Chapter 76
Seven or eight people followed behind the wheelchair, all clan elders of the Sterling family.
Sienna recognized a few of the faces; they were the authoritative clan elders.
The matriarch’s expression was grim. Seeing a drenched and shivering Celeste, she immediately pulled the young woman into an affectionate embrace, gently patting her back.
She asked sharply, “Celeste, what happened? Who did this to you p>
Celeste glanced at Sienna with a helpless expression. “I just wanted to advise Sienna to apologize, but she drenched me in cold water without a second thought p>
The matriarch followed her gaze to Sienna, who was standing nearby, equally soaked. Her face twisted in sheer fury.
She barked an order at the nearby bodyguards. “Seize this ungrateful wretch!
She tried to burn our entire family alive. We’re settling all our scores today. Beat her until she can’t stand p>
The surrounding Sterling clan elders already had their biases, looking at Sienna as if she were an unforgivable sinner.
They chimed in, “So unrepentant! She deserves a beating p>
“With such a vicious heart, keeping her around is a disaster p>
The bodyguards stepped forward to comply.
“Hold it!” Sienna shouted.
Her gaze was heavy as she slowly swept it over every Sterling clan elder beside the matriarch.
These people were the highly respected figures of the Sterling family. In seven years, she had only seen them twice—once when the patriarch was critically ill, and now, when they wanted her dead.
The way they looked at her was filled with disdain, disgust, and anger, as if she had truly committed a grave atrocity against their lineage.
Sienna withdrew her gaze and looked straight at the matriarch in the wheelchair. “I take responsibility for my own actions. I admit I started the fire, but I never laid a single finger on you or Helena p>
“You still dare to make excuses!” the matriarch interrupted sharply. “Didn’t you smash a chair into Helena, stopping her from escaping in time? Even Celeste got hurt trying to save her!
Helena is still bedridden in the hospital, and you have the nerve to say such things p>
“I did throw a chair, but it was aimed at Celeste, not Helena p>
Sienna’s expression remained unchanged, her meaningful gaze landing on Celeste as a cold smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
“I didn’t hurt Helena, yet she ended up injured. There’s only one explanation—someone took advantage of the chaos to frame me p>
Everyone understood the implication in her words.
Celeste looked the picture of innocence as she glanced at the matriarch, her face full of exasperation as if Sienna’s words weren’t even worth explaining.
Seeing this, the matriarch cursed aloud, “You shameless thing! Is shifting the blame onto Celeste the only thing you know how to do p>
Sienna ignored her hostility, remaining expressionless. “You are so certain I attacked Helena. Did you see it with your own eyes, or did you hear it directly from her p>
The matriarch instantly choked on her words.
That fire had started so suddenly. She had been terrified out of her wits and passed out on the spot, completely missing the aftermath.
When Helena woke up, she only mentioned that the thick smoke obscured everything, but she had heard Sienna’s voice.
It was Celeste who told Helena that Sienna threw the chair, injuring her leg and preventing her escape.
The first person Helena saw when she woke up was Celeste, the one who had supposedly risked her life to save her.
Celeste’s story matched perfectly.
Both of them were the people the matriarch trusted the most, while Sienna was an outsider she despised from the bottom of her heart.
Naturally, she believed Sienna was the only liar.
Having justified it in her mind, her temper completely exploded.