She met Kieran Argent’s gaze, spreading her hands innocently.

Kieran clicked his tongue, knitting his sword–like brows. “Yuan Argent. Get up.”

His stern voice carried quiet authority.

Yuan froze mid–il, scrambled up with trembling arms, and sat sobbing. Tear–filled eyes red at rieka before he pitifully reached for Kieran.

“Daddy hold… Yuan hurts…”

Kieran remained unmoved, his dark eyes sharp. “Why did you do that?”

Yuan shrank under his stare, then pointed at rieka.

rieka raised an eyebrow.

Covering his eyes, Yuan bawled, “Baddy tripped me! Daddy, help!”

Kieran asked tly, “How?”

Wiping tears, Yuan sniffled, “Make her leave! Then I stop crying!”

“Leave?”

Yuan nodded eagerly. “Mmhmm!”

A sly smile crept in as he whispered, “Make her go. You can do it, Daddy!”

Still hiding his eyes, he missed Kieran’s deepening scowl.

ricka almost admired it.

Evicting people seemed ingrained in the Argent blood–even five–year–old Yuan had mastered olliit. /li/ol

She looked up to find Kieran watching her, his brow furrowed.

ricka knew her ce.

0.00%

18:08

Chapter448

288 Vouchers

Yuan was Kieran and Roschelle’s only son. She? Just a guest they’d already thrown out once.

Yuan carried more weight here. Much more.

Even seeing Yuan trip himself, Kieran would side with his son.

ricka understood.

So she spoke first: “Then I’ll-”

“ricka.”

Shi Yao’s voice suddenly came through.

ricka blinked, her wrist already caught.

Pulled stumbling two steps forward, she was then pressed into an embrace with a hand on her shoulder.

rieka froze for half a second, staring at the face inches away. “Shi Yao.”

Shi Yao responded with a stiff hum, jaw tight, then tilted his head slightly to cast an unreadable nce toward the piano.

rieka paused. “What’s wrong?”

Shi Yao’s expression remained stormy as he offered no answer, only tightening his grip on

her shoulder.

“Yuan Yuan!”

Roschelle rushed in, heels clicking, frantic but unable to move faster, left trailing behind as she lifted her skirt to hurry over.

ricka started to step back to make way, but Shi Yao pulled her behind the piano instead.

ricka nced at Shi Yao again.

Roschelle charged in, half–kneeling to scoop up Yuan Yuan’s body, her heartache evident. “Yuan Yuan, why are you crying? Tell Mommy, why?”

Seeing Roschelle, Yuan Yuan immediately burrowed into her embrace, whimpering. “Mommy, it hurts…”

rieka watched the scene quietly.

28.26%

18:08

Chapter448

:

288 Vouchers

Roschelle’s distress overflowed as she held Yuan Yuan close, her face pale as she looked at Mr. Argent. “Why does it hurt?”

Mr. Argent’s expression remained unmoved.

Yuan Yuan sobbed, “That baddy tripped me on purpose! I fell, and everything hurts.”

Roschelle pressed, “Who’s the baddy? Tell Mommy.”

Yuan Yuan pulled one hand free from Roschelle’s hold and pointed timidly… toward rieka standing nearby.

Roschelle’s eyes instantly deepened with pained understanding, a delicate and touching disy of swallowing injustice for the greater good.

“rieka, may I ask why?”

rieka mentally clicked her tongue. Truly cut from the same cloth, this mother and son. Same old nder ybook. Anyone with eyes could see their coordinated act.

“Ask? What’s there to ask?” Shi Yao suddenly snapped, voice sharp with anger.

His fury, already simmering at the sight of the piano, spiked when Yuan Yuan dared collude with Roschelle right before him to frame rieka.

rieka raised an eyebrow. “Are you on dynamite?”

Shi Yao hissed at her under his breath, “You too. Shut it.

rieka: ?

Roschelle helped Yuan Yuan stand, guiding him to Mr. Argent’s side. She weakly grasped Mr. Argent’s arm, as if seeking strength to hold her up.

“ricka, I think… both Yuan Yuan and I need your exnation.”

rieka didn’t need to look to sense the explosive device beside her was about to detonate.

63.36%