Chapter 9

"Aunt Grace, I'm outta money on my game account again. Mind topping it up for me?" Xander grinned cheekily as he tried to coax her. "Didn't I just put some in yesterday?" Grace's face darkened. Sure, watching Vanessa and Xander bicker always amused her, but this kid was burning through cash way too fast-it had barely been a day! "Aww c'mon, it's all gone again. You spoil me, right? Just a little more won't hurt." Xander shoved his hands into his pockets and swaggered closer, one brow cocked. With those flirty peach blossom eyes of his, he looked every bit the rascal. "Xander, you were at Monarch Bar last night, right? Didn't you see Vanessa getting all cozy with some random guy?" Chloe stepped in front of him, clearly fuming. Xander blinked, something sharp flashing in his eyes before he shrugged lazily. "Monarch Bar? Yeah, I was there. And yeah, I saw her too. But getting cozy with someone? Don't think so. Vanessa might be a little clueless, but she's super conservative. Peter should know that better than anyone." Peter' face twitched. Yeah, he knew-Vanessa was dumb as a rock in his eyes, but when it came to relationships, she was insanely old-school. Never mind her brain, her looks alone made her tempting. Too bad, no matter how hard he tried, that idiot always said she was saving herself for marriage. So yeah, when he heard she'd been messing around with some other guy, he'd lost it. It felt like watching your prize cabbage get stolen by a pig-ugh, unbelievable. Vanessa hinted a tiny smile when she heard Xander backing her up. Maybe he still had a conscience. Something must've been off about what happened last night. "You're sticking up for her? Seriously?" Chloe's voice raised with disbelief, but quickly shifted to smugness as she pulled out a USB drive from her pocket. "Good thing I came prepared." "Vanessa, I've got proof of you and that guy. Let's see you talk your way out of this!" With a triumphant smirk, Chloe plugged it into her ready-and-waiting laptop and clicked the play button. Within seconds, a rather shocking scene popped up on screen, leaving the room dead silent." Take a look, Vanessa, just how shameless you really are..." Chloe let out a smug little laugh. She actually hadn't planned on showing the video-it wasn't part of the original plan. She'd rather keep a nice image in Peter's eyes. But Vanessa just had to play innocent. Well, she asked for it. Not only was Chloe set on showing Peter the video, but she was also ready to post it online and completely ruin Vanessa's reputation. The moaning and gasping sounds in the video grew louder. Vanessa tensed up at first, scared it might be from her encounter with that strange guy the night before. But the more she listened, the more she realized-that voice wasn't hers. She sighed in relief. Xander leaned in a bit, eyes wide. "Chloe, you into this kind of stuff? Bit hardcore, no?" Chloe's grin froze. Her face stiffened as she stared dumbfounded at the unfamiliar couple on screen. She muttered, "No... no way... This can't be..." Peter's face turned icy. Without a word, he brushed past Chloe and strode straight for the door. Chloe panicked, scrambling after him. "Peter! Wait, Peter! Don't go!" Vanessa, totally unbothered, cast a sidelong glance at John and Grace, both standing there with stormy expressions. She shrugged. "Uncle, Auntie, if there's nothing else, I think I'm gonna go lie down. That little brat Xander-drinking like that at his age? I had to look after him the whole night. It's about time he learned a lesson." Then she shot Xander a sharp look. "Come here." With her posture stiffened and gaze icy, there was a new kind of authority in her that hadn't been there before. In the past, Xander would've laughed it off. But now? He actually flinched. For real-Vanessa suddenly felt different. Serious, even intimidating. So, he kept quiet and obediently followed her upstairs. The moment they stepped into her room, Vanessa shut the door behind them and spritzed him right in the face with some knockout spray. Xander, built and athletic, wobbled a bit, then slowly slumped down against the wall. He stared at the spray in her hand and laughed bitterly. That spray? One he carelessly tossed in the room last night. And now his "ditzy" sister was using it to take him down. If that wasn't karma, what was? "Sis... come on, you're my dear sister, don't do anything crazy..." Xander tried to keep a friendly smile, but his voice was already shaky. "Shut up." Vanessa yanked a bedsheet from the bed and firmly tied up his arms. Then she squatted down in front of him, slapped his cheek lightly a couple of times, her eyes cold. "Talk. Why did you try to frame me?" Her voice, low and serious, cut straight through the air.