Chapter 432 A Chance to Prove Innocence
Every eye in the room was on her, waiting to see what she would do next.
At this point, Grace knew it was either Patricia's downfall or hers.
To ensure Patricia's demise, she had to be willing to sacrifice Jeremy, even if it meant alienating him temporarily. Grace believed that her close bond with Jeremy would eventually mend, as it had in the past.
With this thought, Grace composed herself, continuing from where she left off, "Jeremy is lying. He, he's in love with Patricia, which is why he's covering for her lies."
Her words hung heavily in the air, shocking not just the bystanders but even the Kochs and Martin.
Patricia regarded her with a cold, piercing gaze, demanding, "Grace, what nonsense are you spouting?"
Grace took a deep breath, sniffling despite her sinister thoughts.
"Jeremy, I'm sorry. I didn't want to say it, but you forced my hand!"
Jeremy's face showed a complex range of emotions.
Gritting his teeth, he asked, "Grace, do you even realize what you're saying?"
Leaving aside the fact that Patricia was already married, even if he did have feelings for her, he was certainly not the kind of scoundrel who would slander his sister for a woman.
He could hardly believe that his cherished sister would malign him in front of everyone.
Grace hung her head, nervously twisting the hem of her shirt in her hands. She played the victim convincingly, blending grievance with pity as she said, "I'm not lying. I saw it with my own eyes. You sneaked into Patricia's room in the dead of night. If nothing is going on between you two, then why would you be working on the drawings with her?"
As she spoke, a heavy tension settled in the room, and every face seemed to pale.
Shane, in particular, scrutinized Jeremy with a piercing gaze, attempting to discern something from his expression.
Jeremy looked at Grace with a pained expression as if he were looking at a stranger. "When have I ever done such a thing? Grace, have I not always cared for you? Yet, now you falsely accuse me."
Grace pulled out her phone from her pocket and handed it to the host.
The host exchanged a glance with Riley, whose usually handsome face was now clouded with anger.
The situation had escalated to a point where concealing the photos would only intensify the public pressure on them, potentially crushing them under its weight. Yet, revealing them could shatter Jeremy's reputation.
Despite his trust in Jeremy and the belief that he was innocent of any wrongdoing, the certainty in Grace's claim and the existence of photographic evidence left Riley in a difficult position.
Before he could make a decision, Patricia interjected, "The innocent have nothing to hide. Put it up for all to see."
Riley gave the host a nod without any further comment.
The host projected the images from Grace's phone onto the big screen.
The photos depicted Patricia and Jeremy in various settings, including the bedroom, study, and living room, captured both during the day and at night.
In every single one, Jeremy's eyes were fixed on Patricia, shining like there were stars within them. His gaze was inscrutable, but it was certainly not platonic; it was decidedly compromising.
Jeremy's handsome face flushed with embarrassment. He had never realized that his looks toward Patricia were so affectionate, akin to regarding a cherished treasure filled with admiration and joy.
The revelation raised questions. Had he developed romantic feelings for Patricia? And if so, how had he remained oblivious until this moment?
Jeremy was startled by his notion, but before he could untangle his thoughts, Grace continued, "I realized long ago that Jeremy had a crush on her. But since she was married, I kept it to myself, secretly taking photos. I never thought they'd become ironclad proof of my innocence today."
Patricia gazed at the photo on the large screen but couldn't see any hint of affection in Jeremy's eyes. It was more admiration than love.
It was admiration, nothing more.
Because the way Jeremy, Martin, and Hunter looked at her was distinctly different.
Love did not manifest in such a manner.
Despite her observations, Patricia chose to remain silent, allowing Grace's elaborate scheme to unfurl.
Standing on stage, Jeremy could feel two intense gazes pinned on him. One was from his older brother, Riley. The other was from Grandpa Shane, seated amongst the audience.
Overwhelmed by guilt, Jeremy stammered, "I—I didn't! I just thought she was impressive, so I just... just..."
His voice trailed off, unable to continue. He couldn't bear to look directly at Patricia.
To others, his expression bore the marks of a liar, riddled with guilt.
Grace didn't let up. "Jeremy, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have revealed your secret in public, but I had no choice. If I didn't try to prove my innocence, everyone would think I plagiarized when I didn't copy anyone's work."
Jeremy's eyes burned with a fierce intensity, glaring at Grace. He was utterly disillusioned with his sister.
He had forgiven her last time when she had tried to drown Patricia, excusing her action as the folly of youth, mistaking hate for love, but this was clearly premeditated.
With such scheming and tactics, he was terrified. It was downright chilling.
This was no longer the sister had known. How could their kind, beautiful, and gentle aunt have given birth to such a malicious thing?
Turning to Patricia, Jeremy's voice was heavy with regret. "I'm sorry. I wanted to prove your innocence, but I was too trusting of my sister and ended up holding you back instead."
After speaking, he hung his head, defeated, and returned to his seat like a man who had lost everything.
Shane's gaze followed the spotlight from the stage to the audience seats. Until Jeremy took his seat, Shane's silent stare seemed to penetrate deep into his soul.
Grace bowed deeply toward the panel of judges. "I've proven my innocence and now only ask for the justice that's owed to me."
With Jeremy not here to testify, Patricia appeared to be in a dire situation.
Riley turned his attention to Patricia and asked, "Is there anything left you can present in your defense?"
This was her last chance. Despite the odds stacked against her, Patricia remained surprisingly composed. With a slow, deliberate smile, she enunciated, "Grace, there's something you might not know about my design."
Grace responded with a puzzled look.
Patricia continued, "I have a habit of incorporating a signature logo into my work. It's on all of my previous pieces and on this one as well. If you had simply copied my draft for inspiration, I'd have no case. But you had to emulate every detail and every pattern, providing the very proof I need to clear my name."
The blood drained from Grace's face.
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