Yvette looked at the deranged Winona, her voice steady and cold. “You reap what you sow.”

Zachary paused, then looked at Winona with a heavy heart. “Winona, you chose an easy path. Your jealousy has destroyed you. Yvette never targeted you; deep down, you know this. Instead of relying on your own merits, you clung to the Carter family, letting hatred consume you. Everything that has happened is your own fault.”

Zachary sighed, feeling conflicted. Though not his biological child, he’d raised her for over twenty years, treating her fairly. He’d done all he could, and felt no remaining guilt or obligation. Without the Chambers or Smith families, Winona could have thrived. Nellie had invested heavily in her education; even as a dance instructor, she could have led a decent life. Instead, she chose degradation, depending on the Carters and harboring malice, culminating in Yvette’s kidnapping. This was the point of no return.

Winona’s face contorted in pain, her bloodied fingers trembling as she pointed at Yvette. Her voice choked with resentment, she hissed, “Yes, I’m jealous! Jealous that she gets everything without effort! Why is she the Cyanbird, while I use her name, only for her to ruin it and make me a laughingstock? If she hadn’t exposed me, none of this would have happened! We could have coexisted peacefully, and it’s all her fault! Even now, you blame me! My only mistake was not finding her sooner and ending her!”

Her hatred consumed her, her red-rimmed eyes fixed on Yvette with a murderous glare. Yvette remained calm, her gaze thoughtful and eyes cold. Looking seriously at Winona, she said, “You can’t kill me.”

Those four words, spoken with absolute certainty, shattered Winona’s composure. The words echoed relentlessly in her mind as her stomach pain intensified, cold sweat beading on her face until she was pale as a ghost. Zachary’s eye twitched. Yvette’s talent for unsettling people was unmatched; the impact of those words was immense.

Zachary considered the situation. Winona would face legal consequences, and Yvette wouldn't get involved. His tone hardened. “Winona, you’ve broken the law. We won’t protect you. Prepare for judgment—by the police and the courts. Reflect on your choices.”

Winona glanced at the furious Zachary and the coldly indifferent Yvette. In a last-ditch effort, she knelt before them, hiding her hatred, and pleaded through tears, “I’m sorry, Dad… Mr. Chambers. I’m truly sorry. I was foolish, consumed by jealousy, and I swear I’ll never do this again. Please, give me another chance. I’ll disappear and never bother Yvette. You raised me for over twenty years. Please, show me mercy.”

Zachary was taken aback, but he wasn't naive. Winona’s heart was irreparably damaged; her words rang hollow. Like her mother, Nellie, she was a master manipulator, and Zachary wouldn't leave such a threat near Yvette.

Seeing Zachary’s steely resolve, Winona’s desperation increased. Turning to Yvette, she knelt, lowering her head and clutching her stomach, attempting to use her unborn child as leverage. “Yvette, please! I was wrong. I shouldn’t have let jealousy cloud my judgment. I’m begging you to give me a chance. You’re a woman too; surely you understand. My child is already forming—would you really let him grow up without a mother?”

Hands in her pockets, Yvette looked down at Winona with a penetrating gaze, her expression devoid of empathy. Tilting her head slightly, she said coldly, “If you don’t care about your own child, why should I? I’m no saint. You tried to kill me—why would I spare you?”

Winona froze, stunned. She’d expected leverage, but Yvette’s response was icy. Realizing there was no hope, and the Carters would abandon her, a desperate plan formed. Robert would move against Victor. Once Victor was gone, her child would be the Carters’ only legitimate heir. The family would be forced to protect her, even if she fled to Mysonna afterward. Let's see how Yvette would stop her then.

A crazed glint filled her eyes as she produced a concealed gun, pointing it at Yvette. A maniacal laugh erupted. “Did you really think I’d come unprepared?”

Zachary’s eyes widened in horror. Winona had completely lost control. He instinctively stepped forward, shielding Yvette with his body.

Yvette’s gaze sharpened. Zachary roared, “Winona! Are you out of your mind? You’d dare to wield a gun?”

Winona smirked, her voice dripping with venom. “What wouldn’t I dare? Today, you’ll witness your precious daughter’s death.”

Outside the abandoned factory, Layla’s driver paced anxiously near the car. His fear prevented him from entering. He finally called 911. “Yes, this is the police? I’m at the abandoned factory… Here’s the situation…”

In his panic, he didn't notice a black SUV parked nearby. Five or six hardened men sat inside, their expressions cold behind dark sunglasses. Victor quickly realized the driver was calling the police. He hadn’t expected…