Chapter 7

In a heartbeat, the entire room fell silent. Joseph blanched.

Cole staggered to his feet. He'd forgotten that after Joseph had deliberately framed him last time, he'd taken precautions by hiding a micro-camera inside the picture frame because he was afraid it might happen again.

Cole wiped away the tears from his face and hastily took down the picture frame—the one with the hidden camera—and projected the footage onto the big screen.

Joseph was caught slipping his bracelet into Cole's clothes when he walked behind him. It also exposed all the malicious taunts and provocations Joseph had made.

Public opinion in the hall flipped in an instant. Everyone looked at Joseph with contempt.

With trembling hands, Cole picked up his phone and dialed 911. His expression was resolute. "Hello? Is this the cops? Someone has deliberately framed me..."

Joseph shuddered when he heard that. The very next second, he bawled his eyes out. "I didn't do it on purpose. I just wanted to play a harmless prank on Cole! Why do you have to blow this out of proportion, Cole?"

The moment he cried, the Grays and Claire hurriedly wiped away his tears. The lot of them looked at Cole—who was utterly disheveled—coldly and fumed. "Joseph already told you it was a prank. Why won't you just let him off the hook?"

"He's so kind and innocent. How could he possibly frame you? The authenticity of that surveillance footage is still up for debate!"

"That's enough. Let's put an end to this farce now. Why did you call the cops? Aren't you embarrassed to make such a big fuss over a minor issue?"

Having said their piece, they escorted Joseph out of the hall.

Cole felt what it was like to have the world turn against him as he watched them hurry off. He let out a silent chuckle. A bone-deep chill crept through him, and he began trembling uncontrollably.

…

In the days that followed, Cole cooped himself up. He did nothing but wait for the day he could finally move into Lambert Manor. He had never imagined that the home where he had once been showered with overwhelming love and affection would one day become the place he most desperately wished to escape.

One day, while he was packing his luggage, he suddenly heard a commotion outside the villa. He pushed open the window and looked down at the sprawling garden.

Joseph was in the driver's seat of a car, while Claire sat in the passenger seat, teaching him with a radiant smile on her face. Sienna, on the other hand, stood on the curb, gently guiding him as he backed into a parking space.

Looking at the heartwarming scene, a distant, almost dazed look flickered in Cole's eyes. Back when he first learned how to drive, the two of them had personally taught him as well.

It happened to be winter at the time, and the weather was freezing cold. Afraid he might catch a cold, Claire would take his hands after every driving session and tuck them against her chest to warm them.

Sienna, on the other hand, would brave the cold wind to record videos for him. Then, she'd burn the midnight oil, organizing the footage and compiling a list of things he needed to keep in mind.

However, all of that had happened ages ago. Cole lowered his eyes, concealing the mockery in them.

…

That afternoon, he made plans to meet up with a few friends to bid farewell. After packing his belongings, he was about to head out.

Yet, as soon as he stepped outside, a car suddenly ran into him, knocking him to the ground. The impact sent him flying several yards before he crashed onto the hard cobblestone pavement with a resounding thud.

Cole coughed up mouthfuls of blood. His whole body felt as though it had been shattered to pieces. Excruciating pain tore through every part of him.

As his consciousness was slipping away, he saw Joseph step out of the car with a bright smile. "Oh, dear. I'm so, so sorry, Cole! I just learned how to drive, so I mistook the gas pedal for the brake. I didn't mean to hit you!

"Look at all the blood on the ground. You must be in pain, huh? I should call the ambulance." He paused for a beat before continuing, "Oh no... What's the number for emergency services again? 911? 411?

"Maybe I should just dial them one by one. That might take a while, though. Hang in there, okay, Cole?"