Chapter 413

Once Joyce was brought to the police station, her crimes were finally exposed. Dally handed over evidence to the police, proving that Joyce had ordered him to kill Quentin. Joyce felt her world collapse. “How could this happen?”

“Ms. Lambert, you’re under arrest for murder,” the officer announced, stepping forward.

The cold, gleaming handcuffs snapped onto her wrists, and Joyce started shaking like a leaf. “No, that’s not true! Dally is framing me! I don’t even know him!” Joyce protested, not even caring about the pain in her broken wrist.

Kayla took her time, leisurely pulling out her phone and pressing play on a recording.

“Oh, Dally, is it? I wouldn’t say I really know him. He was the one who came looking for me.”

“And why did he come to you?”

“Money. You get it now?”

Joyce felt like she was about to faint. Turns out that chat she had with Kayla at the mall was all caught on tape.

‘Damn it! Kayla had been laying a trap for me all along!’ Joyce cursed inwardly.

“Joyce, you said it yourself. Just wait for the verdict,” Kayla’s voice was icy.

Desperate to avoid being locked up, Joyce held up her injured wrist for everyone to see. “I’m hurt! I want to be released for medical treatment!”

“That’s just a scratch. You’ll get all the treatment you need in prison,” the officer said with a sneer.

Just then, Tuff strode in, radiating a chill that seemed to fill the whole room. The cold wind from outside followed him in, and Joyce cried out, her voice trembling, “Tuff, please save me! I don’t want to go to jail!”

“You reap what you sow. There’s no escaping it,” Tuff said, his gaze frosty as a winter storm. But when he turned to Kayla, his whole demeanor warmed in a heartbeat. “Honey, you shouldn’t have to deal with this. Let me handle it.”

“I prefer to handle my own payback,” Kayla replied with a smile.

Suddenly, something clicked in Joyce’s mind and she shouted, “Sir! I want to report something! Kayla is a spy! Arrest her now!”

Tuff frowned. “Add slander to her charges.”

“It’s true! Tuff, she said it herself. She’s a spy!” Joyce shrieked, her voice raw. “Tuff, you can’t be with her. She’ll drag you down, she’ll destroy you and the whole Prescott family!”

Someone shoved a rag into Joyce’s mouth, cutting her off.

“Annoying,” Tuff snorted. He wiped his hands and turned to Kayla. “Honey, let’s—”

“What about all this?” Kayla asked.

“Someone will take care of it,” Tuff replied. Tuff didn’t like bringing assistants everywhere like Landon did, but that didn’t mean he was alone.

Kayla didn’t press further.

Once they were in the car, Tuff finally spoke. “Thanks for letting her off easy.”

“It’s for Dominick’s sake,” Kayla replied, raising an eyebrow with a faint smile. If it weren’t for the fact that Dominick once saved Tuff’s life, she would have killed Joyce right then and there.

“Let her reflect on her actions in prison. If she ever steps out of line again, there’ll be no more mercy,” Kayla said.

“Fine by me,” Tuff agreed.

Kayla was indifferent. Joyce had hired a hitman. Even if the Lambert family pulled every string they had, she’d be locked up for at least ten years. Ten years from now? They’d cross that bridge when they got there. To Kayla, Joyce was just a pathetic clown. She could squash her like a bug without even trying.

Just as Tuff was about to start the car, an elderly couple rushed up to them.

“Tuff, you can’t do this to us!” the old man shouted.

“Dominick is gone, and Joyce is our only child left…” the old woman sobbed.

“How can you just turn your back on us? Dominick gave his life for you!” the old man cried.

It was Xzavier and Brylee.

Tuff’s expression darkened.

Kayla sighed inwardly. ‘So this debt of saving his life is going to hang over Tuff forever, huh?’

“Tuff, come out and talk to us! Are you trying to drive us to despair?” Xzavier cried.

“How can you ever repay what Dominick did for you?” Brylee wailed.

Their heart-wrenching cries stabbed at Tuff’s heart. He ought to get out, but….

“Let’s go. I’ll go with you,” Kayla said, opening the car door and stepping out first.

Xzavier lashed out and struck Kayla hard across the face.

