CHAPTER 175
"You wicked woman, aren’t you going to kneel and apologize? Get down on your knees and beg for forgiveness—from everyone here, and especially from your husband!"
With her parents and husband both accusing her, it seemed nearly impossible for anyone to believe in Arianna’s innocence. These were the people closest to her, and their accusations weighed heavily in the court of public opinion.
Moreover, the public has always had a soft spot for the vulnerable. Mr. Cole’s tragic tale—pouring his love into a woman who deceived him and nearly ended his life—only fueled the outrage.
Suddenly, a voice broke through the tension.
"Apologize, Arianna!"
That one shout ignited the crowd, and soon the entire room was in an uproar. "Arianna, you wicked woman! Kneel and apologize!"
"Apologize right now, Arianna!"
Even in the live broadcast chat, comments flooded in, demanding the same: [Kneel and apologize, Arianna!]
Arianna stood calmly, her hands clenched tightly at her sides, her red lips pressed together in a firm line.
She had suspected for some time that someone else was pulling the strings behind her parents. The sudden, coordinated attacks they launched against her were far too calculated for people of their limited intelligence.
Her suspicions were confirmed the moment the fake husband appeared.
Whoever was orchestrating this was truly cunning.
They had waited until she presented all her evidence, only to then introduce the false husband to undermine her credibility and refute everything she had said. It was a clever move, designed to make sure no one would believe her, leaving her with no way to defend herself.
With her parents demanding her apology, Arianna knew her situation would be dire as soon as she spoke.
She furrowed her brow, her mind racing through her options.
As Arianna stood there, frozen, Simon and Margaret exchanged glances. They swiftly grabbed her arms, trying to force her to kneel.
Before Arianna could react, she heard two sharp screams from Simon and Margaret.
Arianna stood in shock. She glanced to her left and saw Simon clutching his stomach in pain after a brutal kick, writhing on the ground.
Turning to her right, she saw Margaret being roughly pulled away, her wrists gripped tightly. Margaret stumbled and nearly toppled off the stage.
At last, Arianna focused on the man before her. He was strikingly handsome, his face marked by a fierce, cold anger. His eyes burned with a fiery intensity, seeming ready to scorch everything around him.
Sunlight filtered through the windows, creating a radiant aura around him. Arianna stared in disbelief, struggling to comprehend the scene unfolding before her.
Why was Xander here?
At that moment, she instinctively reached out toward him, her hand trembling as she tried to confirm his presence.
The crowd gasped in unison. The appearance of Saint John in the video had already shocked everyone, but no one had anticipated that Xander—the heir of the King family and CEO of King Group—would make an entrance.
Xander’s intervention—kicking Simon and Margaret away as soon as he arrived—left everyone stunned.
Did his arrival mean he had come to support Arianna?
Despite being Arianna’s former fiancé, with whom he had ended the engagement, Xander was known to have distanced himself from her publicly. There had even been a news report of them spending a night together, but Xander had demanded its removal, clearly not wanting to be associated with Arianna.
What could this sudden change of heart signify?
The King family was a prestigious name, and Xander, as its heir and a top-tier business tycoon, was one of the most eligible bachelors. His presence transformed the atmosphere of the conference room and the live broadcast, skyrocketing both to unprecedented levels of excitement and tension.
Seeing Xander, Simon’s initial shock quickly turned to an attempt at strategic damage control.
Struggling to his feet despite the pain in his abdomen, Simon addressed Xander with forced politeness,
“Mr King, are you also being deceived by Arianna? I must tell you that you shouldn’t believe anything she says. Look at how she’s treated her husband—she doesn’t deserve your support!”
Simon, aware that men often feel a degree of sympathy for their former partners, hoped that Xander, being a man of honour, might be swayed by the appearance of Arianna's supposed vulnerability. He assumed Xander had come to her aid due to her manipulative tactics and emotional ploys.
Simon realized that if he couldn’t convince Xander of Arianna’s true nature, all his efforts would be for nothing. Desperation gripped him as he saw a slim chance of turning the situation to his advantage by persuading Xander to side with him.
Hastily, Simon intensified his plea. “Mr. King, don’t you remember? As soon as Arianna returned, she plotted against you. She intended for me and her mother to pressure Grandma King into approving her marriage to you. The only reason her plan failed was because I denounced her for her underhanded schemes!”
Margaret joined Simon’s side, nodding fervently. “Yes, Mr. King, even though Arianna is my daughter, I must say she is far too devious and manipulative. She has deceived many men, and you shouldn’t trust her!”
Simon and Margaret’s accusations rang out clearly to Arianna.
Though deeply disheartened by their betrayal, Arianna found their desperate attempts at defamation almost comical.
Such was the nature of her parents.
An outsider might assume they were her enemies.
But would Xander believe their claims?
