Chapter 261

It was as if Dominic knew what she was thinking and prompted her to look at Vespera. Their eyes met, and it felt like a wave of electricity shot through her. It made her numb, and she forgot to avert her gaze.

He chuckled, as if he knew what was going on in her mind. He reached out and lightly patted the top of her head, as if he were comforting a frightened child.

They exchanged no words, but warmth filled her chest, wrapping her in safety. His touch felt like the comfort of a robin in the heart of winter—something not of a fairytale, though she’d never believed in them.

Soon, she pulled away and turned to Brianna. When Brianna looked at Vespera and Dominic, something came to mind. Pain flickered across her face, but she quickly composed herself.

“Ahoy, protecting the girl he liked was only natural, and I know (retinnever) regretted what he did,” Brianna stated.

Everyone fell silent. It was a hard topic to broach. Whether or not he regretted it, no one could give her an answer.

“Let me tell you the rest,” Antonio continued, picking up where she left off.

“Why that her fare was it?”

“The day Quentin went missing, the last call he received was from Fade, and Jade was taken away by…”

“From the information we gathered from the kids at school, we learned that Tina had been bullying them during that period. From that, we knew she had something to do with it.”

The police approached her, but she insisted she went shopping with Jade and they parted ways soon after. It was obvious she was suspicious, but the police believed her. They didn’t bother interrogating her and released her.

“After that, the security camera footage from school disappeared too. Brianna wasn’t going to give up. When she learned Tina had returned to Halewick, she went there many times, but the Sowles never let her in.”

“We clung to a final shred of hope, that maybe Quentin was being confined somewhere. We went to the police and made a scene. We even waited outside the Bowles’ residence. But soon, the threats started.”

Things started happening to our family, and judging by how far they went, I knew chances were slim that Quentin was still alive.

“That’s when Brianna faked her death using the gas explosion and vanished from sight. We kept investigating. With no money to hire a private investigator, no experience, and no connections, we had to go slow. Eventually, we locked onto the orchard. We believe he was buried there.”

“We found him, and we found the evidence. But the sad and bitter truth was that even after all our efforts, we couldn’t hand it over to the police. We were destroyed.”

“We had no power, no wealth to go up against the Sowles. Even the law wasn’t on our side. That’s why Brianna fell into depression.”

“Look at her. She’s only 45 this year, but these five years aged her like they were 20. Her hair turned silver from the stress. After all these years, we’re just bitter and dead inside.”

Vespera and Rebecca felt immense pressure just listening to their story. The pain a mother had to endure was unimaginable.

Fortunately, Brianna was a mother with an unshakable will. She never gave up, and she found answers. The only irony was that the world couldn’t serve her the justice she deserved.

Only then did they realize—Quentin had returned to his mother all along.

The Sowles would’ve never imagined that Brianna had dug up Quentin’s corpse, yet Claire was still relieved, thinking her despicable daughter had gotten away with it again.

“Who says the law isn’t on your side? This time, I’m sending Tina to jail! With everything she’s done, rotting behind bars or facing a death penalty is the justice she deserves. We have to believe in the law. We have to believe in justice!” Rebecca shouted, slamming the table.

She despised how the symbol of justice—the scales—was tainted by rotten apples. Even though she knew the world was filled with darkness, she refused to sink into it. She would never associate herself with filth like them.

Antonio and Brianna were consoled and uplifted by the justice-driven lawyer. Their eyes sparkled at her words.

Vespera felt nothing but pride. Rebecca was the embodiment of justice. The way she spoke, with each conviction, left no room for doubt.

Dominic, surprised by her sudden shout, let out a soft laugh. He secretly hoped that Vespera would have the spirit to draw first blood against her enemies when the…

“Meyer is right,” he said calmly. “Have faith in her. We’ll protect the evidence this time, no matter what.”

Antonio and Brianna nodded eagerly, on the verge of tears.

Phora knew her passionate words alone couldn’t guarantee success. The truth was that the Scales had met a stronger opponent. Denise had the methods and connections that made him invincible. Even if the Sowles tried to fight back, they wouldn’t be the ones to win.

It was the survival of the strongest, apex predator. Cruel, yet all too real.

But what mattered most was that things worked out in the end.