She was hinting to Nathaniel Sloan that she was the one who’d risked her life to save Christian from the fire five years ago, an event that had left her with lasting psychological trauma.

So, how could she possibly dare to use arson to hurt someone?

Noelle Lockwood finished, her eyes filled with hidden expectation.

Estelle Lockwood gave Nathaniel Sloan a wry smile. She raised an eyebrow, waiting leisurely for his answer.

Nathaniel Sloan’s expression was icy. "You wouldn’t dare?"

Noelle Lockwood thought he believed her and quickly said, "Nathaniel, of course I..."

"But I only trust evidence."

Nathaniel Sloan cut her off, his voice a little hoarse but devoid of any emotion.

Noelle Lockwood clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, struggling to keep her face from twisting in fury.

’Why?! Why isn’t Nathaniel helping me? I already brought up the fire from five years ago, so why is he still not on my side!’

’What should I do? I absolutely cannot admit I had anything to do with this fire...’

Suddenly, a flicker of an idea crossed Noelle Lockwood’s eyes. She whipped her head around and viciously slapped her agent across the face!

"It was you! You lied to me!"

The entire room fell dead silent.

Noelle Lockwood appeared to break down, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Nathaniel, those fans... my agent sent them. They told me the building was empty, so of course, I believed them. I had no idea Yara was still inside!"

"I never would have guessed that Rosalie Carter started the fire on purpose. I’m so sorry to Yara, and to everyone... I’m sorry. This is all my fault..."

With that, Noelle Lockwood whipped her head back toward Rosalie Carter and shot her a meaningful glare. "Don’t you have anything to say for yourself!"

Estelle Lockwood let out a cold, sarcastic laugh.

’The moment I saw it was the agent, not Noelle herself, who paid off the arsonist, I knew she would pin everything on her.’

’This agent is Noelle’s right hand; she’s cleaned up countless messes for her. To think she’d be willing to sacrifice her just like that.’

Rosalie Carter was completely stunned by the sudden slap. She was about to deny everything, but a chill ran through her.

’My family is still with the Lockwood Group, and Noelle has dirt on me. I... I have to confess, whether I want to or not!’

Rosalie Carter’s gaze flickered evasively. "Yes... it was me..."

Noelle Lockwood let out a huge sigh of relief and put on a sorrowful expression. "I understand now, Rosalie Carter. At Aunt Iris’s banquet, you were the one who prepared that forgery of the *Purple Sun Mountain Residence Painting*. Yara exposed you, so you’ve held a grudge against her ever since. That’s it, isn’t it?"

Rosalie Carter gritted her teeth. "Yes..."

Noelle Lockwood’s eyes reddened. "You... How could you?"

Rose Lowell rushed forward, punching and kicking Rosalie Carter. "Noelle trusted you so much, and you repaid her by setting her up! It was all you! Nathaniel, the truth is out now. It... it really had nothing to do with Noelle!"

The room instantly fell quiet.

After a long moment, Nathaniel Sloan slowly raised his cold gaze. "So, you’re saying you were the mastermind behind this fire?"

Rosalie Carter, still smarting from the slap, gritted her teeth. ’I know my value to Noelle. Even if I go to prison, Noelle will find a way to get me out!’

So she insisted adamantly, "It was me. It was me. It has nothing to do with Noelle."

Nathaniel Sloan suddenly chuckled. "If that’s the case, then let’s settle the account with Ms. Carter."

He raised his hand slightly, and Luke White bowed before speaking. "The area affected by the fire was considerable. Fortunately, the timely evacuation prevented any casualties. However, the direct financial losses amount to nine hundred million, with indirect losses reaching as high as three and a half billion. These..."

Luke White paused, but before he could add anything else, Nathaniel Sloan spoke.

"And you, Ms. Carter, will be compensating for all of it."

Rosalie Carter froze, her eyes widening in disbelief.

’That... That much?!’

She instinctively glanced at Noelle Lockwood, who guiltily looked away.

Estelle Lockwood was a little surprised by Nathaniel’s move. She blinked, but remained silent.

Nathaniel Sloan continued, "On top of that, you will also need to provide compensation for emotional distress to all the guests and shopkeepers who were present. That’s another enormous sum."

"How much are Ms. Carter’s current assets? If you cannot cover the damages, the debt will be passed on to your family."

Nathaniel Sloan paused, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "And I recall, Ms. Carter, that your family is quite well-off."

Rosalie Carter shot to her feet. "Ah! No! No!"

Nathaniel Sloan feigned confusion. "What is it you’re saying ’no’ to, Ms. Carter? Since you’re the mastermind, you are naturally responsible for compensation. Oh, and by the way, there’s also a prison sentence waiting for you."

A smirk touched Estelle Lockwood’s lips as she chimed in. "That’s right. And don’t get your hopes up, Ms. Carter. The entire country is watching this case. It won’t be easy to get out. You might go in and never come out again."

Rosalie Carter looked at Noelle Lockwood again, her eyes filled with utter disbelief.

’If I go to prison and never get out, and if my family has to pay back billions... then what’s the point of me confessing and taking the fall for Noelle?!’

Once this realization hit her, Rosalie Carter shrieked and shot to her feet. "Noelle Lockwood!! You promised me! You can’t go back on your word! You can’t just abandon me—AHH!!"

Rose Lowell shrieked in a panic, "Guards! Get her out of here, now! Don’t let this crazy woman keep rambling!"

Noelle Lockwood, a true A-list actress, switched on the waterworks in an instant, looking as if she were about to burst into tears. "Ms. Carter, what on earth are you talking about? How can you try to push the blame onto me for your own mistakes? I... I was so wrong about you... *sob*..."

"Noelle! Oh, Noelle, my poor daughter! You’ve been wronged!" Rose Lowell plopped onto the floor, pulling Noelle into a hug as they both wailed loudly, as if they were the true victims.

As Rosalie Carter was forcibly dragged away by security, a flash of panic crossed Noelle Lockwood’s eyes, but her expression remained one of gentle innocence.

"Nathaniel, I really don’t know what Ms. Carter was talking about..."

Rose Lowell shielded Noelle behind her. "That’s right, Nathaniel! This was all Rosalie Carter’s doing. It has nothing to do with Noelle! Before... before, Noelle was just frantic, that’s why she mistakenly accused Yara of being the arsonist. Really... really, Noelle is a very kind person!"

As Rosalie Carter’s screams faded into the distance, Rose Lowell, feeling safe now, couldn’t stop a hint of resentment from creeping into her voice.

"Those so-called money transfers and bribes, those videos... they were probably all released by someone with an agenda, just to frame our Noelle! And some people are supposedly so capable, yet they couldn’t figure out the culprit was Rosalie Carter? Why did they have to drag our Noelle through the mud!"

As Rose Lowell spoke, she stared daggers at Estelle Lockwood, making it obvious to everyone that when she said "some people," she meant Estelle.

"Noelle was just overwrought at the beginning, that’s all. Unlike *some* people..."

"Ms. Lowell," Nathaniel Sloan cut in suddenly. "I was the one who gave her the evidence."

Rose Lowell’s words died in her throat.

The color drained from Noelle Lockwood’s face.

Estelle Lockwood smiled, her voice cold as she said languidly, "Ms. Lowell, the press conference is over. You may take Noelle and go now."

"However, even though Rosalie Carter has confessed, as for whether she’s the *real* mastermind... I believe everyone here can judge that for themselves."