Filed To Story: The Broken-Hearted She and The Icy He Book PDF Free
She had poured too much effort, too much money into this scheme to let it collapse now.
But once Lily pointed out the differences, the audience’s eyes shifted.
They began noticing more and more dissimilarities-moles on the arm and leg, a flatter figure, none of the striking curves Lily possessed.
It was becoming obvious. The woman in the video was simply not her.
The trolls felt the shift too. Their bravado faltered as James’s dark gaze pinned them like insects.
They had already provoked him-whether they stayed silent or not, they had earned his wrath.
So why not push harder, drag Lily’s name into the dirt completely?
They opened their mouths-
“Boss, the people you asked for are here!”
Ashton’s voice rang out.
And then two figures were led onto the stage.
The entire hall gasped.
Winston. Jennic.
The man and woman from the video.
Elsa and Marilyn’s eyes bulged as if they might burst.
How had James tracked them down so quickly?
For a moment, panic clawed at both women’s throats.
But just as quickly, they composed themselves.
After all, they had never personally appeared in this scheme. Winston and Jennie could take the fall, while they slipped away untouched.
Yes, Lily had escaped again. But they could survive this defeat and plot anew.
James, though, was not fooled.
He had seen Marilyn’s fear, then her sudden calm.
A flicker of mockery glinted in his eyes.
And in the shadows at the back, his gaze found Elsa-heavily disguised, but impossible to hide from him.
He had already anticipated her moves, already stationed people to watch her.
He knew she had met with her father, Jimmy.
He knew Jimmy had found a woman with a passing resemblance to Lily, had hired a makeup influencer to craft the imitation.
He knew Jimmy had orchestrated Winston and Jennie’s video to destroy Lily completely.
And he knew-burning one tape meant nothing. Jimmy could always make another.
Better, then, to seize control at the source. To grip Winston and Jennie’s weak points so tightly they would never dare turn against him again.
The power would be his.
Winston and Jennie had no idea Elsa was truly behind everything.
But James could make them say she was.
Elsa loved framing others? Then she could finally taste what it meant to be framed.
At first, he had only planned to teach Elsa a lesson tonight. But Marilyn had danced so wildly in the flames, he might as well burn her too. Two pests at once.
After all, the two of them were far too close. James didn’t believe for a moment Marilyn was innocent of tonight’s scheme.
In watching Elsa these past days, his men had stumbled upon another old video. That, too, would be shown by another’s hand-his special gift for Elsa.
“That’s them… aren’t they the man and woman from the video?”
“How are they here?”
“They must’ve been working together to frame Lily!”
The hall burst into uproar, voices crashing together.
Ashton took the microphone, raising a hand for quiet.
Once the room settled, his voice rang clear. “I think everyone can see for themselves-Winston and Jennie are the pair of sluts from the video.”
He turned, fixing the two with a hard stare. “Tell us. Ms. Ginger has no quarrel with you. Why film that video and try to make the world believe she betrayed Mr. James?”
“I…”
Winston and Jennie’s hearts were steady.
James had already given them money and promised them safe passage abroad once they did their part.
They had no reason to fear Jimmy’s revenge anymore. They could say whatever they liked.
But they still followed Ashton’s script, feigning panic. “We… we can’t say.”
“What’s there to be afraid of?”
The audience surged with anger.
“Someone told you to frame Lily, didn’t they?”
“If you keep covering for the one behind you, we’ll all go to the police and see you locked up!”
“Exactly! This crime is too vile-you deserve prison!”
“I don’t want to go to prison…”
Winston clutched his head, groaning, his face a mask of despair. “I’ll talk, I’ll say everything! It was… it was Miss Elsa. She sent us money to frame Ms. Ginger. I was wrong. Ms. Ginger, please, don’t call the police-I can’t go to prison!”
Jennie wept, trembling. “Yes, it was Elsa’s fault, all of it. If anyone should go to jail, it’s her. Ms.
Ginger, please, we beg you, don’t let them lock us away!”
“You’re lying!”
Elsa’s scream cut through the air.
She had never even met these two dogs. How could they possibly know she was the one pulling the strings?
If anyone, they should have named Jimmy.
How dare they drag her down instead?
Her panic slipped, her voice raw. Too many heads turned in her direction. Afraid of being recognized, she slapped her hands over her mouth.
“Elsa again…”
Ashton’s lips curled in a mocking smile. “She really can’t stop making trouble. First she shamelessly broke up Ms. Ginger and her ex, now she dares frame her again. Where does she get the face to keep doing this? Then again, I suppose her being a mistress did serve one purpose-it showed Ms. Ginger what scum her ex truly was, and led her to my boss, her real destiny.”
Under her mask, Elsa’s face twisted with rage.
She had been called beautiful all her life.
And here Ashton was, calling her ugly in front of everyone. Blind fool!