Amelia White's face twisted with fury as Emma Johnson's words hit their mark. Her almond eyes blazed with undisguised hatred as she glared at the woman before her.
"Emma Johnson, who exactly do you think you are?" Amelia's voice dripped with venom. "You're nothing but a used-up woman who's been discarded. Do you honestly believe you still belong in high society? Let me make this crystal clear—if my brother hadn't taken pity on you, you wouldn't have had the slightest chance to set foot in our world."
The nurses nearby exchanged shocked glances. They couldn't believe such vicious words were coming from Miss Amelia's mouth. This was hardly the behavior expected of a proper lady.
The Amelia they'd seen in magazines before—noble, dignified, elegant, and beautiful—now seemed like nothing more than a carefully crafted facade. No matter how stunning her appearance, it couldn't mask the ugliness festering inside her.
For Emma, Amelia's words felt like countless knives stabbing into her chest. She fought to steady her racing heart, forcing herself to remain calm. Finally, she managed to compose herself.
A faint, mocking smile curled at the corner of Emma's lips as she met Amelia's gaze. The contempt in her eyes was unmistakable, and it put Amelia on edge for reasons she couldn't explain.
"What's with that look?" Amelia snapped, her voice rising. "Let me tell you something—yesterday you hurt my brother, and today I'm not letting you off the hook. I'll not only have you thrown in jail, I'll make sure you're destroyed. You need to understand that the Williams family isn't someone you can mess with."
Amelia glared at Emma, her arrogance radiating from every pore.
"The Williams family?" Emma's voice was cold, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Are you so sure that Williams blood actually runs through your veins?"
Amelia's face went pale. She knew all too well that she wasn't Henry Williams's biological daughter. He had taken her in out of pity for her late father, a fallen comrade. But she would never admit that in front of Emma.
"What are you trying to say?" Amelia's voice trembled with barely suppressed rage as she stared at Emma's beautiful face—the same face that had made her brother risk everything.
"I'm not trying to say anything." Emma's tone remained calm, almost indifferent. "I just find it curious that Liam himself hasn't come to demand I be thrown in jail. In fact, when he shot himself yesterday, he specifically warned everyone around that no matter what happened to him, I wasn't to be arrested. So who exactly gave you the authority to decide my punishment? Or did you enjoy your little trip to Switzerland so much that you'd like to go back?"
Emma's words were delivered lightly, but they struck Amelia's most vulnerable spot. Sure enough, Amelia's beautiful face turned an ugly shade of green and white, her features contorted with rage.
"Emma, you're asking for it!" Amelia shrieked.
She raised her hand, long peach-colored nails aimed directly at Emma's cheek. She intended to leave deep, bloody scratches across that flawless skin.
But Emma caught her wrist mid-swing and flung it away. Her eyes turned icy cold as she fixed her gaze on Amelia.
"Back when I was your sister-in-law, I chose to tolerate you. But now? Do you honestly think you can still act like a spoiled little princess in front of me?" Emma's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "If you dare to lay a finger on me, I'll make sure you pay back tenfold. Would you like to test that theory?"
The frost in Emma's eyes was enough to make Amelia's heart tremble. She had always known Emma wasn't as fragile as she appeared, but she had never seen this cold, ruthless side of her before.
"Miss Amelia, what do you think you're doing?" Christopher Martin's voice cut through the tension as he and Captain David Reed finally arrived. They had witnessed the near-attack from a distance.
Christopher's face darkened. If Amelia had actually struck Emma, he would have been held responsible for failing to intervene in time. The thought made his resentment toward Amelia grow.
"So you came here without permission?" Emma's frosty demeanor gradually thawed as she glanced casually at Amelia. The clarity in her eyes pierced through Amelia's defenses, making her chest heave with fury.
Amelia spun around to face Christopher. "She's already divorced my brother! Who gave you permission to call her 'wife'? She's not worthy of being the president's wife of Pinnacle Corporation!"
Her voice had risen several decibels, causing both Christopher and Captain Reed to frown. But what she said was technically true, and they found themselves momentarily at a loss for words.
"You're right," Emma said calmly. "Liam and I are no longer together. I'm certainly not the president's wife anymore. Mr. Martin, please don't call me that in the future."
Christopher opened his mouth to protest, but Emma continued before he could speak. This time, however, she addressed Amelia directly.
"Well then, Miss Amelia, do you already have a candidate in mind for the next president's wife? If so, allow me to offer my congratulations in advance. I'm sure your new sister-in-law will be a paragon of virtue—someone who can tolerate a sister-in-law like you."
Emma's words sounded like a congratulatory message, but Amelia understood the underlying mockery. She wanted to scream that she didn't want anyone to be her sister-in-law at all. But how could she admit such a secret? If her brother ever found out, she would be finished.
The rage built up inside her until she felt like she was choking on it.
"Mr. Martin, please take Miss Amelia back immediately," Emma said coldly, her patience exhausted. "And Captain Reed, if something like this happens again, I trust you won't just stand by and watch."
Christopher knew that Emma's patience had reached its limit. If things escalated further and Liam found out, the consequences would be severe.
Without another word, he grabbed Amelia's arm and dragged her away, ignoring her struggles and threats to have him fired.
But Christopher wasn't afraid. He knew Amelia would never tell Liam about this. Because once Liam found out, the person who would truly face punishment wouldn't be him—it would be Amelia herself, the one who had come here to cause trouble.