Violet''s face was battered and swollen, her eyes nearly swollen shut, when finally themotion grew loud enough for someone to call security and break up the


    fight.


    "Ugh, you filthy tramp! Get lost already-don''t embarrass yourself here any longer."


    Someone passing by gave her a couple of extra kicks for good measure as she curled up on the floor, coughing up a mouthful of blood.


    "Take me to the hospital. It hurts—”


    Her whole body throbbed with pain; she was sure her ribs were broken again. They''d already snapped once in that street race, and now, thanks to those kicks, she was certain they''d fractured again.


    In the end, someone must''ve worried she might actually die on Golden Era Enterprises'' premises and drag thepany into trouble, so they finally called an ambnce to take her away.


    The entire PR department, furious over what happened, started preparing to hand in their resignations. Everyone agreed to go confess to Mr. Miller together.


    The silver lining was that Simms didn''t seem to care at all. He just brushed the whole thing off, told everyone not to make a scene next time, docked their pay a bit, and called it a day.


    Violet spent days in the hospital, but Simms never visited, never even sent a message asking how she was.


    All she received from thepany was a measlypensation for her medical bills. The HR manager stopped by, putting on a show of concern, telling her to rest up and insisting the whole thing was just a "misunderstanding."


    Yeah, right.


    Those people had ganged up on her in broad daylight, beating her within an inch of her life. And now, with a single, dismissive "misunderstanding," it was all supposed to be over.


    No surprise, really. Their arrogance had only grown because Simms never lifted a finger.


    Violet had no power to fight back. No one was on her side anymore. She could do nothing but swallow her anger.


    After several days in the hospital, the first thing Violet did when she was able to walk wasn''t to return to Golden Era Enterprises, but to track down Yulia.


    Before confronting her mother, though, she arranged to meet someone else.


    Sid was over the moon when he finally got a call from the "goddess" he''d been pining after.


    "Vivian, I knew it was you from the first moment I saw you. The only reason I pursued your mother so passionately was just to get close to you couldn''t you tell?"


    Violet looked at the slick, well-groomed man in front of her.


    No matter how many clubs she''d been to, she''d never found anyone who couldpare to McNeil. None of these men in the business held a candle to him—not even close.


    Most of them were broke, or if they had some charm, it was all fake. The rare few with genuine style or confidence were even


    worse-pretending to care, but all of it was an act.


    And then there was that cloying, cheap cologne they all wore, reeking of desperation and bad decisions. Every time Violet came home from a club, she''d have to shower for two hours just to get the smell out of her skin.


    She''d thought she was being discreet, but McNeil found out anyway. The worst part was, he hadn''t even cared.


    "Maybe I did notice," she replied coolly, "but considering how cozy you and my mother have been, how am I supposed to believe it''s really me you''re after?"


    Violet leaned against the hood of a car, her scarlet evening gown hugging every curve, legs long and wless under the soft glow of the streetlights-utterly captivating.


    "If you agree to be with me," Sid said, not missing a beat, "I''ll break up with your mother right now."


    Violet just gave a coldugh.


    “Mom, you heard all that, didn''t you? This is your precious toy boy?"


    Yulia was standing right behind Sid.


    He never saw iting-it was all a setup.


    "Yulia, listen, it''s not what it looks like. He called me out here on purpose, just trying to stir up trouble between us," Sid protested, scrambling for an excuse.


    But Yulia stormed forward and pped him-hard, and more than once.


    "You bastard! You eat my food, spend my money, sleep in my house, and now you''re trying to seduce my daughter? Get out. As far as you can go, get out of my sight!"


    Sid, furious, snapped back, "Fine! I''l


    go! Who do you think you are


    anyway? Take a look in the mirror, will you? If it wasn''t for your money, I wouldn''t have touched you with a ten-foot pole, you old witch."