<b>Chapter </b><b>93 </b>


    Ruby picked up the envelope, nning to check the sender’s address. But when she looked again, the handwriting had disappearedpletely. Whoever sent this was careful—they’d used erasable ink.


    With a sharp sweep, she knocked the fruit bowl off her nightstand. Apples and grapes tumbled across the floor. Her anger shook in her voice. “Joseph!”


    She gritted her teeth. “You really want to see me dead.”


    Everyone in Riverdale knew Joseph adored his sister Nina. He’d never let anything happen to her. Growing up, it had always been the two of them against the world. Joseph, the overprotective older brother, borderline obsessed.


    Now it made sense–after that incident at the police station, Joseph hadn’t said a word. He hadn’t stayed silent because he didn’t care. He’d already set his n in motion.


    Cloud Peak was the Padi family’s territory, and the Padis were practically royalty in Riverdale. If she had actually died up there, the media would’ve turned a blind eye. The Martin family wouldn’t dare cross the Padis, no matter what happened.


    She would’ve disappeared, quietly, like a rose wilting in the dark. No one med. No <i>one </i>punished. Joseph’s move was cold–brutal, even. He’d made everyone look at Patricia instead. If it weren’t for that photograph, Ruby never would’ve connected this to Joseph.


    She called Tina, asking her to bring Emerson over right away.


    /* <![CDATA[ */


    fpm_start( "true" );


    /* ]]> */


    When they arrived, Ruby shoved the photo at them, hatred burning in her eyes. Her words were sharp and furious. “It was Joseph. He’s the one who pushed me off that cliff.”


    Tina studied the photo. “You can’t even see his face in this. Even if you go to the police, nothing’s going to happen right away.”


    Emerson looked at the picture for a long moment before handing it back to Ruby. He tried to sound reassuring. “Focus on getting better first. Once you’re healed, we have plenty of ways to handle this.” “There are ways to solve things quietly–without dragging both families‘ names through the mud,<i>” </i>he


    added.


    “Dad, can’t I just sue him?” Ruby’s voice was tight with frustration. Knowing exactly who tried to kill her but not being able to do anything about it felt worse than death.


    Emerson nodded. “You could, but attempted murder doesn’t get much jail time. Plus, the Miller family works with us. We have to keep the peace. If someone steps in to mediate, we’ll be expected topromise. If you push this and Joseph ends up in jail for a couple of months, you’re just making the Martins into our enemies. Is that really what you want?”


    “Ruby, you need to start thinking like an adult.”


    His words were gentle, but the message was clear.


    Tina kept tugging on Emerson’s sleeve, signaling him to stop, but after a long silence, Ruby nodded. “I understand. You’re right, Dad.”


    <b>11:18 </b>TE


    Tina stared at Ruby, stunned. She couldn’t help but think something had changed in Ruby during her years abroad. She used to be so stubborn–never this calm, never this mature.


    Ruby spent the next six months in and out of the hospital before she was finally well again. Meanwhile, thewsuit between the Newtons and the Parsons moved into its second round.


    In court, Chelsea and Jackson presented security footage from the gatedmunity. The video showed a Newton family car entering the neighborhood right around the time of the incident. The Newtons‘wyer argued that one car didn’t mean anything. <fne219> Original content can be found at f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fne219>


    Neither family showed up in court, but the media was everywhere, and news of the case was all over


    town.


    Back at Newton Estate, as thepany’swyer reported thetest on the case to Howard, he hesitated for a moment before speaking up. “Mr. Newton, I can’t shake the feeling that the other side is stalling on purpose. I think they’re holding back stronger evidence.”