Chapter 315 Dealing with the Shrew

Chapter 315 Dealing with the Shrew

Victoria reached the door just in time to catch Jennifer's Oscar-worthy performance.

Raised her with painstaking effort?

Gold-digger? Vain? Heartless?

Jennifer really had some nerve.

The Smiths had completely ignored her back then, leaving her to fend for herself. If Victoria hadn't been smart, she probably would've starved to death.

Besides, without Victoria, the Smiths would never have gotten anywhere near Emerald City's elite circles.

They were the ones who went blind with greed when they discovered Victoria wasn't their biological daughter and couldn't wait to kick her out.

And now they had the audacity to show up and play the victim.

Victoria let out a cold laugh and started clapping.

The sudden applause instantly drew everyone's attention.

Jennifer froze, looking up to meet Victoria's mocking gaze.

Victoria's lips curved upward, but her eyes held no warmth.

"Not bad. Keep going."

The ice in her eyes made Jennifer shiver, but she quickly snapped out of it.

She scrambled to her feet, not bothering to dust off her pants, and jabbed a finger at Victoria's nose.

"You ungrateful brat! Someone who abandons her own parents—you should get hit by a car! Did you have Emily sued? I'm warning you, drop the lawsuit right now!"

"And if I don't?" Victoria's voice was cold. "What makes you think I'd listen to you?"

Jennifer lunged at her, ready to attack.

Victoria easily dodged, watching Jennifer lose it like a lunatic.

Seeing her cold demeanor, the bystanders started criticizing Victoria.

"How can you have no conscience? She's still your mother, no matter what. You should be taking care of her."

"Someone who won't even respect their parents doesn't deserve to be called human."

"You can never repay the debt of being raised. You should treat your adoptive parents well..."

Hearing everyone take her side, Jennifer's eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

Weren't the Windsors one of Lucent's top families?

The more elite the family, the more they cared about reputation. If Victoria didn't drop the lawsuit, she'd drag her name through the mud!

Victoria saw right through her scheme, but she wasn't worried in the slightest.

Her finger tapped across her phone screen, pulling up a video.

"You seem to have forgotten something. You people used the 'debt of raising me' to extort half of the Windsor family fortune. Now you're back here playing the victim? Short memory, huh?"

The video showed the Smiths' greedy faces in all their disgusting glory.

The people who'd been self-righteously condemning Victoria moments ago were shocked to learn the truth.

"How shameless! Trying to take half the Windsor fortune—why not ask for the whole world while she's at it?"

"Using the excuse of raising her to pressure a young woman. Absolutely shameless."

"Parents who truly love their children never demand things from them—they only offer support."

"This family's clearly just after money. They'll throw away all dignity for it."

"Almost got fooled by her. Someone like that doesn't deserve to be called a mother."

Seeing everyone believe Victoria instead, Jennifer reached for the phone, but was shoved back by Jason, who'd just arrived.

Jason positioned himself in front of Victoria, glaring at Jennifer.

"What do you think you're doing? Get your filthy hands away!"

Jason stood like a protective mother hen, shielding Victoria behind him.

Jason was tall and solidly built. Jennifer didn't dare try for the phone again.

Having gained nothing, Jennifer could only leave in humiliation.

Jason asked anxiously.

"Victoria, are you okay? That old witch didn't hurt you, did she?"

Victoria shook her head. "No."

She hadn't expected the awkward, stubborn boy from before to be the first to rush to her defense now.

Victoria's lips curved in a genuine smile.

Jason muttered, "And you can still smile. The Smiths are like a rash that won't go away, bothering you again."

He'd just heard from his mom that Jennifer was causing trouble for Victoria and dropped his game to rush over.

The Smiths were truly shameless.

Victoria had cut ties with them so long ago, yet they still came to bully her.

"What else should I do?" Victoria's tone was casual and indifferent.

"Other people acting trashy is their business. Why should I let people who don't matter affect my mood?"

Jason scratched his head.

Fair point, but... wasn't she angry?

If it were him, he'd be furious—no way could he stay this calm.

Jason asked, "Why aren't you angry?"

Victoria chuckled softly. "Angry about what? They're just desperate. They'll behave soon enough."

Hearing this, Jason immediately caught on, leaning in curiously. "You've already figured out how to deal with them, haven't you?"

"What is it? Come on, tell me."

Victoria pushed his head away and turned to leave.

Jason ran after her, chattering in her ear non-stop. Victoria's smile didn't fade.

When a mad dog bites, you just beat it into submission.

Jennifer came away from Victoria empty-handed, leaving Emily anxious and frustrated.

If Victoria didn't drop the lawsuit, the trial would be in a few days, and she'd be sentenced.

In her panic, Emily thought of Wayne.

He was involved in this too!

He'd paid her to hire trolls to smear Victoria online.

If she was going to prison, why should Wayne get off free?

Emily dug out Wayne's number, but nobody answered.

She bit her nails, pacing frantically around the room, anxiously waiting for Wayne to pick up.

She called over a dozen times with no answer.

Emily nearly smashed her phone in frustration.

Bastard!

The moment things went south, he blocked her and went into hiding.

Her last lifeline was gone. Emily's face went ashen, her spirit crushed as she wandered in circles.

She was finished...

She was really finished...

She was still so young—she couldn't go to prison!

Emily gripped her phone tightly, her expression shifting from terrified helplessness to determined resolve.

That's right—she couldn't go to prison!

There was only one option now. She had to find Victoria!

Whatever it took, she had to make Victoria drop the lawsuit.

Victoria cared so much about Mira, didn't she? She refused to believe Victoria would ignore Mira's safety!

Victoria agreed to meet Emily.

After Emily had worked so hard to smear her online, of course Victoria wanted to see her.

Top floor of a French restaurant.

Victoria sat in her chair, gracefully cutting into her steak, not sparing Emily a single glance.

Emily took a deep breath, suppressing her disgust as she stared directly at Victoria.

She had no appetite whatsoever right now. Even the finest food held no appeal.

Yet Victoria took her time eating steak and sipping wine. Emily waited forever without her saying a word.

Unable to hold back any longer, she said, "What will it take for you to drop the lawsuit? I just said a few things online—why are you so petty that you'd actually sue me? Is it really necessary?"

Victoria dabbed her lips with her napkin, finally gracing Emily with a glance.

Her eyes were cold, her voice colder. "You can save those words for the judge."

"You!..."

Emily's chest heaved violently, her teeth clenched in anger.

She hated that face of Victoria's most of all.

Why did she have to be prettier!

Seeing Victoria wouldn't budge, Emily brought up Mira.

"Victoria, aren't you going to consider Mira at all? Don't forget—she's living with me right now."

At those words, Victoria's previously indifferent gaze instantly sharpened.

"Are you threatening me?"

Victoria's expression darkened, her hazel eyes fixed unblinkingly on Emily.

Emily smiled smugly.

"That's right. If you don't drop the lawsuit, Mira's getting old—who knows if she might have some kind of 'accident.'"

"If she takes a fall and ends up bedridden, the Smith family doesn't have money for her treatment right now. If you don't want to see something bad happen to her, drop the lawsuit immediately. I'll let bygones be bygones."