Victoria''s words left Violet fuming, her hands clenched at her sides.
"Don''t get smug, Victoria. One day, I''ll take back everything you owe me. Edith broke up my parents-she deserved exactly what she got."
At the mention of her own mother, Victoria lost allposure. Her hand whipped out,nding a sharp p across Violet''s face.
Violet staggered back, clutching her cheek, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You hit
me."
"I should''ve done it long ago. Don''t forget-you still owe me a hundred million, and I can take you to court whenever I want. I''d think twice before messing with me again."
With that, Victoria turned on her heel and strode away, Emily at her side and not sparing Yulia so much as a nce as they passed her in the hallway. To Victoria, Yulia was nothing more than an irrelevant sideshow-hardly worth a second look.
If Violet dared try anything else, Victoria wouldn''t hesitate to put her in her ce.
At the second court hearing, Simms reappeared, hiswyer eviscerating nearly every usation. Even the evidence Victoria had painstakingly gathered was dismissed as insufficient. After hours of deliberation, Simms walked away unscathed. He shot Victoria a triumphant look.
"Vicky, I''m your father. And you''d rather believe strangers than me? That''s cold, even for you. But don''t worry-I''ll give Golden Era Enterprises back to you."
The satisfaction in Simms'' eyes was impossible to miss.
Victoria pressed her lips together, silent and unreadable.
From the gallery, Violet and Yulia stood to leave, but Simms didn''t even nce their way. Yet the derisive snort he let out was loud enough for them both to hear.
Emily stood, visibly shaken. Victoria caught her arm before she could do something reckless.
"So we''re just supposed to let that scumbag get away with it? Are we supposed to let your mom and your grandfather die for nothing?" Emily''s voice trembled with anger and disbelief. She''d expected to see Simms get what he deserved. Instead, the system had failed them all over again.
"Come on, let''s go," Victoria said quietly, steering her away as Simms, surrounded by bodyguards, disappeared down the corridor.
But Emily broke free and shouted after him, "Simms! Stop!"
The courtroom spun, and Victoria hurried to steady her before she copsed.
Violet and Yulia followed them outside. Simms, aware they were behind him,
slowed his steps, almost as if inviting confrontation.
"Not satisfied with how things turned out? he
turned out?" he called over his shoulder, "One of you I put a roof over, the other I paid to raise. And this is how you repay me? Plotting behind my back? Pathetic. Leave Starfall City. I don''t ever want to see I you here again."
With a haughty toss of his head, Simms strode toward the
courthouse steps. At the door, while his bodyguard fetched the car, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes, it one, and blew a smoke ring toward the sky-smug, untouchable.
He''d seen thising and staged everything perfectly. If anyone thought they
could set him up, they were dreaming.
As the car pulled up, a ck sedan suddenly shot out from across the street, barreling straight toward Simms. He had no time to react. The impact sent him flying, the sickening crunch and screech of tires freezing everyone on the sidewalk.
For a moment, no one moved. The driver sped away, disappearing into the city. Simmsy sprawled in a pool of blood, motionless.
Violet and Yulia watched from a distance, their faces cold and expressionless as Simms'' blood seeped across the concrete.
The metallic tang of blood hung thick in the air. Someone screamed. Others
whipped out their phones, dialing emergency services.
Emily pushed past the gathering crowd, just in time to see Simms sprawled on the pavement, his body broken and still.
Victoria stared, shocked, her mind reeling and her body rooted to the spot.
A bitterugh tore from Violet''s lips. "Serves you right, Simms. You got exactly what you deserved."