The Triplets My Ex Never Knew About

Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Face-Slapping Noelle Lockwood, How Do You Explain Yourself

No one expected the truth to come out so quickly. This fire, from start to finish, had nothing to do with Estelle Lockwood!

Noelle Lockwood’s throat tightened, and she couldn’t say a word. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

’How could this be? How...? Where in the world did Yara get this surveillance footage?!’

Estelle Lockwood said with a smile, "Miss Lockwood, do you still require an apology from me?"

’The arsonist wasn’t Yara... so of course, no apology is needed!’

Noelle Lockwood’s lips were deathly pale. She forced a smile with all her might. "It was me... I misunderstood..."

"Since you know it was a misunderstanding," Estelle Lockwood said calmly, "how do you plan to handle the harassment and attacks I’ve suffered from your fans these past few days, Miss Lockwood?"

Noelle Lockwood’s eyes welled with tears, and her body trembled as if she were the most pitiful person alive.

"That’s enough!!"

Rose Lowell stormed forward, hands on her hips, and roared, "Who knows if this video is even real? For all we know, some bitch forged it to frame our Noelle!"

"Our Noelle was born with a silver spoon and is the object of envy. Some people will stop at nothing to tear her down!"

Noelle Lockwood’s fans were instantly emboldened. "Right, it must be Yara trying to frame Noelle!"

"Bitch, I hope you die a horrible death!"

"What did Noelle even do wrong?!"

Aside from the fans, the audience was mostly reporters. A few of them frowned. "The police have already issued a statement. That man was the arsonist, and there’s no sign the video was faked!"

The fans argued back stubbornly, "Then maybe Yara bribed that man! In any case, Noelle is definitely innocent!"

"How could Noelle be in the wrong? You bitches better stop your slander!"

"Besides, if Yara and Noelle hadn’t met at that place, how would Noelle have gotten hurt? So Yara deserved to get burned!"

Rose Lowell’s face was contorted with malice. She looked as if she wished Estelle Lockwood would drop dead right then and there. "Your heart is black! Ptooey!"

Seeing that public opinion was still on her side, Noelle Lockwood couldn’t help but let a smile slip out. She then said with feigned sincerity:

"Mom, don’t say that. After all, Yara was a victim too..."

Rose Lowell scoffed. "For all we know, she was just playing the victim. Yara, let me tell you..."

"Look, what’s that?" someone in the audience, a reporter, suddenly exclaimed.

"Is that... a bank transfer record?!"

Hearing the words "bank transfer record," Noelle Lockwood’s face paled slightly. She subconsciously tried to stop it. "This has nothing to do with the press conference! Someone, turn it off..."

Before she could finish, someone cried out in shock.

"Wait, the recipient’s name... it’s the same as the arsonist from the police report!"

"Someone paid this man to set the fire?"

"And the sender, this Rosalie Carter... I-I remember, isn’t Noelle Lockwood’s agent also named Rosalie Carter...?"

When those words fell, the room was utterly silent.

As the agent of a big star like Noelle Lockwood, Rosalie Carter wasn’t some unknown figure. Almost everyone knew her agent was named Rosalie Carter!

"Th-this doesn’t prove anything..." Rose Lowell’s throat felt tight.

"Even if someone paid that man to set the fire, it-it wasn’t necessarily Noelle’s agent! There are so many people named Rosalie Carter. Wh-what right do you have to accuse Noelle!"

Rose Lowell grew more animated as she spoke. "Maybe you just offended too many people, and someone wanted to burn you to death! You deserved it! And you dragged my Noelle into this! Noelle, my poor baby, you’ve been wronged!"

Estelle Lockwood’s lips curled. "Doesn’t prove anything?"

"Miss Noelle Lockwood, the reason I was at the fabric market that day was because President King of Apex Enterprises asked to meet me. And what a coincidence, on the morning of the fire, this same Rosalie Carter account transferred one million to President King."

Estelle Lockwood held up her phone, and a recording began to play—

—’Ms. Carter, bring Yara to the fabric market... Can I... ask why?’

—’That’s none of your business. Just get Yara over there. You don’t need to go yourself. I have my own arrangements.’

—’Alright, Ms. Carter. I’m only agreeing to this out of respect for you. If Yara comes looking for me afterward, you have to back me up.’

—’Don’t worry. It’s hard to say if Yara will even be alive to cause you any trouble.’

The crowd practically exploded. "Rosalie Carter bribed the arsonist, and then had President King deliberately lure Yara over?" freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

"This was clearly intentional!"

"Star’s official account just posted another video!"

"Oh my god... Was Noelle Lockwood trying to murder Yara?!"

The video came from a security camera with audio.

Everyone watched as a firefighter and Nathaniel Sloan searched through the massive fire.

Just then, Noelle Lockwood stumbled out, frantically blocking their way. ’Nathaniel, save me! There’s no one else inside...’

’Nathaniel, Yara ran out a long time ago! Save me...’

’How can you be so cruel? Why won’t you save me? Is Yara really that important?! Nathaniel, Nathaniel... you can’t go, you can’t leave!’

A few clips of surveillance footage, a few bank transfer records.

The truth was laid bare for all to see. What was there not to understand?

The color drained from Noelle Lockwood’s face in an instant.

Estelle Lockwood gave a cold laugh and advanced on her, step by step. "Noelle Lockwood—"

"Your agent bribed an arsonist and deliberately lured me to the fabric market. When the fire started, your fans blocked me from leaving. After it was burning, you deliberately claimed the building was empty. After the fire was put out, you knew it had nothing to do with me, yet you still announced to the world that I was the culprit—"

"And now you’re telling me you knew nothing? That you’re innocent? That I deserved everything that happened? Is that it?"

The reporters were filled with righteous indignation. "Noelle Lockwood knew Yara was still in the fire, but she deliberately blocked Mr. Sloan and the firefighters! It’s obvious she wanted Yara to die!"

"And she calls herself a big star? That’s just vicious!"

"Noelle Lockwood’s agent was the one behind the fire, but they pinned the blame on Yara! Think of all the hate Yara has endured these past few days!"

"That’s right! The shopkeepers at the fabric market, the customers who were there, Noelle Lockwood’s fans—weren’t they all gnashing their teeth in hatred for Yara? And now look! The real arsonist was someone else! Someone hired by Noelle Lockwood, no less!"

"What a brilliant move by Noelle Lockwood. Not only did she nearly burn Yara to death, but she also ruined Yara’s reputation. Meanwhile, she, the true mastermind, gained endless praise and public sympathy!"

"I can’t believe someone this despicable exists in the world!"

"To all of Noelle Lockwood’s fans: didn’t you say the arsonist deserves to die? Well, the arsonist is your master! So, should Noelle Lockwood go and die now?!"

The fans fought back, "Nonsense! It’s a coincidence! It has to be a coincidence! Noelle didn’t know anything!"

Tears streamed down Noelle Lockwood’s face as she shook her head frantically. "No, that’s not it! Yara, I... I was just so scared that I forgot who set the fire... How could I possibly try to harm you...?"

She suddenly seemed to remember something and turned her head in a panic. "Nathaniel... Nathaniel, you know how scared I’ve always been of fire! If I really wanted to hurt Yara, I would never have chosen this method! You know that, right?!"

Noelle Lockwood’s words were heavy with implication.