CHAPTER 172
Arianna’s heart chilled as Simon's accusations echoed through the room. She had tried to hold on to some semblance of familial affection, but it was clear that all he wanted was to paint her as unrighteous, unfaithful, and unfilial.
Closing her eyes, Arianna clenched her fists tightly, her resolve hardening with each passing second. When she opened her eyes again, any trace of warmth had vanished, leaving only cold determination.
"My dear friends in the press," she began, her voice steady and composed, "there’s something more I’d like to share with you."
Without a moment’s hesitation, she unveiled another set of documents on the projector screen. This time, the room was filled with the same detailed billing statements and asset records, but they were not hers. They belonged to Simon.
The date range was identical—from the day Arianna got married until the present.
Simon’s bank statements, as well as the credit and debit columns, were brimming with transactions, painting a vivid picture of someone truly basking in wealth and luxury.
The largest transaction occurred on Arianna’s wedding day, with the second-largest amount deposited as cash not too long ago.
Arianna’s voice was calm but firm as she clarified the situation.
“The first transaction was my wedding dowry. However, instead of giving it to me, my father took every penny for himself. The second sum came about because they used my brother, Charlie, as leverage to force money out of me. Charlie has suffered from a severe heart condition since he was a child. Not only did my parents refuse to pay for his treatment, but they also attempted to exploit him further by arranging for him to be married off as a ghost bride. To save my brother, I had no choice but to scrape together a million dollars, which I handed over to them in exchange for custody of Charlie, ensuring they could no longer use him as a pawn.”
Everyone was utterly shocked.
The initial perception was that Arianna had been a disgraceful and unfilial daughter who had crossed every moral boundary. But now, it seemed that Simon and Margaret were the ones who had failed as parents.
As the crowd's gazes began to shift toward him, Simon felt a surge of panic and fury. In a desperate move, he lunged at Arianna, snatched the papers from her hand, and tore them apart like a madman. Then, pointing a trembling finger at her, he shouted,
“Stop lying to everyone! Every word out of your mouth is a lie! These documents are fakes! How dare you slander your parents just to save yourself? Do you even have a conscience?”
Arianna met his enraged stare with an unyielding calm. Her voice was steady and resolute as she replied,
“Every word I’ve spoken is the truth. If I’m lying, may I be struck down by lightning and suffer an unthinkable death?”
"What about you, Dad?" Arianna's voice cut through the tense silence. "Are you brave enough to swear that you've never done any of these things? That I’ve framed you? And if you’re lying, may you suffer in death too?"
With each word, Arianna stepped closer to Simon, her presence growing more formidable. Simon felt the weight of her accusation pressing down on him, and he instinctively backed away. By the time she asked the final question, his legs gave way, and he collapsed to the floor with a thud.
"I... I..." Simon stammered, but the pressure was overwhelming, rendering him speechless.
His face turned ashen as he lay on the ground, utterly defeated. Arianna looked down at him with a cold, detached gaze, devoid of the warmth she once felt.
She knew that simply explaining herself might not have been enough to convince anyone. That’s why she had agreed to hold this press conference—to confront her father in front of the world and expose the truth.
The contrast between right and wrong was now crystal clear.
The earlier exchange had laid bare the truth: the accusations Arianna's father had thrown at her were baseless fabrications, mere distortions of reality.
This approach proved to be far more effective and direct than any other tactic.
The reporters, keenly aware of the dramatic turn of events, smiled knowingly as they swiftly began revising their press releases.
Amid the chaos, a bold reporter cut through the noise with a pointed question.
"Ms. Johnson, let’s set aside the dispute between you and your parents for now. What about the rumours of your chaotic personal life before marriage and the accusations of infidelity and random affairs after you tied the knot?"
As soon as that question was raised, the spotlight was once again on Arianna.
No reporter could resist the allure of more sensational news. The juicier the story, the more valuable it became. A chorus of voices joined in, urging, "Yes, Ms. Johnson, how do you respond to your parents' third accusation?"
The initial guilt that had clouded Simon's expression earlier began to fade. Despite Arianna’s successful rebuttal of the first two claims, he knew the third accusation held weight.
Detective Leadon, who had been assisting Simon with his investigations, had assured him that Arianna's reputation was far from spotless, both before and after her marriage. The detective had even compiled a list of men she had allegedly been involved with, making this accusation seem far more credible.
Those were facts backed by undeniable evidence! How could she possibly clear her name from such damning accusations?
As long as Arianna couldn’t explain the chaos surrounding her private life, her public image would be irreparably damaged. She would still be labelled a disgrace, a target for everyone’s scorn!
Simon thought smugly to himself, confident that no man would tolerate being made a fool of. Once her wealthy husband inevitably cast her aside, leaving her without any support, Simon would be free to deal with her as he pleased!
