Everyone Can Hear My Thoughts, and Now They're Panicking

Luke Chapman clutched his face in disbelief. He had not only been slapped by Jane Lancaster, but now by Beverly Lynch too!

Two women, one for each cheek, a slap from each!

This was the ultimate humiliation!

He was about to lose his mind, cursing "bitches" under his breath as he tried frantically to hit them back. Chloe Dave had to use all his strength to hold him down.

The onlookers were also frightened by his behavior and took a few steps back to be safe.

"Beverly Lynch, are you crazy? What does this have to do with you!"

Chloe Dave was so angry he was seeing red. To think he had been on Beverly Lynch’s side, sympathizing with her, only for her to be so ungrateful!

Beverly Lynch: "You’re the one who’s crazy. How does it have nothing to do with me when you’re spreading slanderous rumors about me?"

Chloe Dave had never seen someone so eager to get involved. "We’re sticking up for you! Can’t you understand plain language?"

Jane Lancaster thought for a moment. Aside from Luke Chapman’s brilliant move of throwing that object earlier, these people had indeed been speaking up for Beverly Lynch.

’Though they were also kind of mocking Beverly Lynch, their main goal is to nail me to the pillar of shame as a homewrecker, right?’

’Calling out a homewrecker is basically a moral crusade these days. Not a bad angle. After today, my reputation for knowingly being the other woman will probably spread throughout the entire high society circle.’

Beverly Lynch pursed her lips. She finally understood what she had heard.

Jane Lancaster’s mouth hadn’t moved. ’Did I just hear her inner thoughts?’

This was so strange. She was a little happy, but also a little unhappy.

"You’re the ones who can’t understand plain language." Beverly Lynch lifted her chin coldly. "I have never had anything to do with Caleb Lowell, and I have never liked him. And you say you’re not spreading rumors?"

Chloe Dave frowned. "You don’t have to try and save face like this. It’s not shameful to like Zion."

In his eyes, it wasn’t embarrassing to have your engagement broken by Caleb Lowell. After all, Caleb was so outstanding that few people were worthy of him.

"If you didn’t resent having your man stolen, why would you have fought with Jane Lancaster for so many years?" Luke Chapman interjected hatefully, determined to tear off her mask.

"Shut up! You’re disgusting!" Beverly Lynch was about to explode. "Are you people sick? I don’t like Caleb Lowell, so why are you trying to force me to say I do? I’ll say it again: I didn’t like him before, I don’t like him now, and I will absolutely never like Caleb Lowell in the future!"

"Now you’re just being difficult. Your boyfriend is like a budget version of Zion. How can you not admit you have a special thing for Zion?" someone said with a cheeky grin.

They clearly didn’t believe Beverly Lynch’s claims. Caleb Lowell was so charming, rich, and capable—what woman wouldn’t like him?

Beverly Lynch: "Are you sick in the head? If your eyes are bad, go get them checked! How does my boyfriend look anything like Caleb Lowell? By that logic, I could say he looks like your ancestor. Does that mean I have a special thing for your ancestor?"

The man who’d been scolded paled slightly, but he quickly put his smile back on. "Getting so worked up just proves you still like Zion, doesn’t it? Stop pretending otherwise."

Jane Lancaster sensed this was not going well.

’Beverly Lynch is too desperate to prove her innocence. She’s falling into their trap, and she’ll never be able to explain her way out of it.’

Sure enough, Beverly Lynch was instantly provoked. "You bastard, are you looking for a death wish?"

"Why are you being so aggressive? Did I hit a nerve?" the other person added fuel to the fire with an even cheekier grin.

Only after she had yelled did Beverly Lynch realize the meaning of Jane Lancaster’s inner thought.

The rage that had been about to explode in her chest was suddenly soothed.

’Jane Lancaster... does she believe me?’

Jane Lancaster: "She might not be pretending, but you all are definitely deeply in love with Caleb Lowell, so much so that you can’t help but project your own feelings onto others."

She paused, then looked at Chloe Dave. "You’re right, it’s not shameful to like Caleb Lowell. Since you all like him so much, how about I be generous and take you all in as his concubines?"

