Skip to content
Novel Catalog
Chapter 58: False Accusations
“Kaitlin, you’ve provoked me time and time again,” Manuel’s voice was icy, his gaze hardening as he stared at her. “But this time, you’ve gone too far. Do you really think the Baldry family will always protect you? What if they can’t shield you this time?”
Kaitlin’s defiant response came quickly, her voice sharp and filled with venom. “I’m a member of the Baldry family! Of course, my brother will support me. And as for you, how dare you criticize me? You’ve been relying on Mr. Gage’s support for everything. I did nothing wrong!”
Manuel’s stare could have cut through steel. Kaitlin trembled under his gaze, and Manuel’s voice dropped, becoming colder. “Ms. Baldry, I’m sure you know what happened in the garden today. Why did you do this?”
Before Kaitlin could respond, she pointed a trembling finger at Ainsley. “Mr. Gage, trust me! It wasn’t me; it was her! That man just now must have been arranged by Ainsley to frame me! I didn’t do anything!”
Meanwhile, Kaliyah, who had just finished changing into a new dress in the second-floor room, was on her way downstairs when she overheard the argument. A piercing scream caught her attention—a woman’s voice, frantic and distressed.
Curious, Kaliyah stood still for a moment, listening closely. She realized it was Kaitlin’s voice, raised in anger. It sounded like a heated argument, and Kaliyah recognized Ainsley’s voice too. She immediately made her way downstairs to find out what was happening.
Once in the hallway, Kaliyah quickly turned to Cason. “Cason, you need to go upstairs. It sounds like Kaitlin is arguing with Ainsley!”
“What? How dare that *** bully my daughter?” Lindsay’s voice trembled with anger as she started climbing the stairs.
Kaliyah, with Cason and Lindsay trailing behind her, reached the second floor. As they entered the room, they saw Kaitlin crying uncontrollably, her tears falling like rain as she clung to Manuel, begging him for support.
Ainsley and Roman stood silently in the corner, watching the scene unfold.
Lindsay rushed over to Kaitlin’s side, helping her to her feet. “My dear, what happened? Who did this to you?”
Kaitlin looked up at her, tears streaming down her face. Then, in a sudden outburst, Lindsay pointed directly at Ainsley. “It was you! What did you do? Why did you harm my daughter?”
Cason’s expression darkened as he turned to Manuel, his voice firm but respectful. “Mr. Gage, although the Baldry family may not have the same influence as the Gage family, you can’t allow this kind of behavior.”
“Kaitlin, what exactly happened?” Kaliyah asked with apparent concern, moving toward her sister-in-law. “Please, tell us.”
Kaliyah tried to remain calm, though her thoughts raced. She knew Kaitlin well enough to understand that not many could bully her, and the only plausible explanation was that Manuel had already been informed about what had happened. Now, Kaliyah’s goal was clear: she had to place the blame squarely on Kaitlin.
But unexpectedly, Kaitlin didn’t follow the script Kaliyah had hoped for. She jerked her hand away from Kaliyah’s support, her voice bitter. “It’s all your fault! It’s because of your *** idea!”
Cason’s tone grew colder, his patience wearing thin. “Kaitlin, what are you saying? She’s your sister-in-law! Now, tell us exactly what happened.”
Kaliyah, sensing a shift, stepped forward, her voice smooth but carrying an underlying threat. “It’s okay, Kaitlin. If you’re not comfortable, you can tell us privately. After all, we’re all here. No one else will know what happened.”
Kaitlin lifted her gaze and seemed to grasp Kaliyah’s unspoken intent. Her shoulders slumped, and she lowered her eyes in feigned distress. “Just now, Serina came to me and said that Mr. Gage wanted to see me. I didn’t know what was going on, but I still came upstairs. When I got here, there was no sign of Mr. Gage—just a middle-aged man who tried to take advantage of me. I fought him off with all my strength, and then I saw Ainsley and Mr. Gage come in. It must have been Ainsley’s plan to humiliate me in front of Mr. Gage.”
