"Amy, don't waste your concern on me. Even without your support, I'd make sure Victoria gets what's coming to her. She's pretending to be ill, isn't she? Well, let's see how she enjoys a dose of her own medicine," Theodore Whitmore said, his lips curling into a smirk. His disdain for people like Victoria, who faked weakness for sympathy, was written all over his face.

Once, he had suspected Amy of the same deception and had given her hell for it. But now, Amy knew Theodore well enough not to bother arguing with him.

Abruptly, Theodore turned to her, curiosity gleaming in his sharp eyes. "Speaking of which, you mentioned filing for divorce from Alexander. Was that serious, or just an empty threat?"

Amy hesitated for only a second before answering, her voice steady. "Even you think I'm bluffing, don't you?"

It had confused her at first. Victoria should have been thrilled about her decision to leave Alexander—so why was she trying to stop it? Now, Amy understood. They simply didn’t believe she had the nerve to go through with it.

Theodore scoffed. "You two share a child. It's natural to consider what's best for him. Besides, the Blackwood family isn't the worst, and Alexander has his merits. It's human to hesitate."

"If you could truly walk away, you wouldn’t have tolerated his nonsense for this long."

Amy fell silent.

After a beat, she spoke again, her tone resolute. "This time, I mean it. The papers are already filed. Once the holidays end and he gets that court summons, he’ll realize I wasn’t joking."

Theodore studied her closely before nodding in approval. "And Liam?"

"I’ll leave him," Amy replied coolly. "He adores Victoria, just like his father. I’m sure Liam will be overjoyed to have her as his new mother."

Society preached reconciliation, but Theodore had no patience for such platitudes. He despised indecisiveness—especially in women.

He gave a satisfied nod. "Good. When it's time to sever ties, you sever them. But don’t let them off lightly. Make sure they regret underestimating you."

His gaze sharpened. "Don’t overthink the consequences. If you want to act, act. Hesitation never leads to victory."

"Amy, I’ve set the stage. Whether you want to teach them a lesson is up to you."

A jolt of clarity struck her. No one had ever spoken to her with such brutal honesty before. She had spent too long second-guessing herself, only to be left with regrets.

...

Theodore Whitmore was notorious for his ruthlessness. In the past, Amy had certainly endured her share of trials under his watch.

Now, at lunch, Amy, Theodore, and Oliver sat together, enjoying their meal. Nearby, Victoria stood alone, sorting through herbs.

"Ouch!" Victoria gasped as a thorn pricked her finger, tears pooling in her eyes. But the trio continued eating, not sparing her a glance.

Oliver casually added more food to Amy’s plate. "Try this. It's amazing."

Amy smiled warmly. "Thanks, Oliver. You should have some too."

Oliver grinned. "Oh, I will. I need the energy—Theodore’s got me sorting herbs all afternoon!"

Ignoring Victoria’s plight entirely, he dug into his meal. Feeling slighted, Victoria bit her lip and approached the table, her voice trembling.

"My... my finger hurts. It really stings," she whimpered, hoping for sympathy.