NovelUpdateChapter 493 Victoria slept soundly through the night, completely unaware that McNeil had stood guard outside her door until dawn.
Today was the day of Simms's trial. She dressed in a tailored black suit, somber and sharp, while Emily wore a black dress; the two of them looked as if they were heading to a funeral—which, in a sense, they were, honoring the memories of Mann and Edith.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"Mom, Grandpa," Victoria murmured as she lit a candle at the family shrine, kneeling before the portraits of Edith and her grandfather. "Today, Emily and I will finally see the one who destroyed you both brought to justice." Only after paying her respects did she leave the Turner estate.
In the courtroom, Simms sat at the defense table. He wore an immaculate suit, hair slicked back, looking every bit the distinguished man in his forties-calm, collected, and entirely unlike a man on trial for murder.
His composure faltered only once: when his eyes fell on Emily, seated beside Victoria. The resemblance to Edith was unmistakable, and for a moment, Simms seemed genuinely taken aback.
"Surprised to see I'm still alive, brother-in-law?" Emily's voice was icy as she paused deliberately in front of him, removing her sunglasses. Simms's eyes flickered with something like fear, but he regained his poise almost instantly, even squeezing out a few tears for effect.
"Emily, I—I can't believe you're alive. I'm so moved to see you again," he said, his voice wavering just enough. Emily let out a cold laugh. "Moved, or just scared? We'll see how you feel once the trial begins." Simms feigned confusion. "How can you say that? You have no idea how happy I am to see you. I—" "Save it," Emily snapped, cutting him off. "You were never really my brother-in-law, and you know exactly how my sister died. Go ahead-put on a show for the judge, and see how much of it they actually believe." She moved to the gallery, fixing Simms with a hard, unblinking stare. Once she was out of his line of sight, his expression hardened, all pretense slipping away.
He turned to Victoria. "Is that what you think too?" She gave a dry, humorless chuckle. "The truth speaks for itself. Funny timing, though-today, I might be joining the list of plaintiffs." Simms's fist tightened, but he forced a mask of indifference, his face arranged into a look of wounded sincerity. "Vicky, I'm your father. How could you do this to me?" He wore the expression of a man deeply hurt, but Victoria didn't bother responding. Instead, she glanced to the other side of the courtroom and smiled. "You should save that speech for your real daughter-and the woman you never bothered to marry." Yulia and Violet had just entered, and for the first time, Simms's confidence seemed to waver.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmIf it were only Victoria and Emily, he would have felt secure. But the presence of Violet and Yulia unsettled him; those two could only make things messier.
Unfortunately for Simms, neither 0 in Violet nor Yulia seemed interested in his silent warnings. Violet offered him a faint, mocking smile, mouthing a single word: "Dad." Simms's jaw clenched as he looked away, making it clear he refused to acknowledge her. Violet, however, seemed unfazed; her smile only deepened, amused by his refusal.
"Idiot," she mouthed, just loud enough for him to see.
For the first tthat day, a glimmer of panic crossed Simms's face. He'd thought he had everything undem ve control, but seeing Violet and Yulia together made him wish he'd taken care of them sooner. Now, he had no choice but to brazen it out.
The trial began. The prosecution laid out the charges against Simms, but he seemed prepared, and his attorney-no amateur-handled each accusation with practiced ease.
It wasn't until Victoria took the witness stand that the cracks began to show. Suddenly, Simms was weeping, playing the part of the devastated father. "Vicky, I'm your real dad-how could you doubt me?" Victoria glanced at the gallery. "Whether you're really my father or not... maybe you should ask those two."
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