Bang!


    The phone hit the wall and shattered into pieces.


    Ste finally exhaled, only to realize that everyone in the room was staring at her with mocking eyes.


    Even Margaret was ring at her as if she were the biggest fool in the world.


    It dawned on Ste, btedly, that surveince footage like that would have a backup.


    What good would destroying the phone do her, anyway?


    If anything, smashing it only made her look more guilty and desperate.


    "Ste, are you really still pretending to be innocent?" Margaret sneered, her voice dripping with scorn. "Do you think I''m an idiot? If I didn''t keep some evidence, how would I ever-”


    She paused abruptly, biting back the rest of her sentence.


    She''d almost said it: If she didn''t keep evidence, what would happen if Ste actually managed to be Mrs. Dashiell with her help, then turned around and denied everything?


    That''s why Margaret had secretly installed the camera in the room in the first ce, recording every conversation she and Ste ever had just in case.


    She''d never imagined the footage would end up exposing Ste instead. It was almost poetic justice.


    If it weren''t for that, with Ste''s shamelessness, Margaret would never have been able to prove her innocence.


    Ste bit down on her lip so hard she drew blood.


    She didn''t need to look up to feel Remington''s icy gaze on her, as sharp and cold as a de.


    Mr. Miller stepped forward hastily, desperate to smooth things over.


    "Mr. Dashiell, my daughter''s a fool. She waspletely taken advantage of-she''s just too naive and thought Ste was truly her friend. She got tricked, that''s all. Please, could you find it in your heart to forgive her this once? I''ll make sure she learns her lesson-"


    He broke off to whirl around and p Margaret hard across the face.


    "Idiot!"


    Margaret crashed to the floor again, her cheeks zing red and swollen. She looked up at Remington, eyes brimming with tears, pleading.


    "Mr. Dashielt, I know I was wrong. I really thought Ste was my friend. I believed everything she said, I pitied that''s why tim so sorry.


    her an


    apologize to you, and to Lizetta.


    truly am sorry."


    Margaret knew that if Remington decided to go after the Miller family, they wouldn''t survive it.


    So this time, she made sure her apology was as sincere as she could possibly manage.


    Remington, however, didn''t spare her so much as a nce or a single word.


    He simply straightened his jacket, rose to his feet, and addressed Mr. Miller.


    "Ms. Miller is quite the capable youngdy. I''m afraid Liz can''t bear the weight of her apologies. Who knows what she might do next if she holds a grudge?"


    It was a clear refusal-forgiveness was not on the table.


    Margaret''s tears slid down her face, but she didn''t dare say another word. She looked helplessly at her father.


    Mr. Miller rushed to exin. "Our family''s roots are in Wye. Margaret''s grandmother still lives there, and she''s always wanted Margaret:


    There''s even a marriage proposal waiting for her in Wye. Once she''s farried and settled, she won''t bing back to Zion City. Mr. Dashiell, what do you think-?"


    Remington raised an eyebrow. "That''s a family matter, Mr. Miller."


    Still, Mr. Miller could tell from his tone that Remington was satisfied with this arrangement.


    He hurried to add, "We''ll send her off tomorrow. First thing."


    Wye was a small, sleepy town a far cry from the bustling city. Margaret had always


    been proud, always looked down her nose at ces like that.


    The instant she heard she was being married off in Wye and would never be allowed back, her vision swam. She wanted to protest, but one look from her father froze the words in her throat.


    Remington was already striding out the door with Cassius, leaving the Miller house behind.


    Ste, who had been pale and trembling since the video started ying, finally snapped out of her daze.


    Panic surged through her. She spun around and raced after Remington.


    "Remington! Remington, please, just let me exin, I—”


    "Ste! This is all your fault! Somebody stop her-I swear, I''ll tear her apart with my own hands!"


    Before Ste could make it out the door, Margaret scrambled up from the floor, rage and humiliation boiling over.


    She med Ste for everything


    that had happened. If she was being


    sent away tomorrow and would


    never return, then today was her tast


    chance to settle the score. And she wasn''t about to let Ste getaway with it.


    -