Chapter 1676:

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Jarrod frowned and asked sternly, “Did anyone actually see the boy not bump into my wife?”

Jarrod’s serene but commanding presence, molded by years in a position of influence, briefly quieted the crowd.

Someone murmured, “Still, you and your group are bullying a mother and her child. It’s clearly your fault…”

“So, the smaller number justifies supporting the aggressor?”. replied Jarrod with an icy smile. “I saw the child head straight for my wife’s pregnant stomach. There was plenty of room to dodge it, and yet he ran right into her. If something had happened to my wife or our unborn child, would any of you defenders of justice accept responsibility?”

The crowd fell silent. Jarrod’s argument was hard to refute. The mall had room to spare, and the child could have easily avoided Nicole. Ramming a pregnant woman seemed intentional. If a child acted recklessly like that, appropriate discipline rather than sympathy was warranted.

As the crowd’s support waned, the child’s mother became frustrated and tried to change the narrative. “Why should we believe their version? No one saw my son come in contact with your wife. You may be making false accusations.”

Jarrod’s lips twisted into a cold smile. “You still want to debate?”

Jarrod snapped his fingers, and instantly the mall’s LED screen lit up with surveillance footage. Jarrod had ordered a bodyguard to retrieve the video footage to check for any suspicious behavior by the boy.

The footage was compelling evidence. It showed the child turning a corner and pointing at Nicole’s belly. Despite having plenty of room to avoid Nicole and the presence of bodyguards, the child headed straight for her. If the child had not seen him, one could argue that he was blind, but how could a blind child run with such precision?

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The evidence was irrefutable. The child had deliberately targeted Nicole. Those who had supported the mother and child felt ashamed, recognizing that they had fallen for a false plea for sympathy.

The mother’s full-throated defender was the first to apologize to Nicole. “I’m sorry, miss. I was wrong. That child is out of line. I fully support your right to hold them accountable.”

The audience began to express similar sentiments. Imagining themselves in the same situation, they understood the frustration of dealing with such a troubled child.

It was clear that the mother and child were a team. The child was causing the disturbances and the mother was eloquently defending her actions. Anyone would be outraged in such a scenario.

When the crowd dispersed, only the mother and child remained. Jarrod approached with a stern expression and looked at the child. “Who ordered you to run toward her?”

The mother quickly shielded the child and stated, “No one said anything to her. My child was just misbehaving.” Tears welled up as she sobbed. “Does he really have to react like that? It’s okay. If I have to, I’ll apologize….. Oh, why is my luck so terrible?”

The mother impeccably played the role of the victim. Even as she continued to act, her eyes averted, avoiding contact, a telltale sign of her guilt.

Nicole, exhausted, tugged on Jarrod’s sleeve and said, “Let’s go.”

“Just a minute.” Jarrod sensed something wasn’t right. He looked past the mother, fixing his intense gaze on the child. “Who put you up to this? If you don’t tell me, you and your mother will face legal consequences.”

Terrified, the child urinated right there. He burst into tears and confessed, “It was that man…”.

The mother tried to silence the boy, but it was too late. Jarrod pulled the mother aside and demanded as he looked coldly at the boy, “Explain it all to me clearly!”.

The boy sobbed and said, “A man told me he would give my mother five thousand dollars if I met this lady…. My mother promised to buy me a video console…”.

Tears streamed down the boy’s face. Jarrod’s serious expression frightened him even more. The mother could no longer deny the truth.

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