A tall figure stood silently outside the police station. His navy blue robe stood in stark contrast against the white snow, accentuating his stern, aristocratic features. However, the moment his frosty, star-like eyes landed on Athena, all the coldness in them melted away.

A gentle smile spread across Michael’s face. He walked up to Athena and called out warmly, “Atheny.”

The moment Athena saw Michael, her good mood vanished. But then, remembering something, she kept her composure and didn’t let it show. Athena stopped in front of Michael and curled her lips. “So, Lord Osborne, are you here to apologize for your fiancée?”

Michael looked embarrassed. Only then did he notice Willow and Nicolas behind Athena.

Willow’s face turned pale as she looked at Michael, her eyes red-rimmed and full of grievance. “Michael, I had nothing to do with this case. Osbert has already cleared my name. I swear, I never tried to frame Athena.” As Willow spoke, tears began to stream down her cheeks.

Willow’s pitiful sight made Nicolas’s heart ache. He steadied Willow and said pointedly, “Willow, if you’re innocent, you don’t owe her any explanation.”

“Innocent until proven guilty, or instigation? While Lord Nicolas may feign ignorance, surely Lord Osborne isn’t that clueless.” An icy smile curled at the corners of Athena’s lips as she took two deliberate steps forward, stopping squarely in front of Michael.

Athena’s radiant smile left Michael momentarily dazed. ‘She’s forgiven me,’ he thought, hope flickering in his chest. Overflowing with joy, Michael instinctively reached for Athena’s hand.

Just then, Willow suddenly rushed out and threw herself into Michael’s arms. She trembled like a delicate flower battered by the winter wind. Willow clung desperately to Michael, refusing to let go. Her voice was shattered with sobs as she pleaded, “Michael, please… you have to believe me. It wasn’t me, I swear, it really wasn’t… really…”

Willow’s hysterical display was a far cry from the dignified composure expected of a noble lady. Michael took two steps back, putting distance between them. Though he didn’t say he doubted her, the warmth in his eyes was gone.

“Michael, do you really believe someone who would even frame her own brother?” Athena’s quiet voice cut through Willow’s facade like a sharp blade.

“No, it’s not like that! It’s really not!” Willow cried, shaking her head wildly, tears streaming down her face. “Michael, please, you have to believe me!”

Athena sneered, “The only person Blake could’ve contacted was you. If it weren’t for your instigation, why would that fool have come after me? Sure, he took the fall for you. Your double-crossing scheme is truly vicious, Willow.”

As Athena spoke, the color drained from Willow’s face. Willow opened her mouth to plead her case, yet under Michael’s withering stare, her voice died in her throat.

Athena cut in sharply, not giving Willow a chance to speak. “Blake confessed it was you who told him about the treasure in my possession. That’s what sparked his ill intentions. How much longer will you keep lying, Willow?”

“No, it’s not like that at all!” Willow burst into theatrical sobs, casting a desperate, pleading look at Nicolas.

Unable to bear seeing Willow bullied like this, Nicolas stepped in sharply. “Athena, that’s enough!” His fists clenched tightly, his eyes blazing with fury.

‘The police have already cleared Willow’s name, so why is Athena still hounding her?’ Nicolas thought bitterly. ‘Can’t she stand to see Willow happy?’

Facing Nicolas’s anger, Athena curled her lips in a faint smile and shot back, “I am being unreasonable. So what? What are you going to do about it?”

‘Claiming justice as the victim, how is that wrong?’ Athena thought.

Nicolas, seeing how unrepentant Athena was, turned to Michael and said sharply, “Don’t listen to her nonsense. She’s just trying to drive a wedge between you and Willow. Others may not understand Willow, but surely you know her true nature.”

Michael lowered his gaze, lost in thought. To Michael, Willow had always seemed too fragile to take care of herself. She had never even raised her voice before. He had always known her to be kind to those around her. Still, nothing about today made sense. He felt that something really didn’t add up.

‘Blake’s a gambler. Where did he get all that cash?’ he thought. ‘Of course, he must’ve gotten it from Willow. Could it be that Willow deliberately fed Blake those lies to frame Athena?’

But before Michael could unravel the truth, an aged, grief-stricken voice suddenly cut through his thoughts. “Willow, you… you really sent your own brother to prison?”

Startled, Willow looked up to see Loretta rushing to her in a towering rage. Loretta’s eyes were bloodshot with rage as she glared at Willow, her jaw clenched tight. Willow’s first reaction upon seeing Loretta wasn’t happiness, but obvious disdain.

Willow ducked behind Nicolas, her voice trembling as she asked, “Why are you here?” She whipped her gaze to Athena, eyes blazing with venom. “It was you, wasn’t it? You brought my mother here, didn’t you?”

Willow shot Athena a venomous glare, her face contorted with rage, but in the very next instant, she hastily schooled her features back into composure. Suddenly, Willow let out a piercing shriek.

Loretta yanked Willow’s hair violently, her face contorted with rage as she shrieked, “Why would you harm your brother? He’s the only family you’ve got left!” Loretta viciously yanked Willow’s hair by the roots, sending sharp pain shooting through her scalp. Willow screamed in agony, “Let go! Please, let go of me, it hurts!”

Willow tried to claw at Loretta’s face, but Loretta slapped her hand away with a fierce smack. Tears streaming down her face, Loretta sobbed as if her heart would break. She cried out, “He’s your brother, the only man left in the Holmes family! How could you do something so cruel to him?”

Loretta kept slapping Willow across the face, blow after furious blow. Willow’s blood-curdling screams echoed throughout the entrance of the police station. Athena stood to the side, watching Willow’s ordeal with cold satisfaction.

“Athena, was it you who brought Loretta here?” Nicolas demanded, his eyes narrowing as the truth dawned on him. ‘Athena must have known the Monson family would come to Willow’s rescue. She brought Loretta here on purpose, just to stir up trouble,’ Nicolas thought to himself.

Athena flicked an imaginary speck of dust from her sleeve and replied coolly, “So what?”

Nicolas glared at Athena and snapped, “You’re absolutely unreasonable!”

Nicolas furiously flung his sleeve, about to confront Athena, when Willow’s piercing scream cut through the air. “Nicolas! Help me! It hurts, save me!”

Michael furrowed his brows, torn between stepping in and staying out of it.

Nicolas rushed forward to grab Loretta’s hand, but she turned and sank her teeth viciously into his hand. “Stop it, you vicious hag!” Nicolas shouted. Ignoring the pain in his hand, Nicolas grabbed Loretta’s arm and pleaded, “No matter what, Willow is your flesh and blood! How could you treat her like this?”

But Loretta was blind with rage. She jabbed a finger at Willow and cursed, “I thought sending this good-for-nothing to the Monson family would bring some benefit to our family, but who knew she’d even harm her brother…”

Loretta, sobbing and cursing hysterically, had no choice but to release her grip on Willow with Nicolas’s intervention. With that, she collapsed onto the ground, slapping her thighs and wailing, “That good-for-nothing husband of mine’s long gone, and my boy was all I had left in this world! Now you’ve thrown him in prison, how in heaven’s name am I supposed to go on living?”

Willow was beaten black and blue by Loretta, her nose and mouth bleeding. She threw herself into Nicolas’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Willow’s heart clenched at Loretta’s words as she thought of Daniel Holmes, the man she’d pushed off the cliff.