Chapter 348 The Truth Beneath the Surface
Chapter 348 The Truth Beneath the Surface
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Simon couldn’t wrap his head around it. The girl he once cherished like a rare treasure–his bright, loyal Lizzy–had turned into someone capable of this. Someone who would go to such extremes just to hurt Lily.
And yet, even as he stared at her now, memories of another time came rushing back….
“Simon, don’t be scared. I’ll stay with you, no matter what.”
“Come on, Simon, smile for me. Smiling brings good luck. Someone’s going toe rescue us soon!”
“Simon, if you’re hungry, bite me, I can take it. Just hang on, okay?<i>” </i>
“Simon… Simon…”
Back then, Lizzy lit up everything around her. She was warmth, she was hope.
He used to believe no one could ever be more optimistic, more full of life than her. He truly believed that kind of kindness couldn’t be tainted–that no matter how much time passed, she’d always stay that way.
But now, standing in front of him in her twenties, she was a different person.
His heart refused to ept it, but the thought kept creeping in. <i>Could </i><i>Elsa </i><i>really </i>be the same Lizzy he once <i>knew</i>?
He didn’t mean to say it out loud, but it slipped out anyway. “Are you really my Lizzy?”
“Simon…” Elsa’s lips trembled, her face drained of all color. Her body went limp, and she nearly slipped out of John’s arms.
She couldn’t believe he would even ask her that, That he would look at her–and doubt her.
If she wasn’t Lizzy, then who did he think she was?
Lily? <i>That </i><i>worthless </i><i>girl</i>? <i>How </i><i>could </i><i>he</i><i>? </i>
Elsa’s blood boiled. She hated Lily for always taking what belonged to her, for always trying to ruin her life. But Elsa was too proud to scream or break down in front of everyone. Instead, her eyes filled with humiliation and fury as she looked at Simon and asked, her voice raw and shaking.
“How could you say that? How could you even think that about me?”
As she spoke, she raised a delicate ne just enough for him to see–a symbol from their past.
Simon’s eyes locked on it immediately.
His doubts began to fade.
Of course… she remembered what they went through together. And she still had the ne he’d given her with his own hands. How could she not be his Lizzy?
Still, part of him couldn’t reconcile the woman in front of him with the girl in his memories. He didn’t
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Chapter 348 The Truth Beneath the Surface
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want to believe that Lizzy–the one who had stood by him in their darkest hours–could grow up to be this selfish. Cruel. Willing to do anything to get what she wanted.
But no matter how much she’d changed, she had been there for him. She’d walked with him through those hopeless days. He couldn’t turn his back on her.
After a long silence, Simon’s voice was low and hollow.
“Lizzy… Don’t ever do something like this again. Framing someone, hurting yourself, dragging someone else’s name through the dirt… That’s not okay. None of this is okay.”
There was still a note of disappointment in his voice.
Still, Elsa let out a small breath of relief.
Because at least Simon still cared.
Then, noticing Lily’s gaze lingering on the ne, Elsa quickly slipped it back beneath her shirt. If Lily recognized it… if she remembered where it really came from… So before anyone could get <i>a </i>better look, Elsa quickly tucked it back under her shirt.
But Lily had already seen it.
She hadn’t caught the full design–Elsa had kept most of it covered–but something about it looked familiar. Too familiar.
It looked almost exactly like the ne Simon had given her sixteen years ago.
She remembered it clearly. It had been stolen from her back in college.
Could it be that Elsa had taken it?
But then again, it didn’t make sense.
Back then, Elsa had everything. She was admired, popr, and wealthy. Her family hadn’t fallen yet. She and Lily had barely crossed paths–there was no reason for tension between them.
Plus, the design wasn’t custom. Simon’s gift hadn’t been one of a kind. It was possible that Elsa’s ne just happened to look simr.
Still… it mattered. That ne had been tied to the two most terrifying, unforgettable days of Lily’s life. The days she’d shared with Simon.
If there was even the slightest chance it was hers, she had to know.
She’d wait for a chance to see it up/close–to check if it had the engraving.
Just a single letter: <i>Z. </i>
“Elsa, you set Lily up–and you let these clueless idiots attack her. You need to apologize.”
Lily was still lost in her thoughts when Ivan’s voice cut through, sharp and loud.
James held Lily even tighter. “Apologize,” he ordered coldly.
Chapter 348 The Truth Beneath the Surface
To James, a forced apology meant nothing. But he still wanted Elsa <b>to </b>apologize <b>to </b><b>Lily </b><b>in </b><b>front </b>of everyone. This wasn’t about sincerity.
This was about making Elsa say the words out loud–about
eting her to publicly <b>admit </b><b>what </b>the <b>d </b>done Once she apologized, she couldn’t deny it anymore. It would be a confession in <b>front </b><b>of </b><b>everyone</b>.
And once she admitted it? She’d face every consequence. All of them. No escaping it <b>now</b>.
“James…” Elsa’s eyes filled with tears. That familiar, proud, pitiful expression returned.
Ivan wasn’t buying it.
“Oh, please,” he scoffed. “You screw people over, then act like you’re the victim. What is wrong <b>with </b><b>you</b><b>? </b>