Chapter 118 The Murderer
Isabella followed Addison and the others in, but she stayed outside the door when she saw James.
Hearing James shout, Isabella looked conflicted and finally came in reluctantly. "James."
"Isabella, you're just in time." Emily walked over, grabbed Isabella's arm, and said, "Now, in front of James, tell everyone, was it my brother who saved Mary from Jesse that night?"
Emily looked at James provocatively. "So James won't keep doubting Joseph's heroics."
Addison also turned to Isabella. "Told the truth, and don't be afraid. I've got your back," he assured her.
"James, stop it." Mary scolded James, "Do you really need to hear the truth?"
James only stared at Isabella and said, "Isabella, speak."
Isabella said, "Uncle Charles, Auntie Addison, Mrs. Smith, the one who rushed to Vocal Vista that night and saved Mrs. Smith."
Isabella screamed with a sob. "It was Mr. Garcia. It was Mr. Garcia. He even stabbed Mr. Watson nine times. It was Mr. Garcia who saved Mrs. Smith."
The room fell silent.
Joseph and Emily looked at James with disdain and arrogance.
Mary closed her eyes slightly, looking disappointed and frustrated.
But all James' anger and hostility vanished instantly.
He took two steps forward, looked at Isabella, and said softly, "I considered many possibilities, but I never thought you would distort the truth like this."
Isabella fell to her knees with a thud, biting her lip and saying nothing.
"But it's not a bad thing." James smiled again."That night, you took on a lot for Mary and almost got mistakenly taken away by them, so I won't blame you today. Whatever I owed you, it's been repaid. I believe Joseph and Emily must have compensated you well," he said, hinting at some underlying transaction.
When Isabella twisted the truth, James didn't get angry. Instead, he calmed down.
He gained a deeper understanding of human nature.
Isabella's face turned pale, and she kept her head down, saying nothing.
"James, stop talking nonsense. Isabella has already clarified that it was Joseph who saved Mary, so don't slander us anymore." Emily hurriedly scolded James, "If you can't protect Mary, let Joseph do it."
Addison sneered, "Demanding the truth, only to humiliate yourself."
Mary's face showed a struggle, her eyes filled with pain and disappointment. She tried to forget that night, hoping to save some face for James.
She didn't want outsiders to know that Joseph saved her while her own husband did nothing. If that were true, what would it make James?
But James insisted on revealing the truth.
James no longer dwelled on Isabella's twisting of the truth, nor did he explain it to Mary. If Mary truly loved him, she would find out the truth herself.
He suddenly felt this was a good opportunity for a divorce.
"Mary, I'm not worthy of you." James looked at Mary and said, "Let's get a divorce."
Joseph and Emily's eyes lit up simultaneously.
"Divorce?" Mary got angry upon hearing this, "James, are you acting out of shame?"
"Your facade was exposed, and now you're resorting to divorce to uphold your feeble dignity."
"I kept telling you not to bring up the incident to protect your fragile dignity."
"But you didn't understand my efforts and insisted on the truth, only to embarrass yourself."
"James, can you grow up and be sensible? Stop doing these childish and deceitful acts."
"And I told you last time."
"Divorce can only be initiated by me. You have no right to mention divorce."
Mary looked at James sadly. "Don't tell me you don't remember our marriage agreement."
James said, "I know. I just think it's better for both of us to be happy separately than to be in pain together."
James remained calm. "I hope my departure can make things better for you and the Smith family."
"Mary, did you hear that? Divorce." Addison got excited. "He's said it, if not now, when will you divorce?"
Emily also spoke up, "Mary, he thinks you won't dare to divorce. Show him you will."
"Shut up," Mary screamed, losing control of her emotions. "No one can mention divorce. Only I have the right to divorce, no one else."
Mary said, "James, I don't like you, but I won't let you go easily. I know you're having an ambiguous relationship with Olivia, and you want to leave me for her as soon as possible. Let me tell you, don't even think about it. I have no feelings for you, but I won't casually grant you your wish. If you want a divorce, either give me a Summit Villa or wait until I'm completely tired of you, then you can get lost."
Since adulthood, her life had not been under her control, and now even divorce was pressured by others. She wanted to protect this pitiful right.
James spoke indifferently, "My divorce from you has nothing to do with Olivia."
"Nothing to do with her?"
Mary got angry, pulled out a stack of photos from under the pillow, and threw them at James' face.
The photos scattered, and James caught one with his fingers.
It was a picture of James massaging Olivia's feet.
Addison got furious. "Bastard, flirting with another woman, you've disgraced the Smith family."
Joseph and Emily gloated, believing that even if they didn't seize the opportunity to make their divorce, James and Mary's relationship would be broken.
"There's nothing between us." James said calmly, "But if you insist on thinking I have an improper relationship with her, then I admit it."
Mary rushed to James, grabbed his collar, and shouted, "When I was being humiliated, you hid at home like a coward. When I was in the hospital recovering, you were busy flirting with another woman. When I tried to save some dignity for you, you insisted on revealing the truth and got angry when embarrassed. James, you disappointed me so much."
In her shouting, Mary slapped James hard, the sound crisp and loud.
She bit her lip, her hand trembling.
She didn't know how she managed to slap him, but she couldn't bear James' cowardice and selfishness anymore.
James didn't get angry, nor did he feel any pain. He just stared straight into Mary's eyes, watching as her bright eyes gradually became teary.
His mind went blank, and he staggered out of the hospital room. Yet, he couldn't forget that tear on Mary's face.
James thought, 'Why is she crying? Why is she crying? She clearly doesn't care about me, so there should be no need to get so angry about Olivia.'
At almost the same moment, the door was knocked heavily, and several men in uniforms walked in, their faces solemn.
Everyone instinctively looked at them.
Phillip spoke politely, "Hello, we are officers from the Third District. I'm Phillip, and this is my badge."
Addison's attention shifted. She took the badge and glanced at it.
"Why are you here?" She sounded very impatient. "Didn't you take statements about the Jesse case twice yesterday?"
Charles also chimed in, "Yes, we've said everything. What else is there to say?"
Phillip's voice was loud. "Jesse and Lyla have filed a complaint, accusing Mr. Joseph of assaulting them in public and stabbing them nine times, causing serious bodily harm. Mr. Joseph, please come with us."
Joseph's face changed dramatically.
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