Chapter 115 The Unveiling of Truth
Scarcely had Charles managed to discern the figure at the door when it was thrust open, and the visitor swept past him in a rush.On the other side of the room, Paige sat, her gaze unwavering, not wanting to miss a single flicker of emotion that danced across Margaret's face.The sight that greeted Margaret upon her entrance was overwhelming. Unable to maintain her composure, she lunged at Xena, her voice laced with panic, "Xena, what has transpired? Who has dared to torment my Xena?"Upon recognizing a familiar face, Xena clung to Margaret, her tears flowing even more freely. "Grandma, I've been framed; it was Paige, she orchestrated this against me."Initially, Margaret's attention had been solely on Xena, butt now, she surveyed the room, her gaze finally landing on a young man sprawled on the floor, his nose bleeding profusely, his body barely covered by a carelessly draped towel.Margaret, a woman of the world, had a fair idea of the events that had transpired in this room.She rose, her face livid, and swung her hand toward Paige, but before she could make contact, Raymond maneuvered his wheelchair, blocking Margaret's path and effectively diverting her.Paige hadn't quite registered how he'd managed it, but Raymond was already positioned protectively in front of her."Mrs. Sackler, do you truly intend to discipline my wife in my presence?" Raymond's voice was icy, distant, jolting Margaret out of her frenzy.She was incensed but had momentarily forgotten that Paige's status had changed.Margaret's intended slap never found its mark, leaving her to swallow her frustration. Regardless of Raymond's protective stance, Margaret erupted, "The Sackler family has but one heir. Any harm to Xena is an affront to the entire Sackler lineage, and a challenge to me, an elderly woman.Raymond, Mr. Carnegie, how can you stand by and allow such an atrocity to occur?Paige, you are heartless. Xena is your sister, your own flesh and blood. How can you inflict such harm upon her? Do you understand the gravity of your actions?"Throughout Margaret's tirade, Paige remained silent, her expression indifferent.She was intrigued by what else Margaret might reveal. She was curious to see the extent of Xena's theatrics.Paige offered no rebuttal, and the sight of her grandmother weeping so bitterly only served to intensify the tears that flowed freely in front of Raymond and Louis.Emboldened, Xena cried out, “Grandma, I can’t bear this humiliation; I don’t wish to live anymore. When I’m gone, you must take care of yourself. Grandma, I have failed you; I can only hope to make amends in my next life…”“Pfft…”Xena hadn’t even finished her sentence when Paige could no longer suppress her laughter.The somber atmosphere was instantly shattered by Paige’s mirth.Tears streaming down her face, Yasmin shot Paige a scathing look and spat out, “Such uncouth behavior.”Manners?Paige scoffed, “Wild child, where’s the decorum in that? Yasmin, you were the one advocating for this; you should be pleased with the outcome.”Xena was past caring about the consequences. Louis was present, and if she were to simply walk out of the room that day, the chances of ever being with him again would likely dwindle to nothing.All she could think of was to create a spectacle, to exaggerate her innocence, and perhaps, with a stroke of luck, survive this ordeal.Overwhelmed by desperation, Xena extricated herself from Margaret’s embrace and dashed towards the window.With a loud cry, she exclaimed, “Grandma, I’ll make amends in my next life,” and attempted to climb through the window.Louis sprang into action, “Xena, don’t be irrational.”His admonishment was not one of comfort, but a plea for sanity?Xena, past the point of caring, was already halfway out the window when Louis reached her, pulling her back into a tight embrace.Louis managed to restrain her while Xena struggled fiercely, shouting, “Let me go, let me go… Elijah, let me die. I can’t bear to live anymore, I just can’t.”Margaret, taken aback, was a moment too late before she too rushed over, clinging to Xena, terrified that she might actually leap out of the window.Through her tears, Margaret pleaded, “Xena, how could you be so reckless? You’re my entire world; if anything were to happen to you, how would I survive? Xena…”Unmoved by the melodrama unfolding before her, Paige calmly retrieved her phone, dialed a number, and the call was promptly answered.Her voice steady, she said, “You can come over now.”
After ending her call, Paige cast a glance towards Raymond, remarking, "The spectacle is about to become even more mortifying." Raymond responded by giving Paige's hand a gentle squeeze, reassuring her with his words, "Family matters, Paige. Besides, my wife was nearly a victim herself. I am determined to uncover who’s trying to ensnare her."The message Elijah had delivered was about Paige, wasn't it?Paige offered a nod of confirmation, "That's fine. Others commit the dirty deeds; why shouldn’t we be allowed to watch?"With that, Paige turned her attention to Louis, "Louis, let her go. If she's determined to jump, then let her jump."Louis glanced over, his heart slowly piecing together the situation unfolding in the room. The instigator was, without a doubt, Xena.However, he knew he couldn't bear to watch Xena meet her end.Margaret's sobs intensified, "Paige, you're a heartless beast. Xena is your own sister, your flesh and blood. I’m the matriarch of the Sackler family. I have no blood ties to you. It was I who sent you to the countryside. I made all the decisions. If you want to harbor hatred, direct it at me. If you seek revenge, take it out on me. Do you truly wish for Xena to die?"Paige, unbothered by Margaret's words, retorted, "If you still care about appearances, then remove the one who's fainted from the floor and out of this room. Otherwise, if he gets wind of this sordid affair, I can't guarantee he won’t spill the beans."Margaret hastily wiped her tears away. Without hesitation, Louis lifted Xena from the bed and gently placed her back onto the sofa.Holding the unconscious woman tightly, Margaret glanced at the person on the ground, then turned to Raymond, "Raymond, could you have Charles assist with this? We can’t let any more people become privy to what’s transpiring here."Raymond gave Charles a knowing look, and Charles immediately set off to handle the situation.Just then, a knock echoed from the door. Paige rose to answer it herself.Upon seeing Isadora, even more provocatively dressed than before, standing at the door, a slight smirk played on Paige's lips, "The evidence has arrived. The truth of this evening is about to be unveiled!"
