Julian felt a jolt in his heart, witnessing the hurt etched across her face. Instantly, a wave of restlessness consumed him, propelling him to jump to justify his point.
"This is not about trusting her or not," he blurted out, urgency lacing his words. "I just need to uncover the truth, to ensure she wasn't a victim of someone else's foul play."
"The truth is that she is a psycho," Esme snapped, interrupting him. "She initially accused me of tampering with the dress. Do you really believe I would stoop to such levels?"
"No." Without a moment's hesitation, Julian shook his head.
Esme's expression turned stormy. "Then why persist in doubting the makeup artist's account?" Her voice bore an edge of frustration. "Whether you want to admit it or not, Ruby did that shameful thing to herself to trouble me, frame me. Her sights were set squarely on me. When her plan failed, she blamed another innocent soul. And still, you defend her."
