Lin Yue had heard enough. She walked down the staircase slowly, a picture of composed elegance in her simple clothes, interrupting the flow of their accusations with a chilling formality.
"Good morning, Father. Aunt Mei Ling. Bai Lian," Lin Yue greeted them, her gaze cool and steady.
"I heard my name mentioned. It seems assigning blame has already begun before the coffee is even served. A truly aggressive start to the day." She casually look at the trio and her sharp gaze fall on Bai Lian.
"Lin Yue! How dare you defy me and leave your room!" Lin Aiguo roared, pointing a trembling finger.
"I came down because I heard the discussion regarding the reputation of the Lin Family," Lin Yue replied coolly, stopping directly in front of the enraged trio.
"If the topic is cleaning up the mess, then perhaps the people who created the mess should spend less time pointing fingers and more time taking responsibility, instead of immediately searching for a convenient scapegoat." Lin Yue snapped in a calm tone.
Bai Mei Ling stepped in front of Bai Lian, her face contorted in anger. "You insolent girl! You are the root cause of this scandal!
You are the one who is jealous of your sister's kind nature!
You refused the dance, and you poisoned your father's mind about your sister and Chen Hao!"
Lin Yue smiled coldly her sharp gaze fell on Bai Mei Ling. "Jealous? Of a girl who created a scandal with her sister's fiancé?
A girl who has just exposed herself to the entire high society, forcing her sister's fiancé to risk his family's honor to embrace her publicly?
No, I am not jealous, Aunt Mei Ling. I am observant. I merely followed the facts you presented to the public."
"Ah, yes," Lin Yue continued, and act like something came in her mind, her tone is chilling.
"The 'poisoned mind.' Aunt Mei Ling, you speak as if you and Bai Lian are victims of a conspiracy,
yet you forget that the most damning evidence was created by Chen Hao's own two arms.
His reaction was a natural, desperate impulse. No amount of my 'poison' could fabricate that show of devotion."
Before their argument could escalate further, a young maid named Chun Lan, pale and visibly shaking, hurried into the hall.
"Master! Madam! Please, forgive the intrusion!" Chun Lan bowed and stammered.
"I was doing the laundry and I was cleaning Miss Bai Lian's room, and I found something strange! Please, Master, I came immediately! I don't want to be blamed!" Chun Lan, wringing her hands.
"What is it, girl? Spit it out!" Lin Aiguo snapped, his impatience soaring.
"It's the Second Miss' dress, Master, the ripped one," Chun Lan whispered fearfully.
"I noticed a strange, clear cleaning solution stain on the ripped hem, I didn't thought tk much about it.
But then, I went to dust Miss Bai Lian's vanity, and her expensive jade jewelry box—the red velvet one—it had the exact same chemical stain on the side!
They're both so expensive, I was scared Second Miss would think I ruined them, so I came to tell you immediately before anyone else saw it!" Tears flow from Chun Lan's eyes in fear.
Bai Mei Ling and Bai Lian exchanged a split-second look of pure, gut-deep dread. The maid, afraid for her job, had inadvertently provided crucial physical evidence.
"Nonsense! Let's go look!" Bai Mei Ling commanded, dragging Bai Lian and Lin Aiguo toward the room.
They entered in Bai Lian's room and check the dress and jewelry box, the observation was chillingly accurate. A faint, unusual residue marked the torn satin and the side of the jewelry box.
Bai Lian rushed to the box, opening it to find her jade flower bracelet and silver pins missing.
Bai Lian immediately burst into frantic sobs. "Father! It's gone! Someone has tampered with my dress and stolen my jewelry at the same time! It has to be someone who hates me and had access to my room last night!"
Bai Mei Ling nodded gravely, reinforcing the implication. "Aiguo, this is a calculated attack. The stain is proof of tampering my Lian'er's dress and the jewelry theft."
Bai Mei Ling's gaze fell on Lin Yue, her voice filled with malice "Who else would have the malice to ruin Lian'er's gown and steal her dearest possessions?"
Bai Lian also chimed in, her tone was filled with grievance "Yes Father! We should call the police. Let them arrest the theif and send her to jail."
Bai Mei Ling then directly blamed Lin Yue. "Only Lin Yue was present in the mansion after we went for our hair appointment.
I don't think in our absence, anyone would dare to do this treacherous act in broad daylight, except someone who is jealous of my daughter."
Bai Lian turned to Lin Yue, her eyes filled with tears. " Yue-jie, I can't believe you actually do this to me.
Please big sister, give me back my jewelry and I beg on behalf of you and let father don't pursue this matter and punished you."
Lin Aiguo, his eyes heavy with suspicion, turned to Lin Yue.
Lin Yue remained calm "Ah, yes. The same convenient line of questioning."
Lin Yue look at Bai Mei Ling and Bai Lian and snapped coldly "Aunt Mei Ling, Bai Lian, you two always pushed blame on me without any evidence, do you think that you can accuse me however you want?"
Lin Yue paused, then her cold gaze fell on Lin Aiguo, her tone filled with mock. "Father, the only thing I had access to was my own room.
If father also has his own suspicions like aunt Mei Ling and Bai Lian has, without any evidence, then let's check my room and let us end this charade."
Lin Yue walked out in the corridor, gesturing toward her own door. "Come. Search my room. Check every corner if you want.
If you find a single stolen item, even one misplaced pearl, then you may execute the punishment you promised last night. I am waiting."