Lindsay and Scarlet stood next to JoAnna and Sarah on the stage. It looked like a social introduction. Lindsay is known as someone who is not well liked, and people were curious how did she manage to leave a good impression on JoAnna.
"I remember that we met at the Club for a brunch." JoAnna looked at Lindsay. "Can you share with everyone how you got there?" She handed the microphone to Lindsay.
Lindsay smiled and spoke into the microphone. "My mom got Mrs. Carlson to give us her spot." The moment she said that she was confused. But before she had time to process what is going on, JoAnna was talking again.
"Oh? I didn't know that. Can you tell me more about it?"
"Yes. That Mrs. Carlson is a snob. Why would she attend a brunch organized by Mrs. White? At least that is what my mom said. So… my mom manipulated her into giving up on her invitation." Lindsay was surprised that she said that, but it's the truth. She was not completely sure if she was only thinking that or it actually came out of her mouth.
There was a sound of a glass breaking in the crowd. Mrs. Cox dropped wine glass she was holding. Her eyes were focused on her daughter on stage, afraid to face people around her who threw her condemning looks.
JoAnna didn't give much time for Lindsay to think. "For that brunch, why did you join with your mom?"
"It was for Mrs. of the family plus one. Since I'm the oldest daughter, naturally I have better chances of impressing Mrs. White and getting one of her sons for myself. But don't think that it's just me, everyone present at that brunch has hopes to catch a son from White family." Lindsay's face changed into one of utter confusion. 'Why am I saying these?'
"Why would you want to get one of sons from White family?"
"Since I was a little girl, both of my parents are saying that if I marry into the White family I will be set for life, and our business will benefit as well." Lindsay smirked, not noticing panic in Scarlet's expression who was watching her from the side. Of course, she didn't notice that people distanced themselves from one person at the party, her father, Timothy Cox. After what Lindsay said, no one would want to have anything to do with Timothy Cox. Wanting to become member of White family is one thing. But saying in front of everyone that they are doing it for the benefit of their business, it a different thing.
JoAnna smirked and continued her questions right away. "Talking about that brunch, I remember I fell of a horse. Do you remember that incident?"
"Of course, I do!" Lindsay realized that she is revealing too much, but she was furious seeing JoAnna's annoying smirk, and she didn't even attempt to stop herself from talking. "Without me, that incident would not happen. I told Liam to go and cut the saddle, so that you fall. I hoped you will get injured, maybe even get disfigured so that Jeffrey does not look at you anymore!" Once these words came out, Lindsay looked at the people in horror. She could not understand why she said that. She wanted to say that she does not know anything about the incident, only that she saw JoAnna fall off her horse. She never wanted to admit that she is the instigator. The words just came out of her. Lindsay realized two things. One is that she is in trouble, and second thing is that something is wrong with her.
The guests were in complete silence. Everyone stared at Lindsay, unable to believe what they heard. Most of them know her, and it's not that they don't believe she would do such thing, but they were not able to believe that she would admit to it, openly like that.
Jeff was about to go to stage and give a piece of his mind to Lindsay, but Aiden held him back. "Remember… the girls are doing this; we are only watching. If you want to do something, do it later, when they are done."
Jeff grunted in response with a heavy frown on face while his piercing gaze was on Lindsay. Then he looked at JoAnna and her expression told him that she got this, it's going according to her plan. Jeff's anger melted away.
Oscar and Elanor watched the scene unfold with admiration. They were not sure how or what JoAnna and Sarah did, but Lindsay would never just admit all that without some… help. Elanor was smiling and slightly nodded in approval. It seemed that even Oscar had a faint smile.
Just as Lindsay was wrecking her brain trying to think why she is saying everything without any filter, another question from JoAnna came her way. "Do you think that Jeffrey will look at you if something happens to me?"
Lindsay snorted. "Absolutely! With my qualities, there is no way he would not be interested. You were just lucky, nothing else!"
"Your qualities?" JoAnna did her best not to laugh. "What if your sister catches his attention first?"
Lindsay again responded without regard for consequences. "No way! She is stupid! Without my guidance, she would be the laughingstock she was in middle school."
Scarlet was taken aback for a second. 'How can she say such things in front of everyone?' Scarlet went into rage. "You think you are better than me? Based on what? How many times I helped you hold Olivia while you cut her? I even helped you kill Rachel's dog!? Without me you would be nothing! And how about…?"
JoAnna and Sarah glanced at each other and went off the stage while doing their best to look surprised and not to smile.
Only when they reached Jeff and Aiden did two of them relax.
"Third part is done." JoAnna walked to Jeff proudly and disappeared in his embrace. "We wanted to get Lindsay to admit that she had something to do with sabotaging my saddle. But this turned out better than what we intended."
"What did you give them?" Aiden embraced Sarah and pointed with his chin at two Cox sisters dragging each other in the mud on the stage by revealing their misdeeds in front of everyone present.
"JoAnna made this with Felix. It's quite interesting, like a ring, and it injects this upon contact." Sarah showed a small see-through-gel-ampule-looking thing. "What it does, Anna should talk about it."
JoAnna was happy to talk about her work. "You can call it a truth serum. Takes about five minutes to start working and lasts about two hours. They can't lie, and they might be eager to say what's on their mind. "
They all turned to the stage and watched the show where Cox sisters were pulling each other's hair, and security was separating them.
"When we found out that Oscar didn't find the culprit for the riding incident, we were thinking about a way to get evidence ourselves." Sarah explained.
"And I had just the right thing!" JoAnna grinned.
"That's my wife!" Jeff exclaimed happily and kissed JoAnna.
Elanor and Oscar approached them.
"Nice work, girls!" Elanor praised them.
Oscar cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "How did you get that girl to admit all those things?" He was vexed. He spent time and resources to find the culprit behind the incident without producing results. And all it took now was to have four girls on the stage and to ask, 'do you know something about it?' It was vexing. Very vexing. And a bit embarrassing. Oscar felt that he should do something to make up for it, but he didn't know what.
JoAnna mysteriously smiled. "It's a trade secret."
Sarah kissed Aiden on the cheek. "Let's go in the back where security is holding them. This should be the best part." She looked at Jeff and JoAnna. "They don't need to join for this."
"Hey! I heard that!" JoAnna complained. "There is no way I'm missing this!"
"Can we join also?" Elanor asked.
Sarah looked at Aiden. He shrugged. Jeff and JoAnna also looked without responding.
"Hmph…" Elanor lifted her chin up, slightly offended that these youngsters didn't approve her request immediately. "Why am I asking? It's my party, I can go whenever I want."
Oscar supported Elanor below her arm. "True. Tonight, this place is ours. We paid for it. Let's go to the back rooms." He guided Elanor with a smirk on his face.
Sarah and Aiden were first to recover and dash after them.
"Hey, wait for us!" JoAnna tugged Jeff's arm, and they followed behind.
JoAnna glanced at Sarah. "Why do I have a feeling that Oscar and Elanor want to take over?"
Sarah laughed. "Even if they do, it's fine. We did what we wanted to do. Lindsay is exposed as a person who sabotaged you, and also, we made an example of them. No one will dare to mess with us."
"True." JoAnna had to agree. "Even if there is no have evidence that we did something to Lindsay and Scarlet, they can tell that we had something to do with it. No one will take us lightly in the future."