Chapter 65
Audrey walked straight to Eloise, her presence commanding the room 14s Hood/why dont paretard pationship with my grandeon?
Eloise bit her lip, her gaze involuntarily flicking toward Kieran, we formed dandy, clearly cenfeetable with the situation unfolding
deply,
He stood up, attempting to diffuse the tension Eloise and a merely inends”
“That’s not for you to say! Audrey snapped, tuning her frosty gaze back to lose ad Ms. Hood speak for herself”
“Kieran and I are just friends, Eloise said, her voice by born a whisper
“But isn’t there a numor, Ms. Harwood, that you were so infatuated with Kieran you even tried to harm yourself? Audrey didn’t skip a beat as she grabbed Eloise’s left hand and held it up for everyone to see.
bise paled, and her wrist wrapped in white bandages seemed to tell a tale of distress
Without sympathy, Audrey ripped off the bandages, mealing absolutely nothing Eloise’s wrist was unmarked, devoid of any injury The foom erupted into murmurs and gasps.
Audrey sneered, “The dramatic tales of self–harm were nothing but a farce. Ms. Harwood’s wrist is as pristine as can be.”
Kieran’s brows knitted even closer together at this revelation.
Eloise couldn’t bring herself to meet Kieran’s eyes, her gaze darting around the room as if looking for an escape.
Even Freya was stunned into silence, having expected some proof of Eloise’s alleged desperation, not this manipulation.
With tears streaming down her face, Eloise fled the scene.
Kieran declared, his voice cold, “This press conference is over.”
At his signal, Jarrett promptly escorted the journalists out and offered them parting gifts on behalf of the Sutton family.
As Freya rose to leave, Audrey gestured for her to stay. Together, they retreated to a quieter space backstage.
Once there, Audrey, seated comfortably and sipping coffee, fixed Kieran sternly. “Do you see now? The kind of woman you’ve taken a liking to?”
Eloise’s face was a mask of misery, but Kieran retorted, “Grandma, even if Ellie didn’t harm herself, was there a need to humiliate her in front of everyone like that?”
“Humiliate her? She’s been embarrassing Freya and our family!” Audrey’s laugh was cold and without humor: “She pretended to hurt herself at the engagement party just to pull you aside, made Freya a target for ridicule, and turned our family into a joke. And yet, you’re defending her?”
Eloise’s eyes welled up with tears, but Audrey was relentless. “Now, because of her, Freya wants to call off the engagement. I heard Ms. Harwood had quite the birthday bash, all at Kieran’s expense. What gives her the right? And to think she enjoyed the privileges of being associated with our family, all while trying to drive a wedge between you and Freya, aspiring to be the lady of the Sutton family?”
