“Liza!” Sophia shrieked, her voice trembling with anger. “Grandpa Stone was the one who told me to come see Brother Gavin, and you dare to smash my sports car over a few stalks of grass? I won’t let this slide! When Brother Gavin finds out, you’ll regret this!” Before Sophia could escalate further, Lady Reed’s sharp eyes caught sight of a figure standing nearby. She quickly composed herself, stepping forward to calm her daughter. “Sophia,” she said softly, her voice laced with feigned gentleness, “we were in the wrong. We damaged Miss Liza flowers and plants, so it’s understandable that she’s upset about the car.” Gavin chose that moment to stride forward, his expression stern and unreadable. “Though these flowers and plants may not hold much monetary value,” he said evenly, “they were personally cultivated by Miss Liza . It’s unfortunate that the car was originally intended as a gift for Old Master Stone , but Sophia’s actions were indeed thoughtless. I trust you’ll acknowledge your mistake.” His tone sharpened slightly as he turned to Sophia. “Apologize to Miss Liza .” Lady Reed cast a meaningful look at her daughter. Picking up on the cue, Sophia immediately softened her expression, swapping anger for pitiful tears. Her voice trembled as she spoke, “Miss Liza , I’m truly sorry. It was an accident—I didn’t see the flowers on the ground. It’s all my fault.…” Liza narrowed her eyes, her lips curling into a sneer. Still pretending to be innocent? she thought bitterly. It was clear Sophia’s act wasn’t meant to apologize but to twist the narrative. By framing Liza as the villain who overreacted to a minor accident, Sophia was trying to gain sympathy while highlighting the supposed triviality of the destroyed flowers. The charade continued as Lady Reed stepped in, sighing heavily. “Miss Liza ,” she began with a sad smile, “Sophia was once engaged to Gavin and often stayed at Longwan Residential. Back then, the backyard didn’t have these flowers and plants, so she didn’t realize they were there when she drove in. It was an honest mistake.” She dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief, her voice dripping with sorrow. “Sophia didn’t mean any harm. Things have already come to this point—could you find it in your heart to forgive her?” Liza’s sneer deepened. The mother-daughter pair’s words carried more than just an apology. Beneath the surface, they were flaunting Sophia’s past relationship with Gavin. Lady Reed’s tone made it clear she wanted to remind everyone that Sophia had once been Gavin’s fiancée, a frequent guest at his home, and even his so-called childhood sweetheart. It was a clever ploy, designed to undermine Liza’s position while shifting the focus away from Sophia’s actions. Do they think I’m some easy target they can manipulate just because I usually stay quiet? Liza wondered, her disdain growing. Seeing Liza remain silent, Sophia took the opportunity to glance back at Gavin, her tearful eyes full of grievance. She let out another soft sob, hoping to gain his sympathy. Liza, however, had no intention of backing down. If they want to play this game, they’ve chosen the wrong opponent. “Sophia’s voice trembled as she spoke, her tone filled with grievance and self-pity. “Liza, you’ve already smashed my car, but you’re still unwilling to forgive me? All I did was step on a few weeds, yet you destroyed my car worth five million dollars. What’s next—do you want my life to satisfy you?” Liza opened her mouth to respond, but Sophia wasn’t finished. Her voice grew softer, more pitiful, as she continued, “I’ve known Gavin for so many years. I won’t hold this against you, but if you provoke someone else like this, it’ll bring shame to the Stone Family and drag Brother Gavin into it. “Brother Gavin is such an extraordinary man. Why would he marry someone so unreasonable? Miss Liza , what more do you want? Is smashing my car not enough for you? Brother Gavin won’t tolerate you behaving like this any longer!” Sophia’s words dripped with false humility, each one carefully crafted to elevate Gavin while tearing Liza down. Liza remained silent, her irritation mounting as Sophia’s saccharine act continued. She was about to speak when a cold, authoritative voice cut through the air. “Who said I won’t allow it?” Everyone froze as Gavin appeared, his calm yet commanding presence filling the space. His voice was icy, carrying the weight of someone who wouldn’t tolerate defiance. Liza blinked in surprise. When did Gavin get here? The realization hit her almost immediately. So that’s why this mother-daughter duo suddenly turned pitiful and started crying—they knew Gavin was nearby! Sophia’s eyes lit up at the sight of him. She stepped forward, her voice delicate as she called out, “Brother Gavin, I…” But Gavin didn’t spare her a glance. Instead, he brushed past her, heading directly toward Liza.George, standing nearby, let out a quiet sigh of relief as he surveyed the wreckage of the car. At least the young madam only smashed the car, he thought. It could’ve been worse. Sensing an opportunity to shift the narrative, George stepped forward and said with mock indignation, “President, it’s clear that our young madam is the gentlest person, but even she couldn’t hold back and smashed the car. They must’ve pushed her too far!” Turning to Sophia and her mother, he added sharply, “How could you bully someone as delicate as Young Madam? She’s such a kind and fragile woman. Shame on you!” Liza nearly rolled her eyes at his performance, but the sight of Gavin made her pause. If he was here, she needed to play along. Her expression softened as her eyes turned misty. She looked up at Gavin with a pitiful gaze, her voice trembling. “Gavin, they bullied me. I was so upset… it made my heart hurt.”Gavin’s sharp eyes darkened as he observed her. He knew she was putting on an act, yet he couldn’t stop the protective surge that rose within him. Despite her dramatics, something about her vulnerable facade tugged at him in ways he didn’t expect. His cold demeanor remained intact, but his focus was entirely on Liza, ignoring Sophia entirely.