Ivy White’s face turned pale. She said awkwardly, "There’s no need to go to so much trouble. I’ll drop the matter of Grace Winslow slandering me. There’s no need to bother Minister Rhys with a special trip."

"Grace Winslow, what do you think?"

There was a clear threat in Ivy White’s eyes.

Grace Winslow beamed. "I think that’s a terrible idea."

"You see, I’m a stickler for the truth. I can’t let it go when people spread rumors about me. I’m quite petty that way."

Ivy White was livid.

’She had already given Grace an out, so why wasn’t the bitch taking it? Why did she have to keep causing trouble for her!’

"Stanley, I suddenly don’t feel well. I want to go home and rest." Ivy White leaned weakly into Stanley Shaw’s arms.

Seeing this, Stanley Shaw’s heart immediately ached for her.

"Minister Rhys, let’s just drop the matter this time. We won’t pursue it. There’s no need for you all to be so aggressive. Just have Grace Winslow apologize to Camilla. We all have to work together in the future, and we might even cooperate on something. There’s no need to make things so unpleasant, don’t you think?" Stanley Shaw looked at Leon Rhys, his voice already tinged with displeasure.

Leon Rhys beamed. "I think that’s a terrible idea."

"The atmosphere in this department has been getting worse and worse lately. It’s become a toxic environment. I couldn’t figure out why, but now I understand. It’s because there are leaders like you, Section Chief Shaw, who can’t tell right from wrong. That’s why the Propaganda Section gets worse every year. Look at everyone—instead of doing their jobs, all they know how to do is spread rumors."

"And as it happens, I don’t have much work today and was feeling rather bored. I’m going to see this matter through to the very end. I’m also going to severely punish those who spread rumors behind people’s backs, to serve as a wake-up call for everyone. Let them always remember: don’t spread rumors, or you will pay the price."

"Comrade Winslow, why don’t you tell me exactly how she slandered and defamed you. I’d like to hear it."

With someone backing her up, Grace Winslow certainly wasn’t going to be polite to Ivy White.

Even without someone backing her up, she wouldn’t have been polite.

She recounted the events in detail. "Minister Rhys, that’s the long and short of it. Everything she said is a complete fabrication. I have witnesses; they happen to be in Coronet right now. I also have physical evidence. I like to collect newspapers, and back then, all that messy business with Caleb Forrest and her was in the news. If you want to see them, I can go get them."

"Secretary Ford, go make a call and ask Director Osborne to come over."

"As for the newspapers, there’s no rush. You can bring them to work tomorrow, in case *some people* want to see them." Leon Rhys nodded, then turned to give Samuel Ford his instructions.

Samuel Ford turned and went to make the call.

Oscar Osborne arrived quickly.

He happened to be free today.

It was thanks to Grace Winslow that he had been promoted. Originally, he thought being the director of the textile factory in Prospera Town was as far as he’d go, and he was just waiting to retire.

He never expected that a few of Grace Winslow’s design sketches would revitalize a factory on the brink of collapse.

Moreover, her work even boosted the economy of Prospera Town.

He had performed a great service, so the higher-ups transferred him to Coronet to help the textile factories here deal with their unsalable fabrics and implement reforms.

Upon receiving Samuel Ford’s call, Oscar Osborne immediately had his driver bring him over.

When he saw Grace Winslow, his face lit up with excitement. "It really is you, my girl! You’ve joined the Ministry of Diplomacy? The PR department or the Propaganda Section?"

"I’m an intern. Mr. Osborne, it’s good you’re here." Grace smiled and went to greet him.

Ivy White grew flustered and quickly interjected, "He and your father were comrades-in-arms! Of course he’s going to take your side. His testimony shouldn’t count."

She was panicking.

’She had only managed to marry Stanley Shaw by hiding her identity. He knew nothing about her past. If all of that was exposed, she was afraid Stanley would divorce her and kick her out of the Shaw family...’

’She absolutely could not lose the life she had now.’

Oscar Osborne thought the voice sounded familiar. He took a closer look. "You’re... Ivy White?"

"What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be undergoing re-education at Redridge Farm right now?"

As soon as he said this, the crowd of onlookers erupted in an uproar.

Just a moment ago, Grace Winslow had said that Ivy White had tried to kill her own child and was arrested and sent away for re-education.

They never thought it would actually be true.

This seemed to prove that everything Ivy White had said earlier was a lie.

Stanley Shaw frowned and looked at Oscar Osborne. "Ivy White? Who are you calling Ivy White? Her name is Camilla Lloyd. She’s my wife."

"Camilla Lloyd? You even changed your name?" Oscar Osborne subconsciously glanced from Grace Winslow to Ivy White.

Grace Winslow quietly explained the whole story to him in detail.

She didn’t embellish the story or hide anything from anyone.

After listening, Oscar Osborne became furious. "You, Ivy White! You really never change!"

"You were the one who seduced Caleb Forrest and caused Grace Winslow to divorce him! You two were already living together before they were even divorced. Later, when Caleb got into trouble and was arrested, you refused to leave the factory-assigned housing."

"So you could marry well in the future, you even tried to harm your own flesh and blood—you tried to kill him! It was the neighbors who discovered it, called the police, and had you taken in for re-education."

"I can’t believe that after finally getting out of re-education, you still show no remorse and are out here slandering and defaming people!"

"I’m going to call Redridge Farm and ask whether you were properly released after completing your reform, or if you used some underhanded means to get out!"

Ivy White’s face was ashen, and she was filled with a murderous hatred.

Stanley Shaw let go of her. "Is what he said true? Your name isn’t Camilla Lloyd, it’s Ivy White? You lied to me?"

"I didn’t! I really didn’t lie to you. There was nothing at all between Caleb Forrest and me. He was a comrade-in-arms of my late husband. My husband once saved his life, so he owed him a debt. After my husband died, I was kicked out by my in-laws and had nowhere to go. I happened to run into him, and he kindly took me in, but I never expected Comrade Winslow to misunderstand..."

"The only reason I changed my name was to make a clean break with the past. I never meant to deceive you."

"Everything I’m saying is true! When I saved you, you were completely destitute. I didn’t even know who you were. What reason would I have to lie to you?"

Ivy White explained frantically.

Hearing this, Stanley Shaw breathed a sigh of relief. "I believe you."

"You can all stop talking. It’s impossible for you to shake my relationship with her with these old stories."

"Comrade Winslow, perhaps Vivi said something that upset you, but if you’ve done nothing wrong, what do you have to fear from a little gossip?"

At this, Grace Winslow laughed. "Is that so? I heard that Section Chief Shaw is impotent, that his performance in *that* department is very poor. I wonder if that’s true?"

Stanley Shaw’s face instantly turned red with anger. "What nonsense are you spouting?"

"Section Chief Shaw, if there’s nothing wrong with you, what do you have to fear from a little gossip?" Grace Winslow threw his own words right back at him.