Chapter 111

The entire hall remained alive with murmurs and hushed conversations.

"Everyone was fooled by the Wills family's trickery,weren't they? I doubt the Willises ever thought their secret would be dragged into the light in such a humiliating fashion."

"That's the reason people dismiss Verena as nothing more than a small-town girl. Dishonesty clings to her,and no one can tell anymore when she's lying or telling the truth."

"The Willis family has brought disgrace on themselves. Their lie about Verena's educational background was exposed at the wedding, and the shame doesn't just stain Verena. It smears the entire family name." "Climbers like them never shed their rough edges.They lack refinement, and their children carry the same flaws."

"Willis Group's standing in the business world wil surely take a blow after this."

"Bankruptcy seems to be where this family is headed now."

Every whisper around Laura pierced deeper, and the words "climbers" and "boankruptcy" stripped the color from her cheeks. Right then, her hatred for Verena festered, though her resentment burned even hotter for the one who had chosen to expose Verena's lies.

Anger coursed through Alec as well. His cheeks flushed red, his mouth pressed shut, and his eyes glared with fire.

While Laura drowned in humiliation, Alec sensed something deeper. He remembered Kaia claiming Verena had lied about her education a few days earlier.The thought made his chest rise sharply. Even if Verena had never gone to Pine Hill University,even if the lie was true, humiliating her before everyone was still cruel. The shame didn't fall on Verena alone but smeared the Willis family as a whole. He had warned Kaia not to create trouble during the wedding, but she ignored him and brushed aside his words.

His temper pushed him toward confronting her,though he forced himself to hold back and wait for events to unfold.

Grinding his teeth, Alec wrestled with his anger and fought the urge to shatter the wine glass in his hand.

Bobby and Slater listened to the crowd, and the worry on their faces grew clearer with every word.

With a deep frown, Bobby looked at the strange woman, baffled. "Who let this woman in? What on earth is going on? How can someone just barge into the wedding?"

Slater looked just as stunned. Remembering the bitterness on Kaia's face from their earlier talk, a thought struck him, and he blurted out, "Wait, could that lunatic Kaia be behind this?"

Bobby's face hardened as he seized Slater by the collar. "What did you just say about Kaia?"

Caught off guard, Slater stammered, "I don't know for certain, but let's go find out."

Spectators crowded around Verena, and the number of onlookers swelled as more pressed in to see the scene.

Isaac glared coldly at Adrian, about to speak, when Verena laid a calming hand on his shoulder.

When Isaac lifted his eyes to her, Verena answered with a tranquil smile that told him she could manage it herself.

At her signal, Isaac gave a slight nod.

Through the throng, Verena directed her gaze straight to Kaia standing at the rear.

Verena's eyes glinted with cold detachment as they locked with Kaia's taunting grin.

Turning her attention back to the woman in front of her, Verena remarked deliberately, "You say we went to the same community college. So tell me, which one? Where is it? And what year was | supposedly admitted to that college?"

Step by step, Verena advanced as she spoke, her composed manner pressing heavily on the woman before her.

The woman had only been told to repeat the prepared lines, with no real details to rely on.

Unease spread across her face as her eyes flickered nervously, and she blurted out, "It was Lanteglos Community College, and you attended college in 2014."

At the reply, Verena let out a light, careless laugh.11SO1Lanteglos Community College, 2014..."

After a brief pause, she shifted her gaze to Adrian."This man claims he went to the same school l did. Strange, isn't it? On my wedding day, without me inviting anyone, two supposed alumni just happen to show up."

With a faintly amused smile tugging at her lips,Verena went on, "I never said which year I attended university, yet you insist we were classmates. Tell me,sir, what year did you attend university?"

Verena's pointed words tied Adrian to the woman,hinting at their collusion. The logic held, because Verena had not revealed the year she attended university, leaving no reason for Adrian to know it.

The reaction unfolded as expected, with the crowd looking puzzled and unable to make sense of the situation.

Adrian understood that the ruse could not last, since their arrival looked far too coincidental. Still, that meant little to him, because his only aim was to expose Verena's lie, no matter whose plan it had been,

Without hesitation, he answered, "I attended university in 2016, majoring in Computer Science."

"2016," Verena repeated softly. "That explains why you've never heard of me."

A calm smile spread across Verena's face as she spoke with deliberate clarity. "Since you're unfamiliar with me, allow me to introduce myself as your senior.I am Verena Willis. I was admitted to Pine Hill University in 2015, majoring in Clinical Medicine."

The specifics left Adrian stunned for only a moment before Verena added, "As it happens, one of my friends was also in your department. I'll call her over,and she can explain just how large Pine Hill University is, with so many students that not knowing a name is hardly surprising."

Right then, Miranda came back from fixing her makeup behind the scenes. Spotting the cluster of people, she caught bits of the ongoing talk as she approached.

When she saw Verena trapped in the crowd, Miranda forced her way forward and asked, "What's happening here?"