Standing outside the courthouse, Abigail gazed up at the sky, lost in thought. After a long pause, she spoke, her voice tinged with melancholy. “When I returned home at twelve, I was full of hope.

“I believed that with the love of a father and mother, I would finally have a family, a place to call my own, and that my life would be filled with happiness from then on. But here I am, at twenty-two, having personally sent them to prison.”

There was no joy in Abigail’s words, only a profound sense of regret.

She realized now that true revenge was never as satisfying as it was portrayed in novels.

Those who struggle with hatred bear deep wounds inside.

The feeling of satisfaction after revenge never comes. Instead, there is only a deeper sense of injustice and sorrow.

Sebastian gently took her hand, his tone softening. “Abigail, you will have a family, a place to belong, and happiness for the rest of your life.”

Abigail lowered her eyes, meeting his gaze.

She took a deep breath, her voice barely above a whisper. “Is that your promise?”

“Yes,” Sebastian replied. While the word “promise” might sound clichéd, there were moments when it was the most fitting thing to say.

As they prepared to leave, Blair appeared alongside Marcus. When she saw them together, she walked over, a smile on her lips. “Congratulations, Abigail. You’ve finally been acquitted.”

Blair had heard rumors of Abigail’s disdain for the Gibson family, and now, with Stephen’s confession and his suspended sentence, Blair knew it would surely rankle Abigail.

“Thank you,” Abigail replied, her tone polite but distant.

Sebastian’s gaze turned cold as he fixed his eyes on Marcus.

Marcus, of course, was well aware of Sebastian’s identity as Blair’s promised fiancé, a match arranged by the Prescott family. Blair had orchestrated Marcus’ involvement in the case as part of her own scheme to get back at Abigail.

Blair’s gaze shifted to Sebastian, and she smiled. “Well, this is a cause for celebration. How about I treat you to dinner, to mark the occasion?”

“You? Treat us?” Sebastian asked, his voice chilling. “Do you think you deserve to?”

Blair didn’t flinch, maintaining her poised, elegant demeanor. Her smile never wavered. “Are you still holding a grudge because I helped her parents? If you think that’s the reason, you’re mistaken…”

“Blair, you’re a clever woman,” Sebastian interrupted, his tone icy. “No need to lie for a man. There’s no reason for it.”

“Sebastian, are you really that confident? You think I lied for you? All I did was think it was unfair to let her destroy her own family,” Blair said, a smile playing at her lips, her eyes sharp as ever. “Fairness is something I care about deeply.”

“You think you understand fairness when it comes to the Gibson family?” Sebastian asked flatly. “The fairness you speak of is only your perception, not reality.”

Blair opened her mouth to respond, but Abigail spoke first. “Ms. Prescott, what exactly is fairness in your eyes? Is it when Marcus has no evidence and yet still slanders me, claiming I wanted to take over the Gibson Group’s assets?”

Blair smiled, her voice light. “That’s Marcus’ personal code of conduct, not something I can control. If his actions upset you, I’ll make sure he apologizes.”

“There’s no need for an apology,” Sebastian said lightly. “His punishment is far worse than any apology he could give. He’ll never work in the legal field again, and that’s the best form of retribution.”

Marcus immediately turned his gaze toward Blair.

Sebastian’s smile remained, his eyes locking with Blair’s. “You can help him, but the cost won’t be as simple as last time. Let me give you some advice: Don’t mess with people who can write code.”

Blair only smiled in response, not offering a word.

“Let’s go,” Sebastian said, pulling Abigail closer as he turned to leave. “By the way, our fridge is nearly empty. I also invited James and Warren over today.”

Abigail nodded. “Are they leaving to take care of some business?”

“They didn’t say much, just that they had things to attend to. Do you want to go to the grocery or the market?”

Their voices faded as they walked away.

As Blair began to leave, Marcus spoke. “Sebastian plans to take me down… Ms. Prescott…”

“So?” Blair interrupted with a laugh, her tone almost innocent. “Isn’t that just your problem? He’s gone after my family, too, but did we panic?”

Marcus thought to himself, ‘Is this the same thing? How can I possibly compare to their power?’

“Ms. Prescott…” Marcus began again.

Blair sighed, then raised a hand to smooth the hair at her temple. “You should reflect on why you lost. Ivy is just a female lawyer, and you couldn’t even defeat her.

“Lawyers should rely on real skills, not manipulate public opinion. You tried to steer the narrative, and we hired our own PR, but it barely made a dent. It just proves that, in this field, true ability matters most.”

With that, Blair descended the steps and made her way toward the parking lot.