"Aurelia, Jacqueline is right. Sit down and let’s talk this out. No need for all this fighting," a villager kindly interjected.

The other villagers chimed in, their words implicitly siding with the Golding family. After all, it was the Golding siblings who were getting beaten badly, while the Thornes hadn’t suffered so much as a scratch.

"Bullshit! Just because Phoenix Golding is a teacher, she thinks she can bully my daughter? Who doesn’t know she slept her way into that job? Ptooey... A shameless vixen like her is fit to be a teacher? She’s out fooling around with men every day. Everyone in Xavier Village knows about it. Does she really think we’re all idiots?"

Phoebe Huxley’s insults were vicious. Her maternal family was from Xavier Village, and since it was close, she visited often. Naturally, she had heard some of the rumors about Phoenix Golding.

Although Phoenix Golding was cautious, some secrets can’t be kept. No matter how careful she was, rumors still leaked out, especially with Melanie watching her every move, constantly trying to dig up dirt. While Melanie had never caught her in the act, plenty of gossip had spread—it just hadn’t reached as far as Millstone Peak.

"Auntie Aurelia, you can’t slander my mom like that." Jacqueline Spann’s face flushed red, and her eyes welled with tears, making her look utterly pitiful.

This made the villagers feel even more sorry for her. Jacqueline Spann’s reputation in the village was even better than her mother’s. After all, Phoenix Golding only left a good impression on men; very few of the women actually liked her.

But Jacqueline Spann was different. Everyone in the village, young and old, man and woman, adored her. Many women were even vying to arrange a marriage for her to become their daughter-in-law.

"Aurelia, you can’t just make things up. We all know what kind of person Phoenix is. You can’t just sling mud like that," someone advised.

"She’s a total slut! She tried to seduce my Felix, she’s sleeping with Storm Xavier every day, and she even slept with a supervisor from the town’s school district! How else do you think she got her permanent position? Ptooey... You shameless whore! You think nobody knows about your filthy business, but I know everything!"

With every accusation Phoebe Huxley made, Phoenix Golding’s heart sank a little lower, because every single one was true. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

She had been so discreet, so careful. ’How could Phoebe Huxley possibly know?’

’It must be that bitch Melanie spreading rumors. All I have to do is deny it to the bitter end. It’s not like they have any proof.’

"I’ve lived my life with a clear conscience, only to be slandered by you Thornes! I can’t go on... I’m too ashamed to live..."

Phoenix Golding suddenly pushed Phoebe Huxley aside and staggered toward the courtyard wall. She wasn’t moving very fast. Of course, she wasn’t actually trying to kill herself; she was just putting on a show. Someone would definitely pull her back, giving her a graceful way out of the situation. This way, she could both protect her reputation and paint Phoebe Huxley as a bully—killing two birds with one stone.

"Don’t do it! You mustn’t!"

Sure enough, someone moved to pull her back, but he wasn’t as fast as Phoebe Huxley. Phoebe, who was closest, was momentarily stunned before a jolt of alarm sent her grabbing for Phoenix Golding instinctively. The last thing she wanted was a death on her hands.

RRRIP!

The sound of tearing fabric was sharp and clear. The air fell silent. Everyone stared, dumbfounded, their eyes fixed on Phoenix Golding, whose shoulder was now mostly exposed. A few of the men swallowed hard.

’Phoenix Golding’s skin is so fair and smooth!’

Phoebe Huxley had intended to pull Phoenix Golding’s clothes back into place, but her eyesight was sharp. Her gaze locked onto a red mark in the hollow of Phoenix’s right shoulder—what would later be known as a ’hickey’. And there wasn’t just one; there were several of them clustered there.

Anyone with a bit of life experience knew how those marks were made. And these ’hickeys’ were quite fresh, clearly made not too long ago.