Amelia Leaf's words successfully changed Alice Smith and Mason Wright's expressions; the words came so suddenly that neither of them reacted.
Even the always obedient Hankie Adams stared fixedly at Amelia Leaf. Although he might not fully understand the word "illegitimate," his eyes turned redder and redder, almost on the verge of tears, yet he held back because he was sensible.
Alice Smith finally came to her senses, and hurriedly protected Hankie, her usual gentle nature giving way to an angry voice: "He is not an illegitimate child! Amelia Leaf, does it amuse you to hurt a child like this?"
As if hearing a joke, Amelia Leaf stood up and sneered at Alice Smith: "How long do you plan to keep up this act? But I must admit, your skill at deceiving men is truly unmatched! Even the Young Lord and this man have been fooled by you!"
Alice Smith frowned: "I don't know what you're talking about, nor do I want to know. But you must apologize to Hankie."
