Noelle Lockwood’s expression stiffened. She forced a smile. "Mia, what are you talking about?"

’So what if I did? This little bastard should have died long ago!’

Mia glanced at her, the five-year-old’s eyes filled with disdain. "We’re both old foxes. Stop playing the innocent little flower."

Afraid Mia’s voice was too loud and would attract attention, Noelle Lockwood gave an awkward laugh. "Mia, I didn’t realize you had such a big problem with me..."

"You don’t know? Well, you’re about to find out."

Mia announced sweetly, "Aunt Noelle, I’m going to fall down now."

’For a moment, Noelle Lockwood didn’t understand. What did the little bastard mean? What was this about her going to fall down...?’

"Waaah..."

Suddenly, with a THUD, Mia fell to the ground. Tears instantly welled up in her eyes. Her big eyes looked both innocent and incredulous. She blinked a couple of times, and tears streamed down her little face.

Everyone around them was stunned.

Mia felt for the padding tied to her bottom. Though she wasn’t hurt at all, her acting was incredible. The tears came on command. "Aunt Noelle, WAAAH WAAAH..."

"Mia!" Christian was the first to step forward, starting his dramatic performance according to the script. "Aunt Noelle, how could you bully someone!"

Mia shrank back as if terrified, grabbing Christian’s hand. "Brother, I’m okay. Don’t blame Aunt Noelle. Maybe Aunt Noelle just couldn’t control her strength. It’s all my fault..."

Several female employees nearby snapped to their senses and hurried over. "Little one, are you hurt?"

"Can you stand up? There’s a clinic over there. Want me to take you to a doctor?"

Mia’s eyes were filled with tears. She looked like she was in too much pain to speak, yet she managed two polite whimpers.

The female employees’ hearts melted. The looks they gave Noelle Lockwood, however, were not so friendly.

"Miss Noelle, we’ve heard some of the rumors, but no matter what, Mia is still a five-year-old child. You..." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"She dares to lay a hand on a child in front of so many people. Who knows what she does behind closed doors!"

"Right, I heard Noelle Lockwood was kicked out of Imperial Crest because she abused Young Mr. Sloan. It wasn’t because Yara Lockwood drove her out at all."

"How could she bully a little kid? At the end of the day, this is a grudge between adults. She can’t compare to Yara Lockwood, so she takes it out on her daughter..."

As she sat on the floor, wiping her tears without any real emotion, Mia recalled something she had overheard outside her mommy’s room six months ago—

Back then, her uncle, Henry Kendrick, had found out that her mommy wanted to return to the country for revenge. He was very supportive and had mentioned something.

’Yara, back then, Noelle Lockwood was so favored. She faked a fall to frame you, and yet the entire Lockwood Family, plus that scumbag ex-husband of yours, all protected her. I’m afraid that even if you go back, getting revenge won’t be that easy.’

Later, Mia had pestered her uncle with more questions and finally learned the full story.

That day had also been at Evernight Tower. Her mommy had come to bring lunch to her scumbag dad and happened to run into Noelle Lockwood and that pair of biased parents.

Noelle Lockwood had fallen in the hallway. Even though no one saw how she fell, she had given Mommy a tearful glance and deliberately said, ’I’m fine, don’t blame my sister.’ Rose Lowell had then stepped forward and slapped Mommy twice, telling her to recognize her place.

Thinking of this, Mia redoubled her efforts. She cast a cautious, frightened glance at Noelle Lockwood and said:

"Everyone, please don’t say that. Waaah... I know Aunt Noelle didn’t do it on purpose..."

Noelle Lockwood finally understood, and her expression changed drastically.

’This little bastard was framing her!!’

’She hadn’t even touched Mia Lockwood just now; the girl had fallen down all by herself!’

Usually, it was Noelle Lockwood who framed others. To be framed herself... She immediately gritted her teeth. "Mia, how can you say that? I didn’t..."

"Mia, forget it. Let’s go."

