"How can you believe a word she says?" I ask in a hurt voice as I turn to Mr. Daniels. "They planned this from the beginning. They've been trying to kill Nikki for years to get their hands on his money. Do you think that accident was a fluke? Or do you think this accident was just that, an accident?"

"Now, Lucero. I won't allow you to accuse us of something so heinous," Matthew interrupts.

"Heinous? You sent your thugs to burn down our home, just a few hours ago," I accuse, pure hatred bleeding from my voice. I’d gone back to check Nikki’s computers for evidence of Nikki’s innocence when a bunch of thugs had broken in and set fire to the house. Luckily I’d managed to get away, together with a USB filled with security footage that proves Nikki did not cause the accident and it was all a set up.

Thank God for secure Cloud storage.

"That is a vile accusation!" Ophelia intervenes.

"Is it? I have the evidence to prove it. Because that's what you were after, weren't you? You wanted to destroy the evidence that proved it wasn't an accident, just like you wanted to erase the fact that you had your people in my home⁠—"

"Mrs. Archibald, they are correct in that these are serious accusations. If you have the proof you say you do, you should give it to the police and let them do their job," Mr. Daniels interrupts, his voice calm. "But in the meantime, the documents Mrs. Lockwood and Mr. Archibald have provided are sufficient to dismiss the will and your claim to any portion of Mr. Archibald's assets."

"What..." I blink furiously, unable to believe what is happening.

Ophelia smirks, and all the others smile furtively.

"And if that is all, I'll be in touch with the division of assets very soon," Mr. Daniels explains before he leaves the room.

"Lucero, dear. I'd tell you not to take anything from the house since it doesn't technically belong to you. But all your stuff is gone anyway." She laughs as she passes by me.

All of them leave—all but Matthew.

"You might want to be careful with that so-called evidence," he warns.

"Is that a threat?" I look Matthew straight in the eye.

"Of course not. Call it friendly advice. We were family, were we not?" He chuckles. "Although..." His eyes linger over my body. "Maybe I could help you out," he adds suggestively. "If your marriage gets annulled, you'll get deported."

His meaning sinks in, and before I know it, I curl my hand into a fist and aim it at his smug face. He doesn't expect it, which makes it even better when I nab him in the nose. He's pretty sensitive, too, because blood pours down his face immediately.

"You fucking bitch," he bites out right before he strikes me back, his palm making contact with my cheek.