Chapter 557:

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That was what Dayna cared about most. She needed proof—she needed to witness Declan’s downfall herself.

She had watched him build an empire from nothing; now, she was determined to see it all fall apart.

For a man like Declan, there could be no punishment more fitting than losing everything—mirroring the devastation Dayna once endured.

In her heart, justice meant balance. The pain she suffered would return to Declan many times over.

Kristopher answered without hesitation. “That’s right. Declan’s been forced to sell off the bulk of his assets and shares. His name is toxic—no one in the industry will touch him now. Once this payment is secured, he won’t recover in this lifetime.”

аc𝗍i𝗏𝖾 co𝗺𝗆𝘂𝘯і𝗍у о𝗻 𝘨𝖺𝗹𝗇о𝘷e𝗅ѕ.𝖼𝗼𝗺

A surge of satisfaction made Dayna squeeze the documents tightly. “Understood.”

At the very end of the file, she noticed a detail: Declan was required to pay the full compensation within three days of the final verdict.

That deadline was unusually swift for a court order, which told her Kristopher’s influence had played a part.

None of that mattered to her now; all she wanted was to see Declan stripped of every cent.

Brushing those thoughts aside, she glanced at Kristopher. “I’ll head upstairs and get some rest.”

Kristopher responded gently, “Good night.”

Dayna offered a soft smile as she replied, “Good night.”

Once back in her bedroom, Dayna planned on a hot shower to unwind before sleep, but her phone’s screen suddenly lit up. The caller ID made her pause—it was Declan.

Choosing not to answer, she set her phone to silent, yet his persistence quickly became apparent. The calls kept coming, one after another.

Eventually, she relented and answered, already bracing herself for the usual barrage of old grievances.

Her instincts proved right.

Declan’s voice, thick with self-pity, immediately filled her ear. “Dayna, after everything, we were married. Are you really willing to push me this far? I’m already drowning in debt. Forcing me to pay such a huge settlement—do you really want to see me ruined?”

Dayna’s eyes narrowed with thinly veiled contempt at his words. Exactly as she’d predicted.

Her voice was cold. “What happens to you is none of my business. All I care about is when you’ll wire the money.”

Stunned into silence, Declan at last forced out, “Maybe our marriage meant nothing to you, but look at everything I’ve done trying to win you back. I’m the town joke because of you—doesn’t that mean anything? Have you really become someone who only cares about money?”

A bitter smile played on Dayna’s lips. “That’s all we have left to discuss—money. Let me give you a tip: you’d better find the money fast. If you miss the three-day window, my lawyer will file again. Then you’ll be blacklisted everywhere, and you won’t just lose your business—you’ll be barred from even flights too.”

A note of panic crept into Declan’s voice. “How could you be so heartless, Dayna? Of all people, I never thought you’d be the one to destroy me.”

Dayna had no patience left. “Spare me the drama. You have three days to settle.”

Without another word, she ended the call and immediately blocked his number. Previously, she’d unblocked him out of gratitude for a life-saving favor, but forgetting to re-block gave him this window to reach her now.

Tomorrow was the day of Henry’s surgery. Dayna needed rest—she had to be at her best. Setting her phone to silent, she toggled on airplane mode.

The following morning, she drove straight to Nell’s studio to collect Henry for his hospital appointment. As she slowed near the curb, a figure darted into the road, stopping directly in front of her car.

Dayna’s reflexes saved the day—she slammed on the brakes just in time, narrowly avoiding disaster. Hands gripping the steering wheel, she could feel her pulse racing. That was far too close for comfort.

Yet even without being touched, the person threw themselves to the floor, shouting, “Help! I just got hit by this car!”

Hearing that voice, Dayna didn’t need to leave her car to recognize the culprit. A chorus of dramatic wails followed. “Everybody, look over here! I was minding my business, and she tried to run me down! This is attempted murder! I’m in agony—I need a doctor!”

With a sigh, Dayna stepped out and strode straight toward the woman sprawled on the ground—Tina, no surprise.

A cold smile curved on Dayna’s lips. “Has the Foster family fallen so far you have to fake injuries now just to get by?”

The jab landed hard—Tina’s expression soured in an instant. Hatred twisted her features as she spat out, “You’re the reason for all of this, you miserable bitch!”

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