Walton’s words had a ripple effect. Margot’s face turned pale and the others around her weren’t faring much better. Those who’d been ready to pounce on my dog just moments ago now stood frozen, their faces drained of color, clearly terrified.
Margot’s lips trembled as she stammered, “If this… dog really belongs to the Fitzgeralds, then how could it be in her hands?” Her eyes lit up with malice as she pointed at me. “You! You better tell the truth! Did you steal this dog? Not only did you sneak into the Fitzgerald estate, but you also dared to steal Mrs. Fitzgerald’s dog?” she spat venomously. “You’re finished! There’s no saving you now!”
I couldn’t be bothered to argue with her absurd accusations. Margot clearly thought she had me pegged as some bumpkin from the countryside, incapable of having any connection to the Fitzgeralds. To her, I was nothing more than a thief.
Her baseless accusations seemed to ignite a spark in the group. After a brief pause, several of them sighed in relief, as though finding their courage in Margot's words and began to chime in.
“Margot’s right. Just look at her—she definitely looks like she’s up to no good!”
“Margot was only trying to protect the dog, but instead, that dog bit her!”
“We can’t let her walk away with Mrs. Fitzgerald’s dog. The Fitzgeralds would never forgive her!”
They were Margot’s loyal followers—or more accurately, her sycophants. Afraid that opposing her might jeopardize their own careers, they chose to side with her, joining in to slander and blame me.
However, not everyone seemed to share their blind loyalty.
Kieran, his expression conflicted, finally broke his silence. He hesitated, then asked cautiously, “Lila… you wouldn’t happen to be related with the Fitzgerald Family, would you?”
The murmurs died down as all eyes turned toward me, the atmosphere suddenly heavy with curiosity and suspicion.
“You managed to get into the Fitzgerald estate,” Kieran continued, his voice tinged with uncertainty. “And the dog seems so comfortable with you. Could it be that…”
Before he could finish, Margot cut him off with a sharp, derisive laugh.
“Impossible!” she sneered. “How could a lowly bitch like her have any connection to the Fitzgeralds, the wealthiest tycoons of Wickerdale?”