All they had to do was show the decision-makers, the Earl and Joyce, that Diane could get hurt at any time.

With Neris’s appearance, they came up with a new plan. What if they severely injured Diane and claimed Neris was the culprit?

Of course, Diane would claim that Nualan was the perpetrator, but adults rarely took children’s words seriously, especially when a rumor-monger like Heder argued that Diane was merely covering for her friend.

Tonight’s plan was thus set. It was rushed due to Angelo’s missing employee, but committing the crime might be better than getting caught.

What if Diane died?

That wouldn’t be too bad. Snatching little bits of control from a despairing Earl and his wife would not be hard for a clever and cunning Nualan McKinnon.

Originally, Neris was supposed to be the one who accidentally pushed her friend off the ledge and ran away scared—her appearance at the scene was unexpected.

But it was not an insurmountable problem. It might even be a blessing in disguise.

Nualan felt Diane’s strength around his neck once again and smirked. Then he became suddenly uneasy, aware that Neris was staring at him intently.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You were planning to push Diane off, weren’t you? I didn’t think you’d stoop so low.”

Caught.

Nualan’s face hardened. As Diane showed no sign of surprise, his face twisted even more.

“What? That’s nonsense.”

“I’ve known all along that you were waiting for a chance to hurt Diane. You must have been afraid that Angelo would be exposed if Mori reported him, ruining the whole plan. Initially, you just wanted her to leave the country indirectly, but now you’re desperate. I get it all.”
Nuallan unconsciously tightened his grip on Dianne’s leg as he heard the words. Dianne wanted to scream in pain but dared not make a sound, enduring it with a pale face.

The strength of a grown man carelessly seized the body of a child, leaving what would inevitably become bruises on her legs. Tears streamed from her eyes.

Around the time Neris’s gaze sharpened, Nuallan tried to push Dianne over the railing. Calculating malice twisted his face into an ugly grimace.

“It’s already too late.”

Neris uttered monotonously.

Looking down, Nuallan wore a face of defeat. Already, several servants on the first floor were collaborating to move the large holy water basin.

And several gift-wrapped boxes appeared to be arranged around the tree as well.

If he made even a bit of noise now, they would all look this way.

No, even without making noise, it was a situation where witnesses were inevitable.

“How?”

How did she time this moment? How did she know such detailed aspects of his plan?

Too angry and dumbfounded to complete his question, Neris offered a slight smile.

“Considering you didn’t correct Dianne’s polite speech and you tripped her near the lakeside, it wasn’t hard to guess. It may be unfortunate for you, but I know a bit about people who are desperate to make others doubt their existence.”

“Why are you making a fuss about me picking up my stuff? I should throw it away because it’s dirty.”

“Stupid.”

“Is this torment? Saying she should die because it’s too hard to be in the same space with someone so immoral—why is that torment? She’s the one at fault.”

A loathsome cycle of reproach. The never-disappearing, deeply rooted self-loathing.

Neris concealed a dreadful emotion within her smile.

Nuallan had no way to know what was happening in her mind, but felt an unusual edge from her composed demeanor, sending shivers down his spine.

Then, from the lower floor, the voice of someone Nuallan never wanted to encounter at this moment resonated.

“What are you two doing there?”

Joyce was gracefully climbing the stairs.

About halfway up, he saw Dianne’s tear-soaked face and hardened his own expression.

“Why are you crying, child?”

Why? Nuallan couldn’t understand. Joyce should have been detained by Angelo, then summoned people here as witnesses after Nuallan executed his plan. That was the plan set up by Nuallan and Angelo.

Nuallan looked at Neris as he reached that conclusion. Then he felt his heart drop.

“Uh… uh-huh… waaah!”

Neris crumpled her small face and collapsed right there. Joyce quickened his steps.

He reached the second-floor railing in an instant and reached out his arm. Nuallan lifelessly handed over Dianne.

Damn meticulous kid.

“What’s going on? What happened?”
People buzzed even downstairs. Nualan internally clenched his teeth, but blowing up wouldn’t solve this situation.

He had to think somehow. His fingertips grew cold. Yes, he had to control himself. After all, no one would take the kids seriously if they spoke the truth

“Ahga, don’t cry. Your brother is here. Huh? Stop crying and talk.”

Diane couldn’t say anything. She was angry and bewildered at herself but, really she was scared.

She knew that what she was about to say would change her family’s lives forever.

Noticing her state, Nualan even managed a comforting smile.

Yes, keep your mouth shut. Make it look like a simple fight between the two girls to get through tonight. Think about the rest later

Neris seized the moment to cry louder.

“Nualan oppa was… trying to hit Diane, so I tried to stop him…”

“What did you say?”

Hearing this, some people downstairs started coming up. They had heard Neris’s words.

Joyce looked at Nualan with disbelief and peered into Diane’s face.

“Is it true, Ahga?”

“No!”

Nualan vehemently denied. However, Diane glared at Nualan with a flushed face, and Joyce, sensing the awkward atmosphere, put down her sister.

Before anyone could stop her or even react, Joyce slapped Nualan hard across the face.