A SUBSTITUTE BRIDE

Alice saw that her father was also at the scene. She was on the verge of breaking down, but now her emotions have calmed down. Her tears fell uncontrollably, glistening eerily under the streetlights.

– Father.

Alice tightened the costume, still uncomfortable. The suit had been given to him by Butler Duval. Without his help, she couldn’t stay naked.

The socialites who were generally on good terms with Alice quietly drifted away from her. They were afraid of being labeled as Alice Duval’s good friend. If their reputation was affected by gossip related to Alice, it would be difficult for them to marry in the future.

Due to Joseph’s arrival, the surrounding people no longer dared to chat carelessly. After all, the status of the Duval family was clear to everyone. Who would dare challenge the Duval family? If they did, it would even be impossible to stay in An City.

– What have you done?

Joseph’s voice trembled with rage. He had never expected Alice to do something so despicable.

Alice looked at her father as if looking at her lifesaver. Tears of grievance fell when she said it,

– Father… it’s… it’s Qiao Lyana who tricked me.

Alice’s words were like an explosive bomb, shocking everyone. All the spectators turned to Lyana.

Lyana’s expression was calm. She stood there nonchalantly, as if she were a lotus flower that had sprouted from mud, but remained totally intact. It was as if everything going on around her had nothing to do with her.

Joseph and Matriarch Duval turned to Lyana, their twin gazes like a pair of sharp swords.

Lyana’s eyes went cold. It seemed the Duval family wanted her to be a scapegoat in order to clear Alice’s name.

After the other gentlemen, Collin arrived on the scene and saw Ines sitting on the side, her face pale. He walked over to her and asked worriedly,

– Ines, what’s wrong? Do you feel bad?

She looked up and shook her head gently. She turned to look at Lyana, who was standing in the middle of the crowd some distance away. Adding fuel to the fire, Ines said,

– Sister is in big trouble. Alice doesn’t seem to like him at all.

Before Colin arrived, he had already seen the comments in the group discussing how Lyana had made Alice lose her virginity. Now that he heard Ines’ words, he was even more certain that Lyana was the culprit.

Luckily for him, he didn’t reunite with Lyana at the time. What a vicious woman!

Collin looked at Lyana. She always looked pure and innocent. Looking at her face, he felt nauseous.

– Father,

Alice was sobbing.

– You have to believe me… It really was Lyana. I …NôvelDrama.Org is the owner.

Alice cried until she was out of breath, but didn’t forget to place blame directly.

Joseph looked at Alice, who was sobbing heartily. She had been born to her parents in the following years, and Joseph had always adored her the most. He glared furiously at Lyana and shouted:

– Lyana Dubois!

Matriarch Sanchez looked at Lyana with concern. She came forward and said:

– I refuse to believe my granddaughter could be such a despicable person!

Alice couldn’t care less about her status as a socialite. She took a step forward and pointed at Lyana.

– She escaped from the mental hospital.

Psychiatric hospital?

The spectators were amazed.

Even Matriarch Sanchez was stunned. She would never believe that her darling child was released from a psychiatric hospital. She quickly said,

– Miss Duval you are clearly wrong, but you still want to involve my granddaughter in this case. When we arrived Lyana wasn’t even there!

As soon as Matriarch Sanchez said that, people who suspected Lyana of being the culprit instantly fell silent. Indeed, they had not seen Lyana.

– No, it’s not like that at all! Alice screamed like a shrew, her hair dishevelled.

– Lyana drugged me. She’s the one who made me end up like this!

Alice roared hysterically,

– You are crazy. You killed your good friend Martin Rousseau and wiped my sister off the face of the earth. Now you’re even trying to hurt me! You are a demon from hell. You deserve to die and go to the eighteenth level of hell!

Everyone looked at Lyana dubiously, narrowing their eyes. Lyana looked like a fairy girl, innocent and sweet. At the thought that she might have killed someone in the past, they couldn’t help but step back in fear.

Was Martin Rousseau dead?

Francoise Duval had disappeared?

Lyana’s face was expressionless, but her heart was already rising with emotion. She had never been able to find Martin. Why did Alice say Martin was dead?

Lyana walked gracefully towards Alice. His gaze finally landed on adultery. She asked curiously,

– Miss Duval, who is this person?

Hearing Lyana’s voice, everyone’s gaze landed on adultery. Previously, they only wanted to watch the show and completely forgot about adultery.

– Isn’t he the Duval family gardener?

A socialite who wasn’t on good terms with Alice said bluntly.

– Oh I see. He is therefore the gardener of the Duval family.

Lyana said nonchalantly, her beautiful eyes shining with a strange light. There was an aura of power around her.

– It’s the first time I’ve come to the Duval family. How did I collide with the Duval family gardener and let him ruin Miss Duval’s innocence?

She was clearly only a young woman in her twenties, but her aura was in no way weaker than that of Joseph, who had been in the business world for thirty years.

Lyana’s occasional words easily strayed from Alice’s accusations. There wasn’t a single person present who didn’t admire Lyana.

Seeing the challenge in Lyana’s eyes, Joseph walked past her and questioned,

– Aren’t you a sharp-tongued girl? You plotted behind our backs there’s no way to admit your actions out loud!

Lyana hadn’t wanted to continue pursuing the case, but after hearing Joseph’s words, she knew he was trying to smear her reputation on purpose.

Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she raised her eyebrows and retorted,

– You are spouting nonsense without any proof. Alice, let me ask you. When did I drug you?

Before Alice could speak, Lyana continued,

– I haven’t spoken to you all night. How could you fall into my trap?

At this moment, a man hurried from afar. It was none other than Ferdinand Duval.

He had helped Lyana investigate Francoise’s fate. When he snuck out of Joseph’s office, he saw that there was no one left in the hallway.

Ferdinand took out his phone and saw that the WeChat group chat was already boiling. He could hear Alice accusing Lyana from afar. He couldn’t help but frown.

He approached Lyana and protected her behind him. He said,

– My uncle, Miss Dubois is not that kind of person!

With Ferdinand’s appearance, those who initially believed in Lyana’s innocence also began to doubt her. Lyana said she didn’t know the Duval family. Wasn’t that a direct contradiction?

Joseph was already very angry. He looked at Ferdinand with a gruff expression and raised his hand to slap him. However, Ferdinand dodged the blow.

– Uncle, let’s call the police!

Said Ferdinand without changing his expression. He believed that Lyana was not that kind of person.

Joseph found himself at a disadvantage. Even though Alice’s reputation had been completely ruined, he still feared that the reputation of the Duval family was also ruined. He shouted sternly,

– Ferdinand Duval, how dare you help a stranger!” Get out of my way! I will make this vicious girl suffer the consequences of her own actions!

– Mr. Duval is really arrogant!

Vincent’s deep voice echoed from the back of the crowd, his voice rising slightly.

Hearing her voice, everyone was stunned for a moment. They turned their heads and looked. Most people didn’t recognize Vincent and started whispering to each other.

He had one hand in his pocket. With two bodyguards behind him, he walked elegantly from the crowd to Joseph.

There was a slight coldness at the corner of his lips and his eyes were slightly narrowed. He had a natural sense of alienation and indifference, and his whole body emitted a cold aura.

When Joseph saw Vincent, a trace of astonishment crossed his face. Raising his eyebrows, he silently backed away.

Collin had coincidentally seen a photograph of Vincent in the past. Seeing Vincent’s approach, he knew this prank would definitely end in the defeat of the Duval family.