"You call that a good life?" Brenda continued, her voice steady but cutting. "You treated her like she was beneath you."

Mrs. Almond pointed at her angrily. "You!"

But Brenda didn’t flinch.

"I don’t care about this family anymore," she said coldly. "Lana doesn’t owe you anything. Whatever she’s doing now... it’s just retaliation."

Her words hit like a hammer.

Over the past few weeks, Brenda had investigated everything. She had uncovered the truth, about Lana’s past, about the way she had been treated.

Hearing it directly from Lana had been far worse than anything she had imagined.

Now, all she felt toward this family... was disgust. Ashton’s face darkened with rage.

"How dare you speak like that?!"

He raised his hand, ready to slap her.

But in the same instant, Brenda lifted her own hand, her eyes cold and unyielding.

"If you dare touch me..."

Her voice was low but filled with warning. "I’ll return it."

Leonardo couldn’t help but frown, his brows knitting together as irritation flickered across his face.

"Truly... everyone here has become much more disgraceful," he muttered, his tone laced with disdain.

Brenda let out a low chuckle as she crossed her arms.

"You must be talking about yourself," she replied casually, her eyes glinting with sarcasm. "After all, you act so noble and innocent on the surface... but in reality, you’re the most venomous one here."

Leonardo’s expression darkened instantly.

"Why are you behaving like this?" he snapped. "Running around like some animal in heat, making a scene wherever you go."

Brenda didn’t even flinch. Instead, she laughed again, softer this time, almost amused.

’So quick to lose composure... just as I expected.’

"You really have a sharp tongue," she said lightly, tilting her head. "But unfortunately... your mind doesn’t match it."

Her gaze swept over him with clear disdain.

"And that innocent face of yours? It’s nothing more than a mask."

Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Almond exchanged glances before stepping in, their expressions serious.

"We need proof," Mr. Almond said firmly. "Without evidence, we cannot accuse Lana. Otherwise, she will easily deny everything and walk away."

Mrs. Almond nodded in agreement.

"But this time... we won’t be careless," she added. "We’ll confront her properly."

Brenda rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed.

’They really think they stand a chance against her...?’

The thought almost made her laugh out loud.

Mr. Almond then spoke again, a calculating look appearing on his face.

"How about this... we call her and bluff? We tell her that we already know everything, that she is the one behind it all."

He paused before continuing.

"If she admits it... things will become much easier."

Brenda raised an eyebrow, her lips curling slightly. "And if she denies it?"

Mr. Almond turned toward her, his gaze steady. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"Then it will be up to you... to get a confession."

For a moment, silence filled the room.

Then Brenda laughed outright.

"Really?" she said, shaking her head. "You already decided everything, didn’t you?"

Her tone carried both mockery and disinterest.

"I’m not particularly looking forward to this circus."

Meanwhile, Lana had just returned from the university.

The faint fatigue from the day lingered in her body as she stepped into her room, but the moment she entered, her eyes narrowed slightly.

A figure stood inside.

For a brief second, her guard rose instinctively.

But when she recognized the person, her expression relaxed slightly.

It was the maid she had placed within the Almond family.

"What are you doing here?" Lana asked, her voice calm but cautious.

The maid stepped forward respectfully.

"They found out it was me," she said quickly. "And I have completed the task."

Lana nodded faintly before walking toward her desk. She opened a drawer, took out a sleek card, and handed it to the maid.

"There’s two million dollars in this," she said evenly. "Use it to start a new life. I’ve already arranged everything for you in another city."

The maid froze for a moment, staring at the card in her hand.

Then she shook her head.

"I don’t need the money," she said, her voice firm but emotional. "I did all this... because I wanted revenge."

Her eyes turned slightly red as she continued.

"They destroyed my daughter’s life..."

The pain in her voice was raw, barely contained.

Lana sighed softly, a trace of sympathy flickering in her gaze.

"I understand," she said quietly. "But this is your chance to move forward. Take it."

This time, the maid hesitated, but eventually, she accepted the card.

"Thank you... thank you so much..."

Her voice trembled as she bowed repeatedly before turning to leave. Even as she walked away, she kept thanking Lana again and again.

After she was gone, Lana turned to her phone, checking the route she had arranged. Everything was progressing exactly as planned.

The hedge city she had been investing in...was finally taking shape.

On the screen, structures stood tall, roads stretching across the land, defensive systems in place, and buildings rising steadily.

Even basic necessities like water and electricity had begun functioning.

It was no longer just an idea. It was becoming real.

Lana’s eyes lit up slightly. ’It’s finally happening...’

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

’Once this is complete... I can cash out a huge amount...’

Her thoughts shifted as she opened another panel, the share market.

Thanks to Lucian’s earlier suggestions and her own knowledge, she had made several calculated moves in the stock market.

She had invested nearly $400 million.

Now... the total stood at around $880 million after taxes.

Even she couldn’t help but feel a little stunned.

’That’s... almost double...’

A helpless smile tugged at her lips.

’I need to expand further... buy more real estate... build more...’

Meanwhile, far away, a livestream was in progress.

A young man named Aiden sat in front of his camera, casually browsing through different websites.

"Let’s see what we have here..." he muttered, clicking on a newly opened talisman shop.

He scrolled through the listings before selecting an exorcism talisman.

When the price appeared, $100,000, the chat exploded instantly.

"Why is that so expensive?!"

"Is this a scam?!"