Regret Came Too Late

Alice couldn't stop shaking. Every memory of last night turned her world to ash. How had everything gone so wrong?

She must have lost her mind. After the police found her that morning, she'd immediately tried to drag Grace down with her. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, which made her blurt out whatever came to mind.

"It had to be her. Only she would do something like this to me," she mumbled.

The moment those words left her mouth, Liam couldn't take it anymore.

"Give it a rest, Alice. Who do you think you're fooling with this victim act? Let me guess you're going to claim you were attacked by multiple men and that Grace orchestrated the whole thing?"

Alice slowly looked up. She had really been attacked by several men, and Grace was definitely behind it. Wasn't her condition proof enough?

Her clothes were in tatters, and her body was covered in marks. What better evidence could there be? But Liam's words hit her like ice water.

"Did you make those marks yourself too? I swear nothing honest ever comes out of your mouth. Years ago, you claimed your foster parents abused you, but it turns out that con man demanding money was your partner all along.

to your

face. It felt like lightning had struck her. How could

the Lamberts should never have believed her over Alice. Liam pulled

town. Mom watched your livestream while getting your fake ransom call. Dad

trying to drag Grace down with you.

clicked into place for Alice. Everything from last night had been broadcast live. No wonder nobody

Grace must have arranged the livestream. She knew about

for Grace, what happened afterward would never have occurred.

Even though she really had been

used to be in this position, where everything she said was automatically

and said, "I'm sorry-I was just confused. This is family business. You

but after a brief breakdown, she'd recovered with

and removed the handcuffs. "Pull something like this again, and