Chapter 6
I stared at him, expressionless. He had shown no mercy when he tried to kill me, yet now he wanted my help?
The audacity was almost laughable.
“If you truly care about Ruby, report this to the police,” I said coldly.
Victor’s face twisted with rage.
“How can you be so heartless? I’m your husband! Ruby’s your friend! How can you stand by and do nothing? You’ll pay for this!”
“Heartless?” I scoffed. “You left me to die, Victor. This is nothing more than karma.”
Victor’s tirade continued. He kicked my door and screamed insults, but I didn’t budge. Eventually, he slunk away. The next morning, the police informed me that Victor and Ruby had turned themselves in.
Apparently, whatever they’d endured with Richard had been too much to bear. Ruby’s injuries were severe–she’d barely survived the night. She was in the hospital, clinging to life.
Victor looked no better. In just one night, he’d become a shadow of his former self, his hair dull and his once–arrogant demeanor utterly broken. When he saw me at the station, his hollow eyes flared with fury.
“You heartless witch! This is all your fault. If it weren’t for you, Ruby wouldn’t be lying in a hospital bed right now!”
He lunged at me, but the officers restrained him. In the past, even seeing Victor slightly hurt would have broken my heart. Now, all I felt was cold satisfaction. Victor was forced to sit down, shoulders hunched and tears streaming down his face.
As I finished signing my statement, he suddenly dropped to his knees, sobbing.
“Lillian, I was blinded by greed. I regret everything. Please, don’t do this. Think of all the years we spent together. Don’t press charges- have nowhere else to turn!”
This was the same man who had once towered over me, shouting down every disagreement. Now, he was pathetic, groveling at my feet. I took a step back, shaking my head.
“You tried to murder me and commit fraud, Victor. This isn’t something I can just forgive.”
Victor crumpled, wailing like a child. I left without looking back. At the trial, Ruby appeared alongside Victor as a co–defendant. To everyone’s shock, Ruby suddenly flipped.
“Your Honor, I’m innocent! It was all Victor Bennett’s plan. He forced me to help him–he even threatened me with a knife!”
Victor’s jaw dropped.
“You lying snake!” he bellowed before lunging at her, his hands tightening around her throat.
By the time the bailiffs separated them, Ruby was gasping for air, her face purple from the assault.
Between coughs, she shouted, “Your Honor, I have more to say! I’ll testify–I’ll reveal everything!”
Victor’s screams filled the courtroom.
“Ruby Monroe, you’re insane!”
The chaos forced the judge to call for an immediate recess.