herself. She died in a car accident just one week ago! So tell me—can a dead person come back to life?"

The revelation sent shockwaves through the internet, leaving everyone caught in a maze of conflicting claims.

Hector's face turned dark. "Beatrice, I think you really want me to chain you up!"

The next second, the video displayed an official death certificate stamped by the hospital.

The deceased's name was clearly written: Leila Hudson.

Hector's pupils contracted.

The image of Beatrice's despairing, tear-streaked face flashed through his mind, and his heart began pounding wildly.

Could it be... Could it be that Beatrice hadn't been lying? Could her mother really be dead?

Still reeling from disbelief, he saw the butler rush into the room, gasping for breath, his face filled with panic.

"Mr. Miranda, this is bad! The police are here!"

Two police officers stepped into the living room and presented their arrest warrants, wearing stern expressions.

"Kendall Meyer, you are suspected of stealing gold and of insulting and deliberately defacing another person's corpse."

"Hector Miranda, you are suspected of fabricating and deliberately spreading false information."

"Please come with us to the police station."

Kendall's face instantly went deathly pale while Hector's breath caught in his throat.