"D—Dustin Rhys? How could it be him?!" After learning the truth, Florence and the others looked at each other for a while, disbelief written on their faces.

Never in a million years had they considered that it wasn't Matt who saved Julie, but the person they had dubbed ungrateful.

This was simply a slap in the face!

"So Dustin never framed Julie in the first place, and it was you guys … purposely slinging mud at him?" Dahlia stood rooted to the ground, expressionless.

Her face was as white as a sheet.

"W—who slung mud at him? I bet he's feeling guilty because he knows what he did wrong, so he's trying to make things up to us!" Florence insisted stubbornly.

She was used to bossing people around; of course, she would never admit that she had gotten the wrong idea about Dustin.

That would be too humiliating.

"Mom, things have already come to this, and you still want to justify yourself?" Dahlia bit her lip. Even her heart was clenching.

"How am I justifying myself? If that Rhys b