Lindsay’s anger flared as she turned toward Ainsley. “You! How dare you do this? This is a Gage family banquet! You’re ruining my daughter’s reputation!”
Lindsay then turned to Manuel, her tone now desperate. “Mr. Gage, Ainsley sent people to bully my daughter. You need to find out who is really at fault.”
Ainsley’s voice rang out, laced with sarcasm. “Oh, really? You’re making false accusations now?”
Kaitlin’s voice grew shrill as she shouted, “What I’m saying is the truth!”
Cason, looking increasingly displeased, turned to Manuel. “Why don’t we get Mr. Koen involved? He could help sort this out.”
Manuel, his face cold, gave a curt nod. “Go ahead, send for him.”
It was clear the situation was escalating, and even Koen’s involvement wouldn’t calm things down immediately. The banquet had barely started, yet so much chaos had already unfolded. Koen, though known for his influence, was visibly irritated. This wasn’t his business to meddle in, but the Gage family had been dragged in nonetheless.
As Kaitlin finished her story, Ainsley calmly recounted her version, unflinching. Manuel’s face darkened further as he listened to Kaitlin’s sobbing, her fabricated tale turning Ainsley into a jealous, scheming woman.
“Mr. Gage, you must seek justice for me!” Kaitlin cried, her voice high-pitched with distress.
Koen, not one to indulge in theatrics, rubbed his temples in frustration. “What’s going on here, Manuel?” he asked, glancing from one person to the next.
Manuel’s voice was ice-cold. “Grandfather, I already knew Ms. Easton had encountered a bad man in the garden, so I saved her. Then, I arranged for Ms. Baldry to come upstairs. I wanted her to admit that she had set Ms. Easton up.”
At the mention of this, Kaitlin’s body stiffened. She hadn’t known that Manuel had orchestrated the meeting upstairs.
Ainsley smiled faintly, her gaze never leaving Kaitlin. “At first, I only wanted Ms. Baldry to admit her actions. But she insisted on lying. Well, now everyone can see what she’s done.”
Lindsay, enraged, lunged toward Ainsley, but was held back by Cason. “You’re a vile woman! You plotted against my daughter!”
Kaliyah’s voice was quiet but insistent. “I wonder, Ms. Easton, do you have any evidence to support these accusations?”
Kaitlin, sensing a turn in the conversation, smirked. “That’s right! What evidence do you have?”
Ainsley gave a slight gesture toward Roman. In an instant, a loud, shrill voice echoed through the room, unmistakable and full of panic.
“Get lost! Get lost! What if I asked you to harass her? You’ve offended the Gage family. Do you still want to offend the Baldry family?”
Kaitlin’s face turned ashen as the harsh voice rang out. She collapsed to the floor, her hands trembling. The voice coming from the recorder was undeniably hers.
“Ms. Baldry, those were your words,” Ainsley said, her tone colder than ever as she fixed Kaitlin with an unwavering gaze.
Kaitlin was paralyzed with fear. Kaliyah, watching the scene unfold, felt her stomach churn. Her mind raced as she turned to Cason. “I’m going to the bathroom,” she murmured, her face pale.
Kaliyah rushed to the bathroom, her heart pounding in her chest. She stood in front of the mirror, her reflection a mask of panic. The cool water from the faucet splashed on her face, the cold helping to clear her mind, but not enough to calm her nerves.
She couldn’t panic. She had to keep a level head. The most important thing now was to make sure Kaitlin didn’t turn on her. The truth had to remain hidden at all costs.
Back in the private room, Kaitlin stared at the floor, her mind reeling with dread. Her world was collapsing.
“Mr. Koen,” Ainsley spoke again, her expression calm despite the chaos, “I think it’s better if we let the police handle this matter.”
Koen, looking weary, nodded slowly, as the gravity of the situation became clear.
