THE DISABLED HEIRESS, MY EX-HUSBAND WOULD PAY DEARLY.

At that moment, Lisa then nodded her head firmly and say with absolute certainty, "No problem, Mr. Oliver. I'll do what is needful. I'll make sure that James is brought in immediately." Her tone carried weight, sharp and determined, leaving no room for doubt that she was going to carry out the instruction without delay. After speaking, she bowed her head slightly before quietly turning around and leaving Oliver's office. The room fell silent again, the tension lingering in the air like smoke after fire.

However Oliver remained behind his desk, his jaw clenched and his eyes cold, already planning what he was going to do with James once Lisa delivered him.

***

Robert's voice thundered across the living room as he stood in front of Victoria, his face flushed with anger. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides, his entire body trembling not from weakness but from sheer rage.

"So, Victoria," Robert snapped, his words cutting through the room like a blade, "you actually went through my phone to get those pictures, didn't you? You did that behind my back?" His eyes narrowed, his tone rising louder with every word. "Why would you do such a thing? Just because you're desperate to belong to Abigail's so-called Golden Girls Circle, you think it's okay to betray your own brother? To stoop so low as to dig through my personal life like a thief?"

Then Victoria froze, her eyes darting nervously, but Robert pressed on, his anger unrelenting.

"You think this is some kind of game?" he continued, stepping closer until there was barely any space between them. "You want recognition from Abigail so badly that you're willing to throw away your own blood? To betray me your brother just to impress her? Is this what you've become, Victoria? Someone so hungry for status that you'll sell out your family?"

His voice cracked at the edge, not from weakness, but from the deep sting of disappointment. "You disgust me, Victoria. Out of all the people in the world, I never thought you would be the one to stab me in the back in this manner."

At that moment, Victoria's eyes hardened, her tone cutting like a blade as she raised her chin and said, "Well, I didn't betray you. Why would you even accuse me of something like that? You're the one betraying my friend." Her voice grew sharper, the anger in her chest bubbling to the surface as she continued, "Why would you betray Abigail, of all people, when you know she has been waiting for you for so long? And now, just because of some new catch, you decide to throw everything away? Do you even think about what this means to the family?"

Hearing Victoria words Robert's fists clenched at his sides as Victoria pressed on, her voice rising with each word. "The entire family is behind this union. Everyone believes in it. Everyone supports it. But you? You're only thinking of yourself. You're not considering the benefits of this marriage, the opportunities it will bring, or the happiness of our family as a whole. You're not thinking of anything but your own selfish desires." She jabbed her finger toward him with fierce accusation. "So don't you dare stand there and tell me I betrayed you. No. It's you, Robert. You betrayed all of us. You betrayed the family!"

Robert stood frozen, his breath quickening as the weight of her words hit him. Slowly, his eyes darkened, his jaw locking tight with frustration. He stepped closer, his presence towering, his voice low yet brimming with suppressed rage. "So now you're calling me the betrayer? You, Victoria? My own sister?" He shook his head in disbelief, his expression twisting between shock and fury. "Do you even know what you're saying? Do you actually think this is a joke to me?"

For a moment, silence filled the room, but the tension was thick enough to choke on. Robert's voice thundered again, sharper this time, echoing through the walls: "What did you just say, Victoria? That I betrayed the family? That I betrayed Abigail?!" His glare burned into her, his disbelief mixing with the rising storm inside him. "Is that really what you think of me?"

At that moment, Victoria then nodded her head, her expression hard and unflinching. "Yes," she said firmly, without hesitation. "That is exactly what I think." Her voice didn't shake. In fact, it only grew stronger with every word that followed, as if she had been holding this in for far too long and now there was no going back.

She looked straight into Robert's eyes, not blinking. "It was you that actually made the first move. Why would I even need to make anything up? Why would you of all people decide to take pictures with that lady?" Her tone dripped with disbelief. She wasn't even shouting. She didn't need to. The weight of her disappointment carried more sting than rage ever could.

Then, she folded her arms, took a step forward, and added with a bit of sarcasm, "Well, I know her name now. Her name is Cora." She paused deliberately after saying the name, as if she wanted to watch Robert's reaction closely.

"And guess what?" she continued with a bitter laugh, "She's everywhere in the news now, and I'm sure you're aware of it. Not because she's some innocent lady minding her business. No. She's trending, trending because of how she actually dealt with Samuel." Victoria's eyes widened slightly as she emphasized Samuel's name, reminding Robert that this wasn't some random woman they were dealing with someone dangerous, someone cunning.

"She's in the news," she repeated, now pacing slightly, her arms still crossed, her words calm but full of fire.

"And without being told, anyone can see that, yes, you actually like her." Her voice cracked, just a little, but she didn't let it take over. "I know you, Robert. I know what you can do. I've known you my whole life. When you're interested in someone, you don't hide it well. You never have."

Then she stopped pacing and faced him squarely again.

"When you're interested in somebody," she said slowly, clearly, "you go all in. You give them attention. You let down your guard. You make yourself vulnerable, even if you don't notice it. And you don't even try to hide it from the people that care about you."

Victoria exhaled deeply, shaking her head. "So this," she gestured between them, "this isn't even about just me or you anymore. This is about Abigail." Her eyes narrowed again, and this time, her voice carried a finality that chilled the room. "And I'm not going to fold my hands when my friend is involved in all of this."