Chapter 64
Chapter 64:
“Unreasonable?” Nina responded with a mocking sneer, her voice dripping with defiance. “I can be even more unreasonable. Alcott, I want a divorce.”
Alcott’s eyes flew open in shock as he leapt from his seat. “What the hell are you doing? You always bring up divorce. Have you thought about how this looks to others?”
“You called me unreasonable. I’m merely showing you just how unreasonable I can be. What’s wrong with that?” Nina’s commanding aura left Alcott reeling and speechless.
“I must take the blame for this,” Bart declared, his face a mix of remorse and naive sincerity. “Perhaps it’s best if I leave the family. Everything will get better if I’m no longer around.”
Janice raised an eyebrow. It was the classic manipulator move—sacrificing a little to grab a lot.
Bart cast a desolate glance toward Aiden, his smile tinged with bitterness. “I’ve always been the outsider here. No matter how earnestly I strive, assumptions are always against me. Even if the servants witness the truth, they’d never vouch for someone like me, would they?”
Alcott seized on Bart’s statement, thumping his thigh emphatically. “Exactly! We simply need to ask the servants to unearth who initiated this.”
Nina’s expression darkened as she alternated her gaze between Bart and Alcott.
“Very well, since you demand the truth, let’s delve into it.” Janice and Aiden shared a look. Their eyes revealed no trace of alarm. Rather, there was a spark of anticipation.
“Bethel, we need answers. What truly went down between Aiden and Bart?” Nina called in Bethel Moore, the most senior servant. Bethel’s eyes flitted nervously from Bart to Aiden.
“Bethel, don’t be scared,” Alcott commanded, his expression stern. “Speak only the truth, and I assure you, you’ll face no repercussions.”
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“I… I haven’t seen a thing,” Bethel asserted, shaking her head resolutely.
Bart’s face twisted in confusion, his voice tinged with disbelief as he probed, “Bethel, how can you say you didn’t see it? You were right there when Aiden and I clashed!”
Taking a brief pause, Bethel shook her head once more, her tone firm. “I honestly didn’t see anything. After I finished up in the kitchen, I stepped outside to water the flowers.”
Panic began to seep into Bart’s demeanor. He stole a quick glance at Aiden and Janice, both of whom were smirking at him.
In that moment, a realization dawned on him. Pressing his lips into a thin line, Bart clenched his fists, his muscles tensing with frustration. Earlier, Janice had exerted her dominance in front of the servants. The servants, preferring to steer clear of household dramas for their own safety, chose to remain neutral.
Despite Alcott’s reassurances, they remained wary of Janice, a woman whose reactions were hard to predict and who might seek retribution for their involvement.
“Do you have anything further to add?” Nina inquired, her gaze piercing as she looked between Alcott and Bart, both visibly unnerved.
Janice stepped forward and took Nina’s hand, admitting, “To be honest, I’m the one who hit Bart.”
The room fell into a sudden, stunned silence, with everyone turning to stare in disbelief.
Bart was even more puzzled. Nina had clearly taken sides, so why would Janice step forward now? A sly gleam flickered in Janice’s eyes, sending a shiver of apprehension through Bart.
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