Just hearing thepany mentioned made Violet''s eyes sting with tears.


    "Thatpany is Victoria''s now," she whispered. "It''s considered marital property from her and McNeil''s marriage. She demanded it back, and the court ruled in her favor."


    Simms just let out a dry chuckle. "Even if the court ruled it''s McNeil''s, it''ll stay with McNeil. If McNeil wants to give it to you, and Victoria''s after it, he''ll take care of it. You just keep running thepany as President. I''d like to see what Victoria can actually do to take it from you."


    "All these years, McNeil never took her seriously-do you think she''d daree to thepany and throw you out while you''re in charge? Trust me, just go. If anything happens, let McNeil handle it."


    Violet looked at Simms uncertainly. "Do you really think it''s okay?"


    Yulia considered Simms'' words and nodded. "Of course it is. After all these years, have you ever wanted for anything? Hasn''t everything you ever asked fore from Victoria''s share, and hasn''t McNeil always made sure you got it?"


    "Winding Peak Lane was designed to be just like the vi McNeil shared with Victoria-he was going to give it to her, but when you asked, he gave it to you instead, didn''t he? All those pieces of jewelry Victoria liked whenever you wanted them, didn''t he make sure you got them, too?"


    "Your uncle''s right. To McNeil, you''ve alwayse before Victoria. Thatpany was meant for you from the start. Why worry about it?"


    With Simms and Yulia''s reassurance, Violet felt her strength slowly return. They were right-McNeil had always known she couldn''t have children, yet he''d cherished and protected her, never once abandoning her.


    Anything Victoria wanted, all she needed to do was nce at it, and McNeil would buy it for her.


    She already had V&S Group in her hands. So what if the name didn''t change? She could go on being President, just as she always had.


    Simms'' words cleared the haze in Violet''s mind. Why was she drowning in self- pity? So what if she''d lost her chance to have children?


    If McNeil agreed to marry her, they could always adopt a child together, just like she had been raised by her aunt and uncle. After moving in with them, Violet had barely thought of her biological parents back in the countryside.


    McNeil always indulged her. If she wanted to adopt a child, he''d go along with it. The worry finally melted away.


    Yulia squeezed her hand. "With your aunt and uncle here, you have nothing to fear from Victoria. She''s nothing but a paper tiger. Back when she was Mrs. Langford, no one cared about her; now that she''s divorced, you have even less reason to worry."


    Violet wiped away herst tear and managed a smile. "Thank you, Aunt Yulia, Uncle Simms. I understand now. Don''t worry-I know what to do."


    She was sure McNeil would stand by her. No matter how Victoria tried to stir things up, she was nothing more than a clown.


    And as the days passed, McNeil really dide to see her every day.


    Even though he didn''t say much when they were together, Violet could feel his affection.


    No one would have guessed it about Victoria, but when it really mattered, her heart was colder than anyone''s.


    She''d walked away with so much of the Langford family''s fortune-enough tost a lifetime without ever lifting a finger.


    No wonder Aunt Yulia always said you couldn''t trust anyone from the Turner family.


    To think she''d once believed Victoria was kind-turns out, she was poison through and through.


    "Victoria, what''s mine is mine. No one''s going to take it from me. Just wait and


    see."