Lizzie hesitated, the weight of her decision pressing down on her. Was now really the right time to bring up the divorce? The idea of facing the entire Lennox Family felt overwhelming—especially her in-laws. Mr. and Mrs. Lennox had always been kind to her, almost like second parents. She couldn’t help but wonder how they would react if they tried to persuade her to stay. She wasn’t sure how she would handle that kind of confrontation. She felt emotionally drained, every fiber of her being stretched thin from everything that had happened. The idea of hearing them out, of having to explain herself, was more than she could bear.
Finally, her voice broke through the silence. “What if I give you full authority? You talk to Adrienne to get his sign about the the divorce and I’ll come back to complete the paperwork. Does that work for you?”
Belinda, the attorney, didn’t answer immediately. She simply studied Lizzie for a long moment, her gaze calm and focused. Then, she nodded.
“Yes, we can do that. But I’ll need you to sign a power of attorney form and the contract,” she said, her voice as steady as her gaze.
Lizzie signed the papers, her hand shaking slightly, but she didn’t let it show. Once it was done, Belinda led her out of the office. They barely made it past the front door when the mob descended.
Milk tea, coffee and bottles came flying out of nowhere, splashing onto Lizzie’s head and shoulders. She froze in shock, her heart racing. She stood there, stunned, unable to process the sudden assault.
“You shameless homewrecker!” one of the girls screamed, her face twisted in anger.
“Rot in hell!” another shouted.
“Stay away from our idol’s man, you awful witch!” someone else yelled, her voice thick with hatred.
The insults rained down from every direction, sharp and unforgiving. Then, without warning, one of the women shoved Lizzie. She stumbled back, losing her balance and fell to the ground, the impact jarring her body and sending a shock of pain through her side.
“Hey! Stop it! What the are you doing?” Belinda’s voice cut through the chaos. She had turned back just in time to see Lizzie fall and without a second thought, she rushed toward the scene, pushing her way through the crowd of angry women.
“Security! Call the police!” Belinda shouted as she reached Lizzie’s side. One of the guards quickly pulled out his phone to call for help, while another rushed to assist.
Lizzie sat there, drenched in spilled drinks, her hair matted and tangled, her face pale and defeated. She felt humiliated, small, the weight of the world pressing down on her shoulders. Belinda helped her up, her voice sharp with authority as she confronted the women.
“What is wrong with you people? Do you realize that public assault is a crime?” she demanded, her tone cold and commanding.
The leader of the group sneered, her expression full of righteous anger. “A crime? We’re just giving her what she deserves for everything she’s done to our idol.”
“Your idol?” Belinda scoffed. “There are hundreds of idols in this country, girls! Is it Ophelia Bullock?”
“Who else?!” the girl retorted, her arms crossed defiantly.
Belinda raised an eyebrow, a knowing look crossing her face. “Did Ophelia send you?”
The girl stood even taller, her posture full of self-righteous indignation. “She’s too kind-hearted to stand up for herself. That’s why she’s miserable. This bitch has been tormenting her for years, but we won’t let her get away with it anymore.”
“Our Ophelia has suffered enough because of this witch!” another girl chimed in, her voice full of venom.
Belinda smirked, unimpressed. “Well, let’s see if Ophelia shows up to bail you out at the police station.”
At that moment, the police arrived and the crowd began to scatter, their rage fading in the face of authority. Belinda quickly took Lizzie back to the office, helping her clean up as best as she could. Lizzie’s body felt like it was made of lead, every movement exhausting. They made their way to the station and on the way, Belinda checked her phone. The video of Lizzie being attacked had already gone viral, flooding her social media feeds with hate-filled comments.
Lizzie’s eyes narrowed as she scrolled through the posts, her heart hardening with each hateful word she read.
“Ms. Sawyer,” Lizzie’s voice was icy, the resolve in her words as sharp as a blade. “I’m authorizing you to handle this as well. I want to file a defamation suit against everyone with more than five hundred shares or likes on those posts. And as for the ones who attacked me today? No settlements. I’m pressing charges against each and every one of them.”
Belinda nodded without hesitation. “Don’t worry, Miss Bradford. I’ll take care of everything.”
At the police station, Lizzie was barely holding herself together. The exhaustion was overwhelming and she could feel every ounce of energy being drained from her. After giving her statement, she slumped back in the chair, completely drained.
“Are you okay, Miss Bradford?” Belinda asked, her voice gentle, yet laced with concern. “Do you want me to drive you home?”
Lizzie shook her head, her voice distant. “Thanks, Ms. Sawyer, but I’ll walk. I just... need some time to clear my head.”
Belinda gave a quick nod. “I understand. Just take care of yourself.”
After watching Lizzie leave, Belinda sent a quick text to Mara:
“Lizzie Bradford is at my place. She doesn’t look well. I offered her a ride, but she wouldn’t take it. Do something about it.”
Mara, who had been in a meeting, read the message and replied almost immediately:
“Got it. I’ll check on her in a minute.”