“Xzavier!” Tuff shouted angrily, shoving him away.

Xzavier staggered back, collapsing into the snow, beating his chest and stomping his feet. “Dominick, look at how the people you saved are treating us!”

“Joyce hired someone to kill. There’s no saving her now,” Kayla said.

Xzavier and Brylee were struck speechless, utterly shocked. When they arrived, all they knew was that Joyce had gotten into trouble with Kayla and been arrested. They had no clue she’d actually hired a killer.

“The man she paid has already confessed to killing Quentin. She’s going to prison because of her own actions—it has nothing to do with Tuff. If you don’t believe me, go ask the police,” Kayla said coolly.

Kayla spoke evenly, even as the cold wind stung her swollen cheek. She didn’t even bat an eye, nor did she retaliate. Of course, the only reason she held back was out of respect for Dominick.

“No way!” Brylee screamed, her voice raw with disbelief.

For a few seconds, the air was thick with silence before Brylee broke down, her cries echoing in the cold.

Xzavier’s voice shook. “Joyce wouldn’t do something like that. She’d never…”

“Why don’t you go inside and ask the police yourself?” Tuff, unable to stand by any longer, finally stepped forward and tried to help Xzavier to his feet.

But Xzavier forcefully pushed him away. “This is all because of you!”

Tuff’s gaze dimmed, swallowing back everything he wanted to say.

Kayla took a deep breath. She could take a slap herself, but when it came to someone messing with her husband, that was where she drew the line.

“What, you think Tuff would ever let her kill someone?” Kayla finally lost it. “Joyce and Quentin have known each other since high school. She got pregnant with his kid, then ran off to get an abortion. Quentin got pissed and leaked her scandalous videos all over the place… Are you seriously telling me you didn’t know any of this? She and Quentin were tangled up for years, and that’s why she hired a hitman. We had no clue about any of it! And you blame us? Is that even fair?

“And stop throwing Dominick in our faces. We’ve already let her off the hook so many times! She’s so awful, and she’s not even worthy of being called Dominick’s sister! If Dominick could see this from heaven, he’d be disgusted by her!”

Kayla’s words shut the Lamberts up for good. They knew just how brilliant their son was–and just how much trouble their daughter could stir up. But with Dominick gone, they ended up spoiling their daughter rotten. All of this was because Dominick was gone.

“Tuff…” Brylee began.

“Enough! Not another word,” Xzavier interrupted.

Brylee wanted to say more, but Xzavier stopped her. Arm in arm, the two elders walked into the police station.

“I’ll make sure things aren’t too hard for her in there,” Tuff said, watching the old couple walk away, finally showing where he stood.

The Lamberts paused for a moment but didn’t turn back.

Kayla took Tuff’s hand. “Let’s go home.”

“Okay,” Tuff replied, his voice hoarse.

They came in with their heads held high, but left with their shoulders slumped. Kayla was the one who drove them home. She stayed silent, giving him space to deal with it all himself. She wasn’t about to let Dominick’s death keep him chained down forever.

It wasn’t until they were almost home that Kayla finally broke the silence. “Honey, I was on fire with my words today, and you didn’t even say anything nice about it.”

Tuff paused, the memory of Kayla firing back at the Lambert elders replaying in his mind. His chest tightened with emotion. Yeah, Kayla was always so aloof, never even bothering to argue with anyone. But today, she’d let loose and said everything she needed to say in one breath. For him, she’d really gone way out of her comfort zone.

“Honey, are you really not going to praise me?” Kayla said, her eyes full of warmth and affection.

Tuff pulled her into his arms, his shoulders shaking slightly. “Honey, thank you…”

“Silly, we’re husband and wife!” Kayla patted his back gently, her voice soft and soothing. “From now on, we’ll take care of Dominick’s parents for him. We’ll make sure they have everything they need–food, clothes, the best medical care. We’ll look after them and fulfill Dominick’s duty.”

“Okay,” Tuff replied, his voice thick with emotion. He closed his eyes, the pain in his heart almost too much to bear.

‘Dominick, is this enough to repay you for saving my life?’ Tuff thought, his heart aching.

‘If only you could come back…’ Tuff wished silently.