"I don't understand what you're saying, Mitchel. You think too badly of me. We grew up as childhood friends, didn't we? You know I am not what you're suggesting. Don't you know me at all?" Katie denied the accusation.

"I don't know you, Katie. How could I? We never grew up as childhood friends. Every time you visited my home as a kid, I avoided you. We saw each other maybe once a year. How does that make us childhood friends? You've just concocted this whole narrative in your mind."

Katie's face grew paler with each word Mitchel spoke. He was right, but Katie had always been there, hidden in the shadows, watching his every move. From her earliest memories, she had observed him closely.

How could he dismiss that as nothing?

"No matter what you say, I never did those things," Katie responded firmly, her voice filled with fear that Mitchel might have tangible evidence against her.

"After that trusted servant by Lauren's side ended up in prison, you trained new servants to infiltrate and influence her. You pushed them to encourage Lauren to provoke Tessa into making trouble for Raegan. And after Tessa was out of the picture, you backed Lauren to set Raegan up. Once they were no longer useful to you, what did you do? Do you want me to spell it out for you?"

Mitchel's icy sarcasm was a thunderous sound in Katie's ears. She froze. How could he know all this? It was as if he had been spying on her all along.

Katie had been cautious and most of the dirty work were handled by Abel. After the suspicion of Katie's involvement rose, Mitchel began to dig deeper. He meticulously detailed every part of the incident involving Raegan on a blackboard, untangling the complex web of relationships.

The picture he painted showed Katie, a woman with the facade of being gentle and kind, was obsessive, ruthless, and scheming, always shrouded in darkness while being the mastermind. He realized as long as Katie lived, she would never cease her manipulations. She would continue to pose a threat to Raegan's well-being.

Since Katie had scapegoated Abel and ensured no direct involvement linked to her, Mitchel understood she might easily avoid punishment.

That was why he had arranged the wedding Katie longed for.

Yet, nonetheless, Mitchel still gave Katie a chance to confess and accept punishment in Ardlens. If she was willing, he wouldn't proceed with his plan. But clearly, she would rather die than admit her wrongdoings.

Turmoil raged in Katie's heart in those brief moments. "You're slandering me!" she cried out.

She had worn her mask for too long to ever remove it willingly. So, she would never confess.

But Mitchel pressed on relentlessly, his voice cold, "You colluded with Alexis and Henley to kidnap Janey and my mother. You even arranged for a car to try to kill them. And Mr. Gomez? You had killed him. Even the tragedy with my first child with Raegan was your doing."

He backed Katie against the door, his eyes filled with lethal fury.

“Katie, your sins are unforgivable."

"Ah!" Katie shrieked in horror. "You're insane!"

She frantically turned the doorknob, but it wouldn't budge. The door was locked. Turning back, she saw the deadly intent in Mitchel's eyes.

In a panic, she cried out, “Let me go, quickly! I'll tell you everything. If you kill me, you won't escape either. Why bother, Mitchel? You don't need to do this..."