Lilian brushed the blood from her lip and shouted about injustice.

"That's a lie!" Alora snapped back, trying to look like the victim.

"I had this medieval chalice reserved way before. I was just being nice, letting them have a look. Next thing I know, they're claiming it's theirs. They even pretended to be my husband's wife, saying they're from the Stewart family in Riverton City."

The tall cop surveyed the mess from the scuffle and pointed straight at us, no questions asked.

"Out here in the open, in Riverton City, trying to snatch Ms. Alora's medieval chalice and causing a scene–it's obviously your fault!

"Who in Riverton City doesn't know the Collins family? You messed with the wife of Mr. Collins, and that's like a slap to the Collins family's face!"

The other cop, shorter in stature, was already whipping out handcuffs, ready to slap them on.

"Tonight, you're going to jail to learn your lesson!

"And lest you forget: for the ruckus you caused, plus Ms. Alora's medical bills and the trauma you caused her, you're footing the bill.

"Now, kneel and apologize to Ms. Alora! Maybe then we can talk about lightening your sentence!"

"What are you saying?" I laughed, but it was a laugh filled with fury. "She's the one who tried to steal and then started a fight in public, and you're misusing your authority?

"When did the Riverton City cops start doing the dirty work for crooks?!"

The short cop's face twisted in anger, and his stun baton crackled ominously.

"You're asking for it!

"Ms. Alora was nice enough to show you the medieval chalice, and this is how you thank her? By attacking people? Seriously, you guys have no appreciation for kindness!"

Lilian stepped in front of me, putting herself between me and danger, and let out a mocking laugh: "Let's see if your backward sense of justice is stronger than the actual law."

"This is outrageous!" The towering cop whipped out a pair of handcuffs and lunged at me. "You're about to find out what happens in Riverton City to those who cross the Collins family!"

I dodged to the side, and he went ballistic, yanking out a stun baton and thrusting it at my stomach. "Ingrate!"

The shock zapped through me, and I let out a muffled groan, dropping to my knees, my teeth chattering from the pain.

"Nancy!" Lilian was by my side in a heartbeat, holding me up, then turned to glare at the cop. "You think you can just attack Ms. Yates?!"

"The Yates family?" The cop sneered and pulled out his stun baton again, "Here in Riverton City, the Collins rule the skies!" He pressed the stun baton hard against Lilian's shoulder.

"Ugh..." Lilian shook with pain but kept a firm grip on my hand. "You're nothing but pawns of the Collins family... And you'll regret this..."

"Regret?" The cop tilted Lilian's chin up with his baton. "Save your talk of regret for the prison guards once you're behind bars!"

He turned to Alora with a sycophantic smile. "Mrs. Collins, shall we send them off now? I can promise to pair them with the meanest cellmates for a little 'education'..."

Alora, casually playing with the medieval chalice, leaned back triumphantly with her legs crossed.

"Take your time. Let's give them a little reminder of who runs this place first," she said with a smirk.

The cops did not need to be told twice. They grabbed me and Lilian, their hands flying at our faces like they were swatting flies.

"That'll teach you to talk back!"

The taller cop turned to Alora, his face all sweet and slimy.

"Mrs. Collins, I heard your little boy's first birthday is coming up. Where's the party at? My partner and I will make sure to bring a gift he'll never forget."

The shorter one was quick to suck up, too. "Mrs. Collins, you'll see, the present we've got will be a hit with the kiddo.

"And who knows, maybe Mr. Collins will put in a good word for us with the big shots, help us climb the ladder a bit."

Alora twirled a strand of her hair and giggled. "Everything's being taken care of. I'll be sure to mention you to my husband."

Eric has a kid?

That bombshell left me reeling.

I had been overseas for a year, working on a project, yet on my very first day back in Riverton City, I found out Eric had a one-year-old boy.

I was boiling with anger.

Eric and I had been married for a year, and we had agreed to start a family as soon as I got back.

I tried to get up, but the short cop was on me in a flash, cuffing me to a trash can. A jolt from his stun gun hit me under the chin, and my head felt like it was on fire. The can tipped, spilling trash all over me.

Alora came over, her nose wrinkled in disgust.

She slipped on a glove and grabbed my face, her nails digging in and leaving a trail of blood.

Then, out of nowhere, the street was filled with the sound of cars slamming on their brakes.

Eric hurried down the stairs, his eyes quickly taking in the mess before he rushed to Alora's side. He gently touched her shoulder, his voice dripping with concern.

"Alora, what's going on? Who did this to you?"

Tears streamed down Alora's face as she looked up at him, her voice quivering.

"Eric, you have to help me. These two have lost their minds, claiming they're your wife and they started throwing punches, even at the cops."

The shorter cop came scurrying over, practically tripping over himself to show respect.

"Mr. Collins, you're right on time! These two were causing a ruckus, robbing and beating people up in the street, and they even had the nerve to insult you and your wife. We were about to haul them off for a serious talking-to!"

Eric gave me a look like I was something he scraped off his shoe.

"Nancy, can't believe it's only been a year, and you're acting like a street thug?"

He shot a glance at Lilian.

"Guess it's true what they say about birds of a feather. Causing trouble in the middle of the day like this–do you think the Collins family is a joke?"

I dabbed at the blood trickling from my lip.

"Eric, Alora's claiming she's your wife and grabbed my things in front of everyone. So tell me, what's your story?"

Eric's face was an icy mask as he turned to the towering cop. "Mr. Lewis, why don't you give us the rundown of today's excitement?"

The tall cop gave me a wary look before adopting a tone of someone who was all about the law.

"Mr. Collins, I hate to say it, but it might just rile you up.

"These two ladies saw your wife step out of the antique shop with a medieval chalice in hand and just had to take a look, saying they wanted to learn something new."