Chloe Dave’s face instantly turned bright red. "Jane Lancaster, stop talking nonsense."

He was a straight man! How could she say something so disgusting?

Jane Lancaster: "You’re blushing. Don’t tell me I hit a nerve and now you’re embarrassed?"

Chloe Dave was starting to lose his composure. "Jane Lancaster, that’s enough!"

The mere thought of that scene was nauseating. Him, embarrassed? What did she take him for, some kind of sissy?

"How is it enough? I’m just making a logical deduction. Don’t you like Caleb Lowell?" Jane Lancaster retorted with a smile.

Chloe Dave: "..."

How was he supposed to answer that question? His "like" wasn’t *that* kind of "like"!

Beverly Lynch, now much calmer, said with a disdainful look, "I dare swear that I don’t like Caleb Lowell. Do you?"

Lana Sterling, enjoying the drama, chimed in, "For real? You really dare to swear on it?"

"What’s there to be afraid of! I don’t like Caleb Lowell. I hate him!" Beverly Lynch’s voice was firm and resolute. "If I like Caleb Lowell, may I get hit by a car the moment I step outside! May I drown while swimming! May I trip and die while walking! Even if I’m at home, may I drop dead from a sudden illness!"

Jane Lancaster: "..."

’Okay, but that’s a bit much.’

Lana Sterling studied her suspiciously for a moment, then turned decisively to the other gossiping socialites and said, "It must be true. She doesn’t like Caleb Lowell."

The crowd of onlookers: "..."

How could she be so sure?

Beverly Lynch: "Of course I don’t like him! What’s so great about him? He walks around with a gloomy face all day, has a terrible temper, and doesn’t respect people. I’m not looking to find myself a living ancestor to worship! I think my boyfriend, who’s gentle and considerate, is a thousand, no, ten thousand times better than him!"

The others wanted to argue back, but Chloe Dave stopped them. "Forget it."

Continuing this would just be asking for more trouble.

Comparing Caleb Lowell to some pretty boy was just beneath him.

Chloe Dave gave Jane Lancaster a deep look, then turned and left with his group.

"Alright, everyone, show’s over." Jane Lancaster also took the opportunity to slip away.

Beverly Lynch started to go after her, but Lana Sterling suddenly clapped her on the shoulder. "Not bad, you’ve got good taste. I don’t like guys like Caleb Lowell either."

She followed Beverly Lynch’s gaze and said nonchalantly, "Oh, Jane Lancaster? Her taste is pretty bad. I just saw Caleb Lowell go looking for that Luna Morgan."

Beverly Lynch froze. "What did you say?"

---

Caleb Lowell had had too much to drink and was starting to feel a bit drunk.

Clayton Lowell took him to a room upstairs to rest. Not long after he sat down, he vaguely heard the sound of an argument outside the door.

"Miss Lancaster is not a homewrecker, you all are going too far!" It was Luna Morgan’s indignant voice.

"We’re talking about Jane Lancaster. What business is it of yours?" someone said impatiently.

Luna Morgan stubbornly stretched out her arm to block their path. "No, you can’t leave! Tell me, who put you up to spreading these rumors?"

The three women were clearly getting annoyed. One of them shoved Luna Morgan. "Are you Jane Lancaster’s dog? Get lost!"

Luna Morgan lost her balance and started to fall down the stairs, but a hand caught her firmly.

"Apologize!" Caleb Lowell reeked of alcohol, his face dark and stormy.

He felt a surge of lingering fear. Luna Morgan had almost tumbled down the stairs.

The three women were frightened too. After all, they hadn’t actually intended to hurt anyone, and they had been caught badmouthing someone’s fiancée.

"We’re sorry."

"Young Master Lowell, we didn’t mean to spread rumors, it’s just that everyone is saying it..." The lead woman’s face was pale with fear.

Caleb Lowell froze for a second. He hadn’t heard the first part of the conversation, but he went along with her words. "Watch your mouths. Now, get lost!"

The three women breathed a sigh of relief and scurried away.