Finn Mason watched Mila's despair deepen, his grin widening. He could see it in her eyes—she had finally, completely given up on Liam Gilbert.
Just as he opened his mouth to twist the knife further, a roar erupted from the alleyway.
A crowd surged out of the urban village like a tidal wave. Men, women, elderly, young—they stormed onto the street and encircled the painted women Finn had hired.
These were the village residents. And they were furious.
The accusers flinched at the sudden hostility but remembered their script. "We're looking for Liam Gilbert, that heartless bastard!"
"He got me pregnant and abandoned me!" one wailed.
"That liar swindled me out of my savings!" another screamed.
Before they could spew more lies, an elderly woman in a red volunteer armband stepped forward. Mrs. Redband's presence was commanding, her eyes blazing with righteous fire.
"Grab these liars!" she ordered. "They're slandering Liam. Drag them to the police station!"
The women tried to struggle, but the neighborhood matrons were faster and fiercer. Sharp slaps silenced the protests instantly. Within seconds, the accusers were cowed and trembling.
Finn's blood ran cold.
He had brought these women here. If they were interrogated, they would crack. They would confess he hired them. He would be finished.
"Hey!" He feigned outrage. "This is lawless! These are victims! Liam cheated them—just because you're his neighbors doesn't mean you can cover up his crimes!"
Ptoo!
Mrs. Redband spat directly in his face.
"Biased?" Her voice shook with rage. "We know exactly what kind of man Liam is. Better than you ever could!"
She stepped closer, forcing Finn to recoil.
"That boy was lonely and helpless since childhood. The community raised him. We fed him." She pointed a trembling finger at the village behind her. "And for the last three years, every cent he earned was spent on us. He built the kindergarten. He built the orphanage. When us old folks got sick, it was Liam's money that paid for our surgeries!"
Agreement rippled through the crowd.
"Those people smearing his name online? Black-hearted beasts." Mrs. Redband spat again. "Liam never went drinking. Never chased women. Lived like a monk—didn't even date! His only goal was to keep this village alive."
Finn's face turned gray. His carefully constructed narrative was crumbling.
Mila took a shaky step forward. Her voice was barely a whisper. "Ma'am... is that true? Everything you said?"
Mrs. Redband scoffed. "Of course it's true. Ask anyone here. Who hasn't received Liam's kindness?"
She softened slightly, shaking her head. "That child has suffered so much. If anyone showed him even an ounce of kindness, he'd dig out his own heart for them. The people slandering him are just jealous rats who can't stand the light."
Mila's eyes rimmed red. "Where is he now?"
Mrs. Redband straightened with pride. "Liam has great abilities now. He went out of town with his boss to make a fortune! His boss is a formidable big shot—pays him very generously."
She smiled warmly, oblivious to the devastation her next words would cause.
"Liam always tells us how wonderful his boss is. He says she treats him very well. Kind and fair..."
Mila buried her face in her hands and broke down.
