Chapter 3

3.

Julian looked at me with profound disappointment.

"Clara, I can't believe that after five years, you'd stoop to scheming against a child just to push my buttons."

Seeing the condemnation in his eyes, the way he defended Chloe, a part of me still felt a painful twinge, even though I had no feelings left for him.

There was a time, after my father rescued him from the academic wolves who preyed on him for being an orphan, that Julian swore to me he would always be on my side, always believe in me.

Thinking back on it now, it was utterly ridiculous.

I let out a long breath and looked at the child hiding behind Chloe.

"You want to know if I put him up there? Why don't you just ask the kid himself?"

The moment I said it, Chloe became agitated again, breaking free and lunging to slap me again.

"I think you're trying to frame my son! You're trying to kill us!"

The onlookers gasped in shock.

Only Julian was still standing there, arrogantly demanding I admit I was wrong.

"Clara, how many times do I have to tell you, this is the award ceremony for two national heroes!"

"Are you trying to get yourself thrown in jail?"

I was completely fed up. I rubbed my stinging cheek and took a few steps back.

"I told you, I didn't put him up there! I was trying to save him!"

Chloe shrieked, refusing to believe me, and pushed the child out from behind her.

"You shut up! Let's hear what my son has to say!"

Julian put a protective arm around her, his eyes full of disgust for me.

"Clara, you're a compulsive liar! We'll listen to the boy!"

I bit back a curse and nodded. "Fine. Let's hear from the boy."

Chloe crouched down, smiling gently, and pointed at me.

"Sweetie, tell Mommy how you got up there, okay?"

The boy clutched his shirt, looked at me nervously, and spoke in a timid voice.

"She put me up there. She said it would be for the best if I fell and died…"

My vision went dark. I couldn't understand why a child so young, a complete stranger, would lie to destroy me.

Some of the onlookers were more rational. Someone suggested, "The auditorium has security cameras. We can just check the footage to see what happened."

But Julian was too enraged to listen.

"Clara! I thought you were just vicious, but I never thought you'd have such a blatant disregard for the law!"

"You were willing to kill an innocent child just out of jealousy!"

"You don't deserve to live in my house! After the ceremony, I'm handing you over to the police!"

Chloe’s expression flickered. She uncomfortably tried to change the subject.

"Clara, I've backed down, I've apologized countless times, I was even willing to give Julian back to you. Why are you so relentless? Why won't you leave me alone?"

"You tried to hurt my child today. Are you going to try to kill Julian next, and then everyone else connected to me?!"

The second Julian heard that his own safety might be at risk, his gaze turned even more venomous.

"Clara, I can't believe how much you've changed in just five years."

"It seems being nice to you was a mistake."

"Security! Where are the security guards? Get over here and drag this woman out before she ruins the award ceremony!"

The Marine Corps guards posted outside heard someone was trying to disrupt a ceremony for national heroes and rushed in immediately.

Chloe couldn't hide the triumphant look in her eyes as she pointed at me.

"It's this woman! She knew today was the heroes' award ceremony, and she still attempted murder!"

The guards in the front looked up, recognized me instantly, and turned in unison to point their rifles at Chloe and Julian.

"Falsely accusing a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom? Are you trying to commit treason?"