This turn of events was something Noelle Lockwood had never expected.
Her expression was a mixture of panic and shock. She turned her head in disbelief, a chill running down her spine. "Kian Winslow!!"
’Video surveillance?! Why would Kian release the surveillance footage!’
’She could already imagine what a media storm this would cause!’
But Noelle Lockwood was an actress, after all. She quickly stood up, tears streaming down her face. "Kian, did Mrs. Winslow force you to do this...? I’ve already confessed. Why is she still pressuring you? I’m sorry, this is all my fault..."
Kian’s eyes moved, but they were numb.
He looked down at this person he once considered his best "buddy." Before, whenever Noelle cried, he would feel a pang of sympathy and anger, so much so that he would lose all perspective.
’Perhaps it’s because I’m a selfish person, too.’
’In the past, Noelle’s tears weren’t directed at me, so I naturally chose to take her side. I used to think that if Noelle was targeting Estelle Lockwood, it must have been Estelle’s fault. How could someone as wonderful as Noelle deliberately go after someone?’
But now, Noelle was using the same tactics on him.
’Ha, how ridiculous.’
Seeing Noelle’s tears, Kian felt no sympathy. He knew what the public opinion was like now, and he knew Noelle’s fans would surely try to pin the blame on him, but Kian couldn’t care less.
"The surveillance video can be sent for analysis at any time. It’ll be obvious whether it’s been edited or not. Also, Noelle."
Kian still called her "Noelle."
He said, "I was an idiot before. You’d talk trash behind people’s backs to me, and I’d always think you were the one being bullied. You said Estelle Lockwood stole your place. You said Iris Sloan looked down on you. You said my mom made things difficult for you at every turn, and since you were just my ’good buddy,’ you couldn’t understand why she would target you."
Noelle’s face twisted, and a bad feeling washed over her. "Kian—" ’What is Kian trying to do?!’
Kian let out a cold laugh.
"Then let me answer you."
Kian showed her no mercy. "You said you didn’t like Estelle. You’d tell me all your grievances, crying and asking me why Estelle had to be so cruel, why she had to steal your parents."
"Because Chairman Lockwood and Mrs. Lockwood aren’t your parents. Since they aren’t, how can it be called stealing? By the same token, Estelle is the true lady of the Lockwood Family. You’re the one who stole her life. I think that’s also the reason why Iris Sloan looked down on you."
"As for my mother..."
Kian glanced at Mrs. Winslow, his resolve hardening. "Because my mom saw you for what you are a long time ago. Besides, Noelle, you trashed my mother right in front of me, her own son, and you even wanted me to agree with you. What do you think I could possibly say to that now?"
Zachery was stunned as he listened.
’Was this Uncle Kian really that dumb before?’
’If someone said bad things about his mommy, Zachery would absolutely, positively never be friends with that person again!’
’But this Kian guy just ignored Mrs. Winslow’s feelings and still treated Noelle Lockwood like she was the most precious thing in the world?’
Zachery was confused, but he didn’t say anything.
[Is Noelle Lockwood the ultimate two-faced schemer or what? Complaining about Mrs. Winslow to her own son, being all passive-aggressive... it’s totally normal for Mrs. Winslow not to like her.]
[I knew it! This explains why everyone in the Lockwood Family is such an idiot, doting on a fake, scheming young lady instead of their own daughter. It’s because Noelle Lockwood was at home crying and manipulating them every day.]
[Don’t let Austin Lockwood and Rose Lowell off the hook! There’s something wrong with that couple’s heads too!]
Although some people were still hurling insults at Kian, Noelle Lockwood couldn’t refute his words or his claim that the surveillance footage could be analyzed.
So even when some people tried to defend Noelle, they were quickly drowned out by enraged netizens.
Noelle’s face alternated between pale and ashen. She bit her lip so hard that after a long moment, she could only force out a single sentence: "It’s all my fault..."
Noelle was still hoping Kian would comfort her, but clearly, she had failed to read the room.
Kian replied coldly, "Of course it’s all your fault."
Noelle’s face turned grim.
"Pfft." Estelle Lockwood couldn’t help but laugh.
Noelle’s face fell, and Rose Lowell also looked furious. She even looked like she wanted to rush forward and curse Estelle out, but she held back when she saw the phone in Estelle’s hand, which was clearly live-streaming.
[What’s with that look on Rose Lowell’s face?]
[Did she just want to hit her own daughter?]
[Damn, damn, damn, that’s terrifying! The way Rose Lowell is looking at her, it’s like she wants to eat Estelle alive!]
[Seriously, I’m starting to boycott the Lockwood Group. It’s not that they have to favor their biological daughter, but they should at least be fair, right? If they handle their family affairs this badly, I seriously doubt Chairman Lockwood’s business capabilities.]
Instantly, news of a boycott against the Lockwood Group shot to the top of the trending topics.
Austin Lockwood’s expression was practically contorting.
「Villa of the Winslows.」
Hearing Estelle’s laughter, Noelle’s cheeks stiffened, but she still managed a sweet, innocent-looking smile. "Estelle, you..."
"Your last simp ran off. How does it feel?" Estelle asked with great interest.
Noelle froze!
"Estelle, how could you say that..."
"Save your tears. It’s not the right time for you to be crying. You might be crying even harder later, so you should save them for now."
Estelle said, "After all, the surveillance video Kian provided is real. Noelle Lockwood, what do you think the consequences are for instigating a kidnapping?"
Noelle’s expression turned to one of pure fury.
She couldn’t help but look at Kian.
Kian was expressionless.
Noelle looked to Nathaniel Sloan again, pleading for help.
But she found that Nathaniel’s eyes didn’t even register her presence.
Before, she was the center of everyone’s universe, but now... even Kian had abandoned her!
’Why? Just why!’
Seeing that Mrs. Winslow was about to throw her out, Noelle broke down and screamed, "Kian! I saved your life before, have you forgotten?!"
Kian’s back went rigid.
Noelle then turned to Nathaniel Sloan, crying, "Nathaniel, Nathaniel, I saved you over a decade ago! You promised you would always protect me..."
Nathaniel merely gave her a cool glance before asking Mrs. Winslow, "Aren’t you seeing our guests out?"
Mrs. Winslow waved her hand. "Throw them out."
#NoelleLockwoodStagedItAll#
#NoelleLockwoodInstigatedYoungMrWinslowToKidnapChild#
#KianAndNoelleFallingOut#
#TheSimpIsntSimpingAnymoreWhatDoYouHaveLeftNoelle#
#DontCryNowYoullHavePlentyToCryAboutLaterSaveYourTears#
The last trending topic was—Noelle Lockwood taken away by the police (the real police this time) (joking).
And with that, the netizens exploded.
[So you’re saying, the last time Noelle Lockwood was ’taken away,’ it wasn’t by the real police?]
[The whole thing being staged is confirmed.]
[Why hasn’t someone like Noelle Lockwood been blacklisted yet?]
[As a celebrity, she’s already been blacklisted. As the heir to the Lockwood Group, well, the company is about to go under, so she probably won’t live to inherit it.]
[All I can say is, she deserved it!]
[But what did Noelle mean at the end when she told Mr. Sloan that she saved him over a decade ago?]