Suddenly, Christian cut Noelle Lockwood off. He walked over to Mia. The little "green tea" had entered the stage and begun his performance.

"Mia, Aunt Noelle said before that she’s upper class and we’re lower class, not even worthy of carrying her shoes. Never mind her pushing you; even if she did something worse, nothing would probably come of it. We can only suck it up and take the loss."

Noelle Lockwood’s eyes flew wide. "You..."

Mia whimpered and tried to get up carefully, but she failed twice. In the eyes of the onlookers, the little girl’s figure looked incredibly resilient.

"Waaah... Brother, I’ll listen to you. If we offend Aunt Noelle, we’ll get hit. Mia doesn’t want to get hit."

Noelle Lockwood gritted her teeth. ’How could she not understand by now? These two little wretches were slandering her!’ "You’re talking nonsense..."

"Noelle Lockwood, now you’re just being petty!" an employee who couldn’t watch anymore interrupted loudly.

"You bullied a child! We all saw it with our own eyes. Mia didn’t even say she was going to hold it against you, but here you are, blaming her first!"

"If you didn’t push her, are you saying Mia fell on her own?"

"Don’t take us for fools!"

"Yeah, falling down is so painful for a child. Why would Mia fall on purpose?"

’Noelle Lockwood screamed silently in her heart—that bastard *did* fall on her own! Why doesn’t anyone believe me!’

After those employees had their say, a footstep sounded from behind. Everyone turned to look and instantly fell silent as church mice.

"Pres... President Sloan..."

"Mr. Sloan, what brings you here..."

’Oh no. Don’t tell me Mr. Sloan heard us criticizing Noelle Lockwood and came over specifically because of that.’

Noelle Lockwood’s eyes filled with tears, as if she had finally found her protector. Full of grievance, she whimpered, "Nathaniel..."

But Nathaniel Sloan seemed not to see her. He walked straight past her and scooped Mia up from the floor, his voice gentle and worried. If one listened closely, they could even hear a tremor in his tone.

"Mia, does it hurt?"

’Mia tilted her head. Her scumbag dad had arrived so quickly. Was he really worried about her?’

Nathaniel Sloan, holding Mia, looked over at ’Zachery’. He soothed, "Don’t be afraid. Uncle Sloan is here. Uncle Sloan will make Noelle Lockwood apologize to you both."

Noelle Lockwood looked as if she’d been struck by lightning. ’Apologize? How were these two little bastards worthy of her apology!’

"Nathaniel, I didn’t. You have to believe me..."

"If I believe you, then why did Mia fall?" Nathaniel Sloan questioned coolly.

Noelle Lockwood’s eyes were filled with tears. Looking as delicate as a willow in the wind, as if she had suffered the world’s greatest injustice, she cried uncontrollably. "Nathaniel, I really don’t know. Maybe it’s because Mia doesn’t like me, so, so she..."

"Are you saying Mia fell on purpose to frame you?"

Nathaniel Sloan let out a sarcastic laugh, perhaps remembering something, and said, word by word:

"Mia is just a child. She’s not that manipulative. Noelle Lockwood, when you do something wrong, you should admit it."

Noelle Lockwood’s eyes flew wide. ’She felt like she had heard those words somewhere before—’

But Nathaniel Sloan didn’t give her a chance. He instructed his secretary beside him, "President Lockwood and Mrs. Lockwood are here too?"

The secretary replied, "Yes, Mr. Sloan. President Lockwood and Mrs. Lockwood are in the lounge."

Nathaniel Sloan glanced at Noelle Lockwood and said coolly to his secretary, "Help me pass a message to President Lockwood and Mrs. Lockwood."

With that, he carried Mia into the elevator, with Christian following behind.

Mia lay in his arms, sobbing. "It hurts so much, Uncle Sloan, it hurts so bad, WAAAH, that bad woman..."

"...There’s no one else here. Stop pretending," Nathaniel Sloan interrupted.

Mia’s voice came to an abrupt halt. "Huh?"