Vanessa pursed her lips, “Yes.”

“Then let me ask you, if your home is in Kedora, why don’t you go back and live there instead of moving into someone else’s home?” Mrs. Ziegler demanded aggressively. Vanessa’s face turned pale. She looked helplessly at Theodore, who had been silent all this time. “Theodore, I…”

“Mom, it was me who asked her to move in,” Theodore interjected, stepping forward and positioning himself in front of Vanessa, creating a human barrier between her and Mrs. Ziegler.

Phoebe watched the scene unfold as her brows knitted together. She knew Theodore was going to protect Vanessa. Her heart gave itself a self-deprecating twist, and she forced a smile onto her face, the bitterness of the situation leaving an indescribable taste in her mouth.

“Officer, can I take my mom and leave now?” Phoebe asked.

The police officer had been watching this drama from the side. He had pieced together the relationships between the people in the room. Seeing Phoebe’s husband defending another woman in front of her, a woman who was allegedly his first love, stirred a strange sympathy within him.

He said, “If you’re willing to settle this privately, you can leave after signing.”

“Good, we’ll settle this privately,” Phoebe said.

Mrs. Ziegler finally reacted. She grabbed Phoebe’s arm and said, “What do you mean by settling this privately, Phoebe? Look at my face, she scratched it all up; aren’t you angry?”

“I am angry. So, do you want to take her to court?” Phoebe asked in a low voice.

Mrs. Ziegler guiltily looked away, “Well, not that, but as long as she bows three times to me, apologizes sincerely, and promises not to pester my son-in-law in the future, I’ll forgive her.” Phoebe thought to herself, ‘She really has a lot of gall!’

If she didn’t know her mother was not the kind to suffer losses, she would have believed that the scratches on her face were caused by Vanessa.

Phoebe thought that even if Vanessa was brainless, she wouldn’t physically fight with an elder, especially in such an obviously unreasonable situation that would upset Theodore.

So, the scratches on her mother’s face were most likely self-inflicted.

But as a daughter, knowing that her mother was trying to vent her anger for her, even though the method was a bit stupid, she couldn’t expose her mother on the spot and make her lose face. “Where do I sign?” Phoebe asked.

The police officer quickly handed over the notebook. Before Phoebe could sign it, Vanessa said, “I didn’t agree to settle this privately. Officer, please send someone with us to the hospital for an injury examination. I want to sue her for intentional injury.”

Vanessa pointed at Mrs. Ziegler; her face full of anger. She wouldn’t take this lying down.

Being scolded was one thing, but she wouldn’t allow herself to be blamed for everything!

Phoebe looked at her and frowned.

Theodore had only spoken once since he entered, and it was to defend Vanessa. He had been silent all along, probably not wanting to complicate the situation further.

Only when he heard Vanessa speak did he himself speak up.

“Vanessa!”

Vanessa’s eyes reddened, and tears streamed down her face. She cried beautifully and pitifully, “Theodore, I was just minding my own business, and suddenly I’m the one being accused. Can’t I seek justice for myself?”

Mrs. Ziegler was immediately infuriated, “Minding your own business? Whose house are you even in? Have you no shame? You’re a home-wrecker who’s intruded into our family, overshadowing the rightful wife. Is there no justice left? Officer, you be the judge here.”

“Mom!” Theodore’s said, “Vanessa is just a friend of mine.”

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