Chapter 63

Nicole Capra's words trailed off, but everyone in the room understood her insinuation.

As expected, Vincent King responded with a cold sneer.

"Hah!"

His sharp gaze raked over Susan Thompson's face like a blade. "I took advantage of her? If she hadn't drugged me and shamelessly thrown herself at me, would I have touched her? Vincent King isn't that desperate!"

Susan didn't immediately defend herself.

She stared dazedly at Vincent's face, once gentle as jade but now frosted with hostility. This was how he was supposed to look at her. Those four years of mutual dependence now seemed like an absurd dream.

"Susan!"

Andrew Lucas's gritted voice snapped her back to reality.

"I didn't drug Vincent," Susan said calmly. "I was framed. I came to him only for Daniel."

"Framed?" Vincent's lips curled mockingly. "Miss Thompson, dare you say you didn't enter my room willingly tonight?"

"Dare you deny repeatedly seducing me in the King Corporation's underground garage? Dare you deny nearly killing Candy while trying to climb into my bed?"

"It wasn't me!" Susan's voice trembled. She had been to the garage but never with such vile intentions. Candy's injury was entirely Nicole's orchestrated drama.

"Susan, have you no shame!" Andrew suddenly grabbed her throat. "Can't you live without men?!"

His fist smashed into the wall with a reverberating thud.

Choking but defiant, Susan lifted her chin. "Yes, Mr. Lucas, I can't live without men. But that's my business. What's it to you?"

"Susan!"

"My mind is perfectly clear—no need to keep reminding me of my name!" She pried Andrew's hand away and turned to Vincent, her eyes reddening.

"Vincent, I know you don't believe me." Her voice cracked. "But all three times I sought you out were for Daniel. First to borrow money for his surgery, then to fulfill his dying wishes."

"I swear upon Daniel's spirit—if I ever harbored improper thoughts about you, may lightning strike me and my soul scatter!"

Vincent's pupils constricted.

He should despise this shameless woman, yet her desperate oath inexplicably filled him with panic and piercing pain—so intense it overshadowed the drugs in his system.

"If you truly had no ulterior motives," he heard himself demand uncontrollably, "why did you kidnap Candy?"

Susan searched his eyes deeply.

How could the once-perceptive Vincent be so blinded by a woman like Candy?

"Nothing to say?" Vincent sneered.

"Indeed, nothing." Susan smiled bleakly. "Because no matter what I say, none of you will believe me. But I'll say this—Susan Thompson has a clear conscience!"

"Your belief means nothing now."

As she turned to leave, a clear voice sounded at the door:

"I believe you!"

Susan looked up to see Ethan Sullivan, dusty from travel, standing at the threshold. Though weary, his eyes shone with familiar warmth.

Striding forward, he clasped her icy hand. "Susan, I believe you."

"Ethan..."

Tears suddenly overflowed.

She thought she'd cried herself dry, yet before this young man, she could still weep like a wronged girl.

"I'm back."

Ignoring the room's hostile stares, Ethan pulled her into a firm embrace.