At this point, Grace Foster lifted her eyes and glanced weakly at Ethan Brooks, looking just like a little girl who had suffered endless bullying.

　　"And then what happened?" Chad Miller asked coldly.

　　"Ethan Brooks kept teasing me with his words. I got angry and was about to leave, but then Ethan Brooks suddenly lost control and tried to force me onto the bed..."

　　A wave of contemptuous voices instantly rose in the room, countless beautiful eyes glaring at Ethan Brooks with fury.

　　Grace Foster was completely immersed in her act, displaying all the humiliation she had suffered on her face, looking extremely aggrieved: "With no other choice, I turned around and stabbed him with my sword!"

Chapter 4: The Tragedy at Tianxiu

　　"So that's what happened." Chad Miller glared angrily at Ethan Brooks and shouted, "Ethan Brooks, what do you have to say for yourself?"

　　Ethan Wood hurriedly said, "Ethan Brooks is not that kind of person!"

　　Chad Miller sneered coldly, "You can know a person's face but not their heart! Men, once they grow up, are capable of anything. Do you still think he's a child?"

　　"Ethan Brooks was raised by me. I know what kind of person he is! Maybe he's a bit timid, maybe his character is a bit weak, but he would never do something so shameless!" Ethan Wood refused to back down, arguing forcefully.

　　Just then, a series of clapping sounds came from the side, unhurried and steady, each one striking the hearts of everyone present like a copper hammer.

　　When everyone turned their heads, they saw Ethan Brooks lying on the bed, a faint, ambiguous smile on his face, gently clapping his hands.

　　"What do you mean by this?" Chad Miller looked coldly at Ethan Brooks.

　　"Confusing right and wrong, turning black into white, twisting the facts! Grace Foster, well done! You must have thought up this excuse before you even came here, right? Or maybe, it wasn't your idea—someone told you what to say? But at least now I finally understand the meaning of a certain saying."

　　Grace Foster's body trembled, not daring to look Ethan Brooks in the eye. The excuse for murder had indeed been suggested to her by someone else.

　　"What saying?" Chad Miller asked.

　　Ethan Brooks swept a cold gaze over Chad Miller and Grace Foster, and said in a low voice, "The fangs in a viper's mouth, the sting in a wasp's tail—neither is as poisonous as a woman's heart!"

　　"Ethan Brooks, if you have something to say, just say it!" Lily White also felt that there was something suspicious about this matter; it clearly wasn't as simple as it seemed, and she certainly couldn't just take Grace Foster's word for it.

　　"Then I'll just say it straight." Ethan Brooks sat up, no longer polite. "What level is she, Grace Foster? If I remember correctly, as a core disciple of the inner sect, she should already be at the sixth rank of the Tempered Qi stage, right? And what about me, Ethan Brooks? To put it nicely, I'm at the first rank of Tempered Qi; to put it bluntly, I'm nothing. Tell me, could I possibly force myself on her? She could poke me from one end of Tianxiu to the other with just one finger!"

　　Everyone in the room began to think. What Ethan Brooks said was true—anyone who could become a core disciple of Tianxiu's inner sect would naturally be quite strong. How could someone with no strength at all possibly overpower her?

　　"Fine, even if I really did try to force her, all Grace Foster had to do was knock me out. Was there any need to use a sword?"

　　"I..." Grace Foster was still trembling, and after stammering for a while, she finally thought of something and quickly said, "I was panicked at the time and didn't think that much."

　　"And you just happened to stab me right in the chest?" Ethan Brooks pulled open his shirt, revealing the long sword wound on his chest. Such a fatal spot—how could it be stabbed by accident? Maybe it was a coincidence, but that possibility was clearly very slim.

　　Not giving Grace Foster a chance to argue, Ethan Brooks continued, "You usually don't even bother to speak to me, so why would you kindly come visit me today? I passed out for no reason during the day, and you took the opportunity to try to kill me! And you chose the chest, the most fatal spot—didn't you?"

　　His final shout left Grace Foster at a complete loss, the guilt on her face obvious to all.

　　"If I hadn't been lucky enough to wake up from the pain, I'd probably be covered in your slander by now, Grace Foster. Who would argue with you then? Remember this, Grace Foster: even if I, Ethan Brooks, wanted a woman, I would never choose a filthy wretch like you!"

　　"Enough." Hearing Ethan Brooks's harsh insults, Lily White couldn't keep her composure any longer. "I've got a general idea of what happened. The truth will come out in due time. I'll discuss this with the elders before making a decision."

　　There were too many suspicious points about today's incident. If things were really as Ethan Brooks said, then why did Grace Foster fail in the end? Why did she end up so terrified? And why did Grace Foster want to kill Ethan Brooks in the first place?

　　"All of you, leave now. Ethan Brooks, focus on recovering from your injuries. Also, send for Miss Clark to come treat Ethan Brooks." Lily White waved her hand.

　　The third-generation disciples, led by the sect leader and elders, filed out of the room one after another.

　　As she was leaving, Grace Foster turned back to look at Ethan Brooks. Before attempting to assassinate Ethan Brooks, she had revealed some secrets that no one else knew. Just now, she was afraid Ethan Brooks would expose her secrets, but he hadn't. Grace Foster thought Ethan Brooks must not have heard her while he was unconscious.

　　But as she looked back, Grace Foster clearly saw a mocking smile on Ethan Brooks's lips, his mouth moving slightly.

　　Child! Grace Foster's face changed dramatically, and she stumbled out the door!