He jabbed a finger in my direction, his words almost drowned by his own spit.

"Mrs. Collins was being her usual generous self, letting them have a peek. Next thing you know, this one's claiming it's hers and won't hand it back."

The shorter cop nodded vigorously, eager to back up his partner.

"That's right, that's right! We've got it all figured out, and the antique shop owner will back us up!

"When Mrs. Collins refused to back down, that woman suddenly slapped her twice. She called Mrs. Collins a loose woman, said she was being shameless and ungrateful, and warned her not to blame anyone else when she stopped holding back. She even said Mrs. Collins wasn't worthy of you at all, and sneered that the Collins family had no class.

"Unable to hold back, Mrs. Collins said they could insult her all they liked, but they had no right to drag you or the Collins family through the mud. The woman immediately turned to her friends and ordered them to beat Mrs. Collins."

"That's nonsense!" Lilian was so mad that her heart was racing. "She started this..."

"Shut your mouth!" the short cop snapped. "What right do you have to talk? If you hadn't egged them on, saying Mrs. Collins was beneath you and fair game for bullying, would things have gotten this out of hand?"

Alora grabbed Eric's hand, tears pouring down her face.

"Eric, maybe she just really liked that chalice, but that's no excuse to just snatch it...

"She lost it when I wouldn't let her take it home, even threatened to take down the Collins family and demanded an apology from you..."

Eric's face turned stormy.

"Nancy, I can't believe you've sunk this low.

"You want that medieval chalice? Buy it yourself. It's bought by someone else, and you resort to violence and theft?"

I tried to speak up, but he cut me off, his voice dripping with disappointment.

"It looks like all you've picked up on your year away is petty thievery!

"Not giving it up, so you hit people; not giving it up, so you steal! How can you be so shameless?"

"I didn't..."

"Enough! Are you still trying to defend yourself? The cops have laid it all out!"

Eric glared at me with revulsion.

"You're just lazy and greedy! You see something you want, and instead of going for it, you just take it by force. What was I thinking when I married you?"

Alora gave Eric's sleeve a gentle tug, trying to play peacemaker. "Come on, Eric, let's not stay mad, okay? Maybe she just got mixed up for a second..."

"Mixed up? You're just too nice, Alora. She's showing her true colors!"

Eric glared at the cop standing by. "Mr. Lewis, we can't let her off easy. She needs to pay up and face the music!

"I'm dying to see how she'll wriggle out of this one!"

Hearing the certainty in his voice, a knot formed in my stomach.

So that was it, I thought. In their eyes, I was the bad guy, the one who could not win fair and square, so I had resorted to throwing punches.

Eric's icy stare sent a chill down my spine, but I could not help it. I laughed.

"Alright, you want money? Name your price."

Eric scoffed, his eyes dripping with disdain.

"1.5 million dollars. Think you can cough that up? You could sell everything you own and still fall short. Just don't stoop to thievery when you can't pay."

"Don't bother with her! 1.5 million, huh?" said Lilian, already pulling out her phone.

I nudged Lilian. "Shoot a text to my dad, will you? Tell him my phone's busted."

The room erupted with laughter.

Alora's face was a picture of scorn, and the cops joined in the mockery.

"Seen people fake it before, but this is next level!

"1.5 million? As if you two could fetch that much in a million years!"

"You're just buying time," said the taller cop, snapping the handcuffs open with a click. His shorter partner moved in, reaching for my wrist.

"We don't have all day. Don't make us get tough."

Lilian stepped in front of me, her voice steady, "1.5 million dollars? That's pocket change for me. Just wait; you'll get every last dime."

The cops guffawed at this. "Seriously? Did you sell yourself to some guy to be his sugar baby? Big words, lady. Hope you're not left hanging for cash that'll never show!"

Alora's laughter was even louder. "Riverton City, the Stewarts, the Yates? You're killing me! Begging me now? I might just spot you some change for your funeral!"

The bodyguards laughed along, the street echoing with their sneers.

The shorter cop shoved Lilian, annoyed. "Can't even save yourself, and you're still trying to play the big shot? Hand it over!"

However, as his hand grazed Lilian's wrist, a thunderous roar filled the sky, and a cloud of dust billowed up from the ground.

Lilian and I shared a smirk.

The Stewart family's chopper, emblazoned with their golden crest, was touching down, followed by a fleet of twenty Maybachs, lights flashing, all bearing the license plate 'STEWART-01'.

Alora's smirk snapped into a look of disbelief. "No... No way!"

The cars screeched to a stop, and a squad of bodyguards in black poured out in formation.

Two middle-aged men at the front marched toward us, eyes fixed on Lilian and me.

Seeing our bruises and tattered clothes, they scowled, visibly livid.

The Stewart family's longtime butler, Ronald Gibson, spotted the red mark on Lilian's wrist. Tears streamed down his face. "Ms. Stewart! Mr. Stewart said anyone who hurts you is going to pay!"

Ronald strode over and gave me a deep, formal bow. "Ms. Stewart, Mr. Yates is jetting back from the Kingdom of Montravia on his private plane. He heard you were in trouble, and now every cop car in Riverton City is on its way here."

Alora and the cops around her were totally shell-shocked, rooted to the spot, speechless.

Their earlier smugness had vanished, leaving only wide-eyed panic and disbelief.

Lilian smoothed out her clothes and gave Alora a sly smile. "1.5 million dollars, right?"

She flicked her gaze to the butler. "Go on, bring out the cash and count it for her."

With a casual gesture from Ronald of the Stewart family, a bunch of hefty black cases snapped open all at once.

They were packed with crisp, orderly stacks of cash.

Alora's knees buckled, and she stumbled backward.