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“Look!” someone exclaimed. “There are more TVs out here with different videos.”

“Check your phones!” said another person. “It’s on social media everywhere.”

“Wait, that’s the President and his wife talking just now. Same event. They’re wearing the same clothes.”

I smiled, knowing Vivian and Elena were blasting the new video recordings caught by devices embedded in the paintings. Tears ran down my cheeks. I could hear and smell justice approaching. Karma’s presence rang like a bell. My friends deactivated the recordings and the camera. There was no need for the public to see how the President and his wife would die.

After everyone had left, Orion closed the doors to the banquet hall. The only people in the room were my friends and Orion’s security team in the back.

Madeline bolted from her chair, knocking it down. The chair hit the display cart filled with berries and dessert. The cart flew toward my legs, but I shifted, letting it slam into the painting. Madeline whipped her eyes to me. There was no need to hide anymore. I detached myself from the painting, wearing a one-of-a kind gown.

Madeline glared at me, and then she smirked. “Too bad Attikus isn’t here to see me kill you.”

My friends stepped forward, preparing to help me. But I held out a hand. “You’re in no condition to kill anyone, Madeline. Or should I say, Ashton?”

She charged at me but stopped as pain strained her face. She gripped her chest, and I smiled, loving that poison was flowing through her systems. Her left shoulder dipped more, probably because pain overpowered her effort to straighten herself.

“It’s a marvel that my husband destroyed your shoulder back then whenthreeof you beat him.”

I remembered watching the video and seeing Ashton wince from Attikus’s punch.

“Doesn’t matter now, does it?” A sly smile slid onto Madeline’s face. “He’sdead.”

President Collins gasped, hunched over, and collapsed onto the chair, looking worse than Madeline.

“My chest,” he groaned. “Something’s not right.”

“Something isextremelyright.” I described his symptoms. “TheAtropa belladonnais slowly tearing down your respiratory system.” I tapped my head. “You’ll start hallucinating as your brain deteriorates.”

“Bitch!” Madeline lunged at me, gripping my throat with her manly hand.

I clawed at her with my sharp nails and pulled her hair. The blonde wig shifted, clinging to the side. I reached into my dress pocket, grabbed the knife, and stabbed her in the stomach.

“That’s for Attikus!” I pushed her away, creating distance.

Madeline growled in pain, stumbled, and yanked out the knife. Her blonde wig fell to the ground, revealing a shaved head.

“Vanessa!” the girls shrieked with worry as the boys stepped closer to the platform.

“I’m okay.” I gestured for them to stay where they were.

I wanted to see life end in Madeline’s eyes. I wanted to see her suffer for all the lives she’d hurt. Most of all, I wanted her to pay for taking Attikus away from me and for killing Grayson and Remi. Her death would help me grieve for Attikus.

TheAtropa belladonnadidn’t affect Madeline as quickly as her older husband, who was barely alive in the chair.

“I’m going to kill you!” Hatred blazed in Madeline’s eyes as she gripped the knife and rushed toward me again.

“Touch her again, and you’ll be begging me to end you.”

The voice was like an electric shock through my system. It jolted my heart, giving it new life. Everything in the room faded to the background as I turned toward his voice. When Attikus’s face emerged from the group of security guards standing behind Orion, I released a sob of joy, shock, sadness, and anger. All these emotions battled in me, pushing tears to the surface and down my face.

Am I imagining this? Is it really him?

Attikus stepped up to the platform and brushed my tears away with his fingers. “It’s me, Lily Pad.” He kissed my forehead.

I sucked in a breath at his touch—his presence. He was real in the flesh. But the joy I felt was mixed with anger. Why had he kept me in the dark? I pushed the anger aside to deal with it later.

“No.” Madeline glowered at him. “It can’t be.” She held a hand to her bleeding wound. “You should be dead.”