Vanessa burst into loud tears the moment Hailey took her leave.

“It’s okay, she’s gone. Let’s get you cleaned up,” Connie said, holding Vanessa’s arm and trying to lift her. But Vanessa refused to move.

“Come on, Eric, don’t just stand there. Come help me,” Connie said to her husband.

Eric shook his head. He approached Vanessa and Connie, staring at Vanessa with disgust. “So you killed Hailey’s child?”

“You need therapy, Eric. Why would you believe that brat over your own daughter? Have some dignity!” Connie retorted.

“Coming from someone who steals from me and my company? You’re too brave to talk about dignity,” Eric replied.

“We didn’t steal any money.”

“Oh really?”

“We took it. We didn’t steal it. After all, your money is our money, and we have every right to it.”

Eric mumbled, massaging his temple, disbelieving his reality. “Took it? Can you hear yourselves? So you both planned to leave me once the company collapsed?”

“That’s my problem with you—you believe everything that bastard child says without a proper explanation from me!” Connie exclaimed.

“I was saving the money for us. Of course, we wouldn’t go to Mexico without you! We were planning to get you a flight ticket, too. But fortunately, Hailey’s return revived the company.”

“Can you listen to yourself, Connie? Taking what doesn’t belong to you without permission is called theft. You didn’t just take a little; you took a huge sum!”

Connie rolled her eyes.

Eric turned to his daughter. “You told me Hailey slept with Cole to avoid marrying him. You watched me disown my first daughter! How evil can you be?” Eric shouted, fighting back tears. He couldn’t believe he’d ruined his life by being blind to the truth.

“I turned my back on the world for both of you, and this is how you repay me?”

“If you loved my child as much as your daughter, this wouldn’t have happened,” Connie explained.

“You think I didn’t love them equally? If I’ve been unfair to any child, it’s Hailey. I kicked her out, disowned her, cut off her allowance, and gave Vanessa Hailey’s share. What more do you want?”

“What have I done to deserve this humiliation?”

“I don’t know why you all hated Hailey, making her look bad when she’s done nothing to hurt you.”

“And Vanessa, you tried to kill your own sister? As if killing a baby wasn’t enough? How do you sleep at night?”

“Come on, Eric, even if Vanessa is guilty to some extent, how can you believe she’s capable of murder? She can’t stand blood! You disappoint me. Would a little trust hurt?”

“Hailey, Hailey, Hailey! Shut up!” Vanessa shouted, wiping her tears. “Enough of that name. I don’t regret anything I did to her.”

“I thought your mom was defending you. So you had something to do with her death and the other things she said?”

“Why do you care? Would you believe me if I said I’m not guilty? Think what you want,” Vanessa spat.

“You have so much bitterness. If it’s your mother influencing you, stop it. You make it seem like I don’t care, but I do. Because of you, I disowned my daughter. I’ll rot in hell for that, and you accuse me of not loving you enough? Who’s ungrateful now?”

“You’ve been cruel to your sister for ages. What do you have to show? A child you don’t even know the father of? Don’t you believe in karma?”

“Ignore your father. Get up and let’s get you cleaned up,” Connie said, helping Vanessa stand. This time, she obeyed.

“You’ve got eleven hours and thirty minutes left.”

Connie stared at Eric in disbelief. “Why are you behaving like this? You’re going to join Hailey in threatening our daughter?”

“I’ve lost one daughter; you want me to lose my close friend, too? What would people say?”

“If you’re angry at Hailey, face her. What does Cole have to do with it?”

“He almost killed me! You were there; you saw everything!” Vanessa said.

“He did that because you provoked him. You claim you love him, but you think he’ll love you most from jail? What were you thinking with these plans? You ruined him and everything he’d worked for.”

“So you want her to retract her statement and go to jail?” Connie interfered. “For God’s sake, Eric, support your daughter! She’s pregnant!”

“What now? Her pregnancy led her to do unforgivable things. She should pay.”

“I’m not retracting my statement, and I have no apology,” Vanessa said.

“It’ll be worse if Hailey uses her evidence against you.”

“Hailey has nothing. She was just threatening me,” Vanessa answered confidently.

“You’re a grown woman. You know what’s best. But I won’t be there when the police come,” Eric said, storming out. “Why is Dad against me? Why doesn’t he support me? I did this because I thought it was right. I didn’t know it would go viral or shame Cole.”

“The plan was for him to get arrested, and his dad would come, or Cole would want to see me. Then I’d withdraw the case if he married me. The marriage contract is in my room.”

“I didn’t think it would be this bad, Mom,” Vanessa said, her eyes watering.

“I know, baby. So what are you going to do now?” Connie asked intently.

“Okay, seems like these two won’t stop. What do you say we give them some space?” Jessica giggled, speaking to Moore, who smiled proudly.

“Sure!” Moore said, leading the way out, giving the couple privacy.