Liza raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with amusement. “You know, I think you’re absolutely right.” Sophia felt her chest tighten, unsure of what Liza’s game was. The words left her unsettled. Clara, after a brief pause, rolled her eyes and sneered. “Call the police? Have you lost your mind? Do you even understand the gravity of what you’re saying? Damaging personal property worth 800 million is no small matter. You’d be looking at years behind bars! Sophia was being generous by letting you off, and here you are practically begging for a death sentence. Fine, you want to call the police? Let’s do it. I’ll help you seal your fate!” “Clara!” Sophia blurted out, instinctively trying to stop her. Her voice trembled, betraying her panic. No, they couldn’t involve the police. If the truth came out—that she had deliberately forced the knife into Liza’s hands—everything would be exposed, and she’d be finished.Realizing her outburst might raise suspicion, Sophia quickly softened her tone, composing herself. “Liza, we’re trying to look out for you. Once the police are involved, this will become a permanent stain on your record. Is it really worth throwing your future away over a moment of anger?” Liza waved her hand dismissively, a nonchalant smile playing on her lips. “Oh, don’t worry about me. My life isn’t worth much to begin with. It is small in comparison to your 800 million dress. I insist we call the police. After all, I had such malicious intent. If I don’t face justice, I might lose sleep over it.” Sophia clenched her fists, her composure cracking. “It’s really not necessary. Let’s not blow this out of proportion.” Liza’s smile widened as she tilted her head slightly. “Miss Sophia, it’s odd. You seem almost desperate to avoid calling the police. Why is that? Wouldn’t calling the police benefit you? It would bring justice, wouldn’t it? Surely, our relationship isn’t so deep that you’d sacrifice a dress worth 800 million just to save me from legal trouble.”Her tone turned sharp, her words cutting. “Or… are you afraid of what the police might uncover?” The color drained from Sophia’s face, and her stiff expression betrayed her fear. The people around them exchanged curious glances, their confusion evident. Why would Sophia, who claimed to be the victim, resist involving the police? At first, it seemed like an act of kindness, a gesture of goodwill between acquaintances. But now, with Liza agreeing to call the authorities, Sophia’s reluctance seemed downright suspicious. Clarao, however, wasn’t having it. She glared at Liza and snapped, “Sophia, why are you hesitating? This shameless woman is digging her own grave. If she wants to call the police, let her! She deserves to rot in jail!” Sophia’s lips quivered, her voice barely above a whisper. “No… there’s no need…” Liza raised her phone casually, her fingers gliding across the screen. “Since you won’t call, I’ll handle it myself. Hello, is this the police? I’m calling to report that I destroyed an 800 million dress belonging to the Reed Family. Could you please send someone over—” “Stop!” Sophia lunged forward, snatching the phone from Liza’s hand in a blind panic. Her actions were instinctive, driven by fear rather than thought. Only after grabbing the phone did she realize that Liza hadn’t made the call at all—the screen was still locked. Liza stood there, her expression calm, a hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. Sophia's palms grew clammy as she realized her rash actions had only made things worse. Her abruptness had drawn suspicious stares, and the quiet murmurs around her were far from discreet. “Why doesn’t Miss Sophia want to call the police? That’s strange. She’s supposed to be the victim here. What could she possibly be afraid of?” “Exactly. And we’re talking about Time Flows, a dress she treasures above all else. Now that it’s ruined, shouldn’t she be devastated and eager to punish whoever did it?”“Don’t you see what’s really happening? It’s not that she won’t call the police—she doesn’t dare to. Did you see how she reacted when Liza mentioned involving the police? She looked like she was terrified of something.” Sophia’s lips trembled as she weakly denied the growing whispers. “No, it’s not like that. You’re all mistaken…” But Liza wasn’t going to let her off the hook. With a sly tilt of her head, she regarded Sophia with a knowing smile. “Shall I take a guess, then? The reason you’re so hesitant to call the police, Miss Sophia, is that you were the one who tore the dress.” A heavy silence blanketed the room, the murmurs dying instantly. The attendees exchanged wide-eyed glances, trying to process what they had just heard. What did Liza say? That Sophia tore the dress herself? Impossible! The silence was broken by Clarao, who shot up from her seat, her voice dripping with disdain. “What nonsense! Liza, you’ve truly lost it. Do you even hear yourself? You’re saying Sophia, of all people, destroyed an 800-million- dress just to frame you? What makes you think you’re important enough for that?!” Clarao continued, her words laced with venom. “Use your brain, if you have one. Sophia is the respected and elegant eldest daughter of the Reed Family, while you’re just some nobody from the countryside. If she wanted to deal with you, she wouldn’t need to destroy something so precious. She has countless ways to make your life miserable without ruining a dress worth a fortune!” Her confidence swelled as she laughed mockingly. “Honestly, even if you’re trying to accuse her, you should at least come up with something plausible. But then again, with your lack of intelligence, this is probably the best you can manage. It’s pathetic, really.” Clarao then glanced around the hall, as if rallying support, and scoffed. “Do you even know where you are? This is Mingfeng Hotel! There are surveillance cameras in every corner of this place. If you’re going to spin such a ridiculous story, the truth can be uncovered with a quick check of the footage. And when that happens, everyone will see who the liar really is.”She folded her arms, smirking triumphantly. “I’ll arrange for someone to pull the surveillance footage right now. Let’s see how long you can keep up this charade!”