On the way home, Celine kept texting me, saying I was petty and jealous and demanding I apologize to her and Felix.

I replied, "Celine, from now on, our families should stay out of each other's way. Otherwise, your boyfriend might get jealous and lose it."

After I explained everything, my parents agreed and decided to cut ties with the Fletchers.

But the next day, Layla showed up at my door carrying a gift. She immediately dropped to her knees. "Isaac, I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't raise Celine properly. I've brought her to apologize to you."

"Please, don't do this," I said while helping her up. No matter how angry I was, I couldn't accept a gesture like that from an elder.

Seeing me relent, Layla pulled Celine forward and scolded her sharply, "You brat! Isaac has treated you like a sister since you were children, and now you're picking a fight with him over some guy? Apologize to him right now!"

Celine looked reluctant but still lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Isaac. I was out of my mind yesterday and played a harmless prank. Look, you know how hard it was for me to land a boyfriend. Don't hold this against me, okay?"

I frowned slightly. Her apology felt half-hearted and irritating.

But having Celine block the door and refuse to leave was a bigger hassle, so I muttered a quick response, "Forget it. Let's move on."

I reached to close the door, but the smell of lamb stew caught Layla's attention. She dragged Celine into the room.

By the time I realized, they were already sitting at the table, cutlery in hand. Layla waved at me. "Isaac, come on. Eat with us!"

Fine. As the bridge hadn't been burned entirely, I'd host them one last time.

But after just a couple bites, there was a violent kick at the door. "Get out here! You shameless couple!"

Celine's face changed. She ran to open the door in a panic.

The next moment, Felix stormed in, shouting, "Isaac, you fucking simp! You try to seduce my girlfriend while I'm gone? You're really shameless! Are you provoking me on purpose?"

"No, Felix. Let me explain—"

Before Celine could speak, Felix slapped her hard across the face.

"Shut up! You certainly seem to enjoy the pathetic devotion of your simp."

His words were filthy, and my chest burned with anger.

I forced myself to stay calm and pointed at them. "Get out now. Don't cause trouble in my house, or I'll call the cops."

Layla, seeing Celine hurt, swung her cane at Felix. "You bastard! How dare you hit my daughter? I've never laid a finger on her!"

Felix dodged and shouted back, "You old hag! You wish this simp could be your son-in-law? Too bad Celine despises him. He's ugly and old! She only loves me! You're not fit to be her mother!"

He stormed into the dining room and flipped the table, sending the lamb stew and soup spilling everywhere.

My blood boiled. I stormed forward to punch him in the face. "Are you out of your mind? This is my house! Don't make a scene here! Let me be clear. I'm not interested in Celine. No one's taking her from you."

Felix covered his face and screamed, "Celine, are you seeing this? He just punched me! If you don't avenge me today, we're done for!"

As soon as he said that, Celine grabbed a chair and swung it at me.

I dodged and pulled out my phone to call the police.

The next moment, Felix came at me from the kitchen with a fruit knife like a madman. "You pathetic simp! I'm going to kill you for trying to steal my woman!"

In desperation, Layla struck him with her cane. But Felix turned around and stabbed her instead. "Go to hell!"

Amid Celine's panicked screams, Layla collapsed into a pool of blood.

"Mom!"

We froze, shocked by the sudden violence.

Celine turned to me, shouting, "Call 911! Save my mom!"

Felix dropped the knife and fell to his knees, bowing to Celine. "Babe, I didn't mean it… Isaac kept pushing me. If anything happens to your mom, I can't go on living."

The paramedics arrived, but Celine was a complete mess, clinging to Felix and babbling incoherently. I had no choice but to go with Layla to the hospital as a friend.

After a tense surgery, Layla was out of danger and moved to the ICU.

During that time, Celine didn't show up once. I ran back and forth handling the payments and admission paperwork myself.

My parents scolded Celine for being ungrateful, saying she didn't even care about her own mother, and told me not to bother.

Still, I couldn't just ignore Layla. After 20-plus years as neighbors, I decided to do this one last thing for her.

When Layla was transferred to a regular hospital room, I called Celine to come handle the payment. She agreed over the phone.

I had barely reached the hospital room when a pack of reporters swarmed me, pinning me to the door in a flurry of shoving and shouting.

"What kind of grudge are you holding to justify stabbing a senior citizen like that?''

"Say something! You aren't going anywhere until you tell us the truth!'"

My mind went blank for a second. I looked up at the crowd. Past the frantic mob, I saw Celine and Felix standing there.

I realized immediately that they'd spun the story, making it seem like I had stabbed Layla.

I forced myself to stay calm and explained, "Felix Lindsey stabbed Mrs. Fletcher. I had nothing to do with it."

But no matter what I said, no one believed me.

"Stop shifting the blame! Mrs. Fletcher's daughter and son-in-law saw it with their own eyes. You stabbed Mrs. Fletcher!"

A man in the crowd suddenly lost his temper and kicked me. The pain tore through my ribs.

I struggled to my feet, shouting, "You can ask Mrs. Fletcher herself! She'll tell you who really did it!"

The next moment, the reporters turned the cameras toward the person on the hospital bed.

I looked at Layla, hoping she'd clear my name.

But to my shock, she pointed at me angrily. "It's him. Isaac did it."

My eyes widened in disbelief. I couldn't believe what I just heard. My voice trembled as I asked, "W-Why would you lie?"

All my life, my parents and I had genuinely cared for the Fletchers. I even took care of Layla in the hospital when she was hurt.

Yet at the crucial moment, I was betrayed. My chest ached as if stabbed by a knife.

"Isaac has been shamelessly pursuing Celine, showering her with gifts. But she only loves Felix. Isaac got jealous and tried to stir trouble between them. When I confronted him, he attacked me to vent his rage," Layla said.

Birds of a feather really did flock together. Layla, Celine, and Felix were all experts at twisting the truth.

I had no time to despair. I shouted, "Call the police! Let them investigate! Don't touch me again, or you'll all go to jail!"

Felix was enraged by my words. He ran over and slapped me hard. "You've done all evil things, and now you're threatening us?"

He grabbed my hair and whispered into my ear, "I destroyed all your security footage. There's no proof you're innocent. You're done for, simp."

My face burned from the slap. Then, I remembered I'd given the Fletchers my house code.

While I was away caring for Layla, they'd used the opportunity to destroy evidence in my home.

How vile and shameless!

I turned to leave, but Celine lunged and bit my arm. The pain made me fall to the ground.

She was grinning cruelly. "Isaac, you always preach to me like you're above everyone. Now, you'll see how humiliating it feels to be under someone's heel."

With that, she signaled Felix to attack me. He started punching me repeatedly in the stomach.

"You monster! Mrs. Fletcher treated you like her own son! How could you hurt her?"

I had no strength to fight back and vomited blood from the blows.

Felix pulled out his phone and pointed it at me with a manic smile. "Everyone, look at this simp's face! He couldn't steal my girlfriend, so he stabbed her mother and even tried to frame me! What a twisted man!

"Luckily, we saw through his plan in time. Otherwise, who knows what would've happened? Don't you think he deserves a beating?"

Cheers erupted around me. "Beat him up! I can't stand those clingy simps!"

Wracked with agony, I felt utterly forsaken, with no one left to turn to.

Suddenly, a group of people rushed in.

The leader slammed Celine to the ground and roared, "Even if you destroyed the footage, I can prove Isaac didn't stab your mother!"