Liza stood calmly, her eyes meeting the furious gaze of James. Her expression remained composed, as though his anger was beneath her notice. “Miss Alora,” she began in a steady voice, “I wanted to harm you just now. But I apologized for it, didn’t I? You’ve said before that no matter what I do, as long as I apologize, you’ll forgive me. Isn’t that the same logic you’re trying to force on me to forgive James?” James and Alora stiffened, their faces flushed with anger. Alora opened her mouth to respond but couldn’t form a coherent sentence. With deliberate nonchalance, Liza placed the knife on the table. She shifted her tone to one of feigned grievance, her expression tinged with hurt. “Gavin,” she said softly, “I’m so upset. James went out of his way to report me, and now Miss Alora insists I forgive him. If I refuse, she’ll paint me as cruel and unforgiving. How is that fair? I feel so wronged!”Her gaze flickered to Alora, her voice taking on a sharp edge. “I just wanted to make a point to Miss Alora. An apology doesn’t always guarantee forgiveness. Oh, and by the way, Gavin, Miss Alora keeps hovering around you despite you being married. Doesn’t she realize how others might perceive this? People might call her a homewrecker. Honestly, I’m looking out for her reputation.” Alora’s face turned ghostly pale as her chest heaved with barely contained rage. It felt as though Liza’s words had stabbed her harder than any knife could. Gavin, leaning back in his seat, spoke in his usual calm but cutting tone. “George,” he said casually, “didn’t the second young master of the Clint family get drunk and cause a ruckus not long ago? I heard he even assaulted his girlfriend in public. Perhaps their family’s competitors would find this bit of news rather interesting.” “Yes, President,” George replied without hesitation. “I’ll take care of it immediately.” Panic flashed across Alora’s face as she stumbled forward. “Gavin, no! Please don’t—”Gavin didn’t even look at her as he interrupted, his tone icy. “I’m sorry,” he said with mock sincerity. “I’ll apologize. Surely, you can forgive me, right?” Liza blinked, then smirked. Gavin had a way with words that could cut deeper than any blade. Alora’s legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed onto the sofa. Her face was ashen as dread settled in her heart. She knew that if the Clint family learned of her actions causing trouble with Gavin and jeopardizing their business, they wouldn’t hesitate to turn on her. Why, she thought bitterly, why does Liza deserve this unwavering protection from Gavin? As Alora’s eyes welled up with tears, James stepped forward, his voice rising in disbelief. “Gavin, have you lost your mind? Are you really willing to destroy Alora’s future over this woman?” Before Gavin could respond, James’s phone rang, cutting through the tension. He glanced at the caller ID, his face paling as dread washed over him. He hesitated before answering, his hand trembling slightly. The panicked voice on the other end of the line wasted no time. “James! We’re in trouble! The food factory has been flagged for failing safety inspections. Toxic substances were found, and the factory has been shut down. The company’s reputation is in tatters, and our stock prices are plummeting. What are we going to do?” James’s blood ran cold as he struggled to process the news. His lips trembled as he muttered, “It’s over… We’re ruined.” He turned toward Gavin, his face contorted with rage. “You’re heartless, Gavin! Absolutely ruthless! I’ll make you pay for this. And you, Liza,” he snarled, pointing a trembling finger at her, “don’t think this is over. Just you wait!” As James stormed off, his furious footsteps echoing through the room, Liza called out after him, her voice clear and unwavering. “Mr. James, before you blame everyone else, ask yourself this—who’s truly responsible for the mess you’re in right now?” Her words struck a nerve, and James froze for a brief moment before continuing his exit. Meanwhile, Alora stood rooted to the spot, her face pale and her body trembling as though the weight of her choices had finally caught up with her. James’s gaze shifted to Alora. Seeing her cry so pitifully, his heart clenched with sympathy. His voice rose sharply as he barked, “It’s you! This is all your fault, Liza!” Liza blinked, her expression calm. She decided against saying anything further. Instead, she turned her icy gaze to Alora and spoke, her tone cold and cutting. “Your so-called friend’s company is now in turmoil because of you. And yet, here you are, crying and making a scene instead of comforting him. Do you think that’s fair to him?” Alora’s face was a picture of sorrow as she stammered, “Gavin, you’ve gone too far. James did all this for your sake. And Liza—” “Get out,” Gavin interrupted, his voice sharp and final. Alora froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. “Gavin, I—”“I said, get out,” Gavin repeated, his tone colder than ever. “Don’t make me say it again, Alora. Leave. Now.” She flinched but tried to protest weakly. “Gavin, you’ve misunderstood me. I only wanted—” Gavin cut her off with a chilling stare. “I’ve given you more than enough chances. This time, James stood up for you. Before that, it was your cousin. Who will it be next? How many more people do you think will step in to clean up your mess? Do you think they’ll keep paying the price for your actions?” His words hit like a hammer. The weight of the truth made Alora’s face fall. The family had already suffered severe losses because of her. If they continued to defend her, they’d risk losing everything. Her expression darkened with regret and frustration. She had come to Longwan Residential hoping to expose Liza’s flaws and make Gavin see her in a negative light. But her plan had backfired spectacularly, leaving her humiliated instead. Her head lowered, she forced a weak smile. “Gavin, I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I’m sorry… I really only think of you as a friend. Please don’t misunderstand me. I’ll… I’ll leave now.” As Alora turned to leave, Liza could only shake her head in exasperation. Everyone in Longwan Residential could see through Alora’s façade. Her pretense of being a harmless, caring friend was laughable. Did she really think people were so gullible? Just as the room fell silent, Gavin’s voice broke through with a hint of amusement. “Are you satisfied now?” Liza glanced at him and broke into a bright smile. “Satisfied? I’m overjoyed!” She knew that reporting James family’s food factory hadn’t been a spur-of-the-moment decision. Gavin had clearly planned this long ago. It wasn’t just retaliation—it was a calculated move to make James taste the consequences of his actions.