I Reincarnated to Another World as a Woman-Chapter 175: Reckoning

"Okay, I have to hand it to Thea. The way she’s doing this is amazing. Bradley really looks unstable. Look at the faces watching him. Not a single one of them thinks Bradley is sane." Julian comments while staring at the screen.

"Hm," Arthur murmurs.

"What I want right now is to go into that café and pull her out." Arthur’s jaw tightens. "Look at him. He’s unraveling. He’s losing it. I don’t know what he’s seeing, but now he’s pointing at Thea with those crazy eyes. He might hurt her."

The next second, Arthur makes his decision.

He opens the car door.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Art. Hold on a minute!" Julian grabs the back of Arthur’s pants.

"We promised Thea we wouldn’t intervene. That’s why she let us sit out here and only watch through the screen. If you go in now, we’re breaking that promise." Julian smiles awkwardly. "Are you really okay with that? You literally just said we don’t want to piss her off."

Julian isn’t joking. Not even a little.

Arthur freezes. One foot is already out the door, his body half lifted.

He sighs and sits back down.

"I really don’t like this, Jules."

"I know," Julian exhales in relief and releases Arthur’s pants. "You think I like it?"

"And we both know Thea is more than capable of handling Bradley herself now. Even if he gets physical." Julian pauses. "I almost feel a sliver of pity for him."

Arthur’s eyes narrow as he watches the screen.

"He doesn’t deserve pity."

"I know," Julian replies. "That’s why I said a sliver."

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"Miss," a café staff member approaches Theo.

"Are you okay? Is this man bothering you?" he asks with concern. He’s been watching from a distance, and he doesn’t like how the situation is developing.

Theo smiles at him.

"Thank you, but I’m fine. This man is my friend. But it’s obvious he’s unwell. He’s been under a lot of pressure lately," Theo explains calmly.

"Shut up! You’re not my friend! You’re not Thea!" Bradley screams.

Theo raises both hands, palms facing Bradley, trying to pacify him.

"Brad, please. I am Thea. You know that. And it makes me sad when you say I’m not your friend. I know we haven’t seen each other for a while, but you know why. So please, don’t sulk. Let’s talk properly. I mean, I’m here now, right?"

Bradley is completely unraveling. His mind can no longer process what’s happening.

"You!" He points at the café staff.

"Don’t stand that close to her! She’s a demon! She’s not Thea Montrose!" he screams.

Murmurs ripple through the café, growing louder.

"Thea Montrose?"

"The youngest of the Montrose children?"

"Oh, no wonder she looks familiar."

"She’s as beautiful as she looks in the papers."

"Shut up!" Bradley screams.

"I’m telling you! She’s not Thea! I know her! I know her!" His voice cracks. "I was her boyfriend. I am her boyfriend! And this is not her!"

He keeps shouting.

Other patrons start pulling out their phones, recording.

Bradley notices it. Somehow, even as his mind is breaking, part of him is aware.

He starts turning in place, looking straight into as many cameras as he can find.

"Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Record it," he says, almost frantic. "Then you’ll see. That is not Thea Montrose. Record me. My name is Bradley Thomas, and I am her boyfriend. I would know if she’s the real Thea Montrose or not!"

Suddenly, a voice speaks right beside his ear.

"Yes. For Thea, you were."

Bradley freezes.

"And you lied to her. You used her. You betrayed her. She fell into a coma because of you."

"No!" Bradley screams. "It wasn’t me! I didn’t cause her coma! It was Ryan! Ryan Blackwood! He threatened me! He wanted me to approach Thea Montrose and use her to blackmail Arthur Montrose! It wasn’t my idea! I loved her!"

Gasps ripple through the café.

When Thea Montrose fell into a coma, it had been the biggest news of the year.

When the public saw her photos in newspapers and on the news, people pitied her deeply. She became known as the Arvion Princess.

"It was because of him?" people start murmuring.

"Ryan Blackwood?"

"Isn’t he also a person of interest in the Mt. Helene dungeon?"

"That’s right. And he disappeared, didn’t he?"

"Yes, that’s true."

"Keep recording, everyone. We need evidence."

The murmurs grow louder and louder.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! That’s right!" Bradley shouts, more frantic than ever. "It’s Ryan Blackwood’s fault! It’s his fault! All of it!"

"I’m a victim too! A victim!" His eyes, his expression, nothing about him suggests sanity anymore.

Theo remains silent. He only smirks. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

He doesn’t need to do anything now.

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Outside, Arthur has had enough.

He opens the car door before Julian can stop him.

"Damn it!" Julian mutters as he quickly follows.

Arthur strides toward the café and reaches the entrance in just a few steps. He pushes the door open and enters.

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The bell above the door rings.

Everyone in the café, including Bradley, turns to look.

A tall, silver-haired young man steps inside.

Another wave of murmurs ripples through the café.

"That’s Arthur Montrose!"

"Then it really is Thea Montrose!"

"Oh my god, he’s so tall in real life."

"I never thought he’d be this tall!"

The patrons stare in awe.

Arthur ignores them and walks straight toward Theo and Bradley. Julian follows closely behind him.

If the people in the café are looking at Arthur with admiration, Bradley is the opposite.

He is utterly terrified.

Even more terrified than when he saw Thea’s glowing eyes.

His last mental defense crumbles like falling dominoes.

His face turns pale, white as paper. His mouth opens and closes soundlessly, like a fish out of water. His eyes widen, frozen in fear, as if he’s seen a ghost.

When Arthur is only a few meters away, Bradley drops to his knees.

He begins spilling everything.

Every crime he has committed since the day he started working at Montrose Corporation. Why he approached Thea. How he approached her. Who ordered him. Why he chose the mountain cabin. How he had embezzled Montrose Corporation funds to feed his gambling addict. And even Ryan Blackwood’s location.

The words pour out of him like a waterfall.

And almost every patron in the café is recording.

Jeers and curses fill the air as Bradley’s confession continues.

In less than an hour, the videos spread worldwide like a massive forest fire.

Bradley Thomas instantly becomes one of the most infamous criminals of the year.