Chapter 435

Nathan Aldridge tapped the table lightly with his fingers. "Her favorite saying—don't waste emotions on meaningless things. Right now, I bet she'd rather lock herself in the lab for days."

Sophia Blanchet scoffed. "Since when do you know my sister so well? I've already leaked the news to the Lefèvres. Isabella Langley was Christian Lefèvre's girlfriend. His death is tied to her and Adrian Valentine. But the Lefèvre patriarch cowered the moment he heard Adrian's name. Too scared to avenge his own son?"

She slammed her palm on the table. "Every piece of evidence I found points to those two snakes! Surveillance shows Isabella fled with Adrian, leaving my sister behind to handle the mess. Disgusting!"

Her cheeks flushed with anger. Nathan wisely stayed silent.

Bang—

The door was kicked open.

Backlit by the hallway light, Adrian Valentine strode in. His black trench coat accentuated his tall frame, each step radiating dominance.

Nathan instantly shed his casual demeanor, his gaze sharp as a blade. "To what do we owe this unexpected visit, Mr. Valentine?"

Adrian took a seat without invitation, interlacing his long fingers. "I didn't kill Christian Lefèvre."

Sophia sneered. "Empty words mean nothing. The footage shows you and Isabella were both at the scene!"

"We saw Evelyn Roland light the fire," Adrian said, his piercing gaze unwavering. "I'm here for answers."

Sophia's fingers twitched.

Nathan shot to his feet. "Bullshit! The surveillance proves you two entered two minutes earlier. By the time Evelyn arrived, the fire had already started. At least come up with a believable lie!"

His fists clenched audibly. "If it weren't for the children, you'd be in a hospital bed right now."

Adrian remained unruffled. "The Lefèvres have clear footage of Evelyn igniting the flames."

"You son of a—" Nathan lunged forward.

Adrian calmly adjusted his cufflinks. "From the day we married, she became Mrs. Valentine. Do you have an issue with that title?"

Sophia let out a bitter laugh. "Suffering from amnesia, Mr. Valentine? All of Vienna knows your precious darling is Isabella."

The air turned glacial.

Adrian's eyes darkened. "I'll handle this matter."

A cool voice cut through from the doorway. "No need to trouble yourself, Mr. Valentine."

Sebastian Orlando leaned against the frame, his white coat still stained with blood.