The Triplets My Ex Never Knew About

Chapter 156: Chapter 156: Dog Bites Dog, Who Is the Culprit?

How could Rose Lowell not know who had started the fire?

But she had raised Noelle for so long. She had feelings for her!

’If the truth comes out, Noelle will be finished!’

Rose Lowell’s face was filled with panic. "You can’t... you mustn’t..."

But Eleanor Vance snapped her fingers, and a moment later, the surveillance footage began to play on the large screen.

As suspected, Noelle Lockwood went to find Estelle Lockwood. After Noelle emerged, the delivery room caught fire!

Noelle Lockwood, however, acted as if nothing was wrong. Without a single glance back, she simply walked away.

Who would believe she had nothing to do with the fire?

Noelle Lockwood’s breath hitched. Her heart hammered in her throat as adrenaline surged through her, and large beads of sweat dripped down her face.

’What do I do? What do I do... Why is there surveillance footage? It’s been five years, how can there still be footage?!’

’I’m a famous actress. I’m the eldest daughter of the Lockwood family. I can’t admit it...’

Tears welled up in Noelle Lockwood’s eyes as she shook her head helplessly. "Ms. Vance, I don’t understand. I only went to the delivery room back then to visit my sister. I was worried she’d be alone and do something rash, so I went to keep her company. How can my good intentions be twisted into something malicious now?"

Seeing things take a bad turn, Laura Jennings quickly put her hands on her hips and shielded Noelle behind her. She started screaming, "You think you can slander Noelle with some stupid video? What are you trying to pull?! Even if Estelle Lockwood didn’t set that fire, she deserved it! She deserved to die!"

Nathaniel Sloan’s expression turned glacial.

Eleanor Vance let out a derisive laugh. "Mrs. Sloan, your fervent defense of Noelle Lockwood is quite suspicious. It makes one wonder if you had a hand in the arson as well."

"After all, besides the Lockwood family, you were also at the hospital, Mrs. Sloan. And after the fire started, you were the first one to clap and cheer..."

"Now we have video evidence and a witness. Even Rose Lowell doesn’t dare claim Noelle is innocent. Yet you, Mrs. Sloan, insist she is. Why are you so certain? Could it be that *you’re* the one who started the fire?"

The moment Eleanor Vance’s words fell, the room was plunged into dead silence.

A flicker of something crossed Noelle Lockwood’s eyes.

Laura Jennings never, ever imagined she would be dragged into this. For a moment, she was completely stunned.

The next moment, it hit her. Her face flushed red with rage. "That’s ridiculous! Nathaniel Sloan, are you just going to stand there and let them slander your own mother?!"

Nathaniel Sloan’s icy gaze made Laura Jennings stumble back two steps. She shrieked hysterically, "Fine! Just fine! Ganging up with them to frame me! Are you even human?!"

"They have evidence," someone in the audience whispered. "This Mrs. Sloan is hell-bent on defending Noelle Lockwood. It’s only natural she’d be questioned too."

Laura Jennings roared, her face twisted in a savage expression. "Noelle is too kind! How could she possibly set a fire to kill Estelle Lockwood?! I bet Estelle did it to herself, that goddamned bitch..."

"Since no one will confess, take them all to the station for questioning," Nathaniel Sloan said flatly.

Laura Jennings was stunned. "Nathaniel, what are you saying? You’re going to let these police officers interrogate *me*?!"

Estelle Lockwood casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her expression full of interest. "Mrs. Sloan, if you’re innocent, you’ll be released without charges. What are you so afraid of?"

Laura Jennings’ face was beet red. She yelled arrogantly, "I didn’t do anything wrong, and neither did Noelle! You’re all just spouting lies!"

Estelle Lockwood smiled, her gaze drifting lightly to Noelle Lockwood. "Is that so? Does Miss Lockwood feel the same way?"

A small smile played on Eleanor Vance’s lips. "Allow me a reminder, Miss Lockwood. The police are here because my claims are substantiated. You’ve heard the saying, ’leniency for confession, severity for resistance,’ haven’t you? If you ask me, you’re better off just admitting your guilt."

All eyes turned to Noelle Lockwood as the crowd began to mutter amongst themselves.

"Yeah, I bet Noelle Lockwood started that fire. If you had to name one person in the world who wants Estelle Lockwood gone the most, it’s definitely her."

"Noelle Lockwood commits arson and attempted murder, and then Rose Lowell helps her cover it up. That would make perfect sense."

"Noelle Lockwood stole her identity for eighteen years, and on top of that, she tries to kill her? That’s truly evil!"

"Is there something wrong with Laura Jennings’ head? It’s obvious Noelle Lockwood did it, but here she is, defending an attempted murderer..."

Noelle Lockwood clenched her fists, ’cursing Estelle Lockwood a thousand times over in her mind’.

’What can I do now? Is there any way out of this...?’

Suddenly, a glint appeared in Noelle Lockwood’s eyes as an idea shot through her mind.

Laura Jennings was still covering her ears, screaming, "It wasn’t Noelle! It wasn’t Noelle! You bitches, I’ll see you all dead!—"

"Aunt Jennings," Noelle Lockwood suddenly cried out, her eyes brimming with tears.

Before Laura Jennings could react, Noelle Lockwood had already burst into sobs. "Aunt Jennings, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry! I wanted to take the fall for you, I really did, but I can’t live with this on my conscience... Things have come to this. We’ve wronged my sister. You should just confess!"

...

The room fell into a sudden, deathly silence.

Everyone stared at Noelle Lockwood, completely dumbfounded.

Laura Jennings was stunned for a moment, thinking she must have misheard. "Noelle, what... what did you just say?"

Noelle Lockwood was sobbing uncontrollably. "Aunt Jennings, you were the one who gave me a package to take to my sister. I had no idea it was full of accelerants! I never thought a fire would start..."

"I’ve felt guilty for so many years! Now... I just can’t hide it any longer!"

Tears streamed down Noelle Lockwood’s face. "I’m the one who hurt my sister. My conscience won’t let me rest. I have to tell the truth. Aunt Jennings, please don’t blame me..."

Noelle Lockwood turned to Eleanor Vance and the police. "Back then, Aunt Jennings said she wanted my sister dead. I thought she was joking. When she asked me to give my sister that package, I just thought she was showing her concern. I never imagined it would turn into this..."

"But I truly never wanted to harm my sister! I’m willing to cooperate with the investigation. You can take me to the station..."

It took Laura Jennings a full three minutes to process what was happening.

’Noelle Lockwood was pushing all the blame onto her?!’

’She had just been screaming herself hoarse defending Noelle Lockwood!’

Laura Jennings spoke instinctively, "Noelle, how could you... No, this has nothing to do with me..."

Noelle Lockwood had already lowered her gaze, her expression demure. "There are many things outsiders don’t know, but I do. I’m willing to go to the station with you and explain everything."

She said through her tears, "I’ve wronged my sister. I concealed the identity of the real culprit, and for that, I am truly sorry... But on one hand, I had the aunt who raised me, and on the other, the sister who had just returned home. I was... I just wasn’t thinking straight..."

"Now, I am ready to confess. It was Aunt Jennings who instructed me to visit my sister, and it was Aunt Jennings who set the fire. I hope this long-overdue justice can finally give my sister some closure..."

Laura Jennings looked as if she’d been struck by lightning. She staggered, then fell to the ground with a hard THUD.

’But she hadn’t. She hadn’t done it!’

’She could never have imagined that her beloved Noelle Lockwood would be the one to pin the crime on her!’