Chapter 8 The court date , my lawyer destroyed her . Made it crystal clear - no settlements , no deals . Margot's face drained of color . She shot up from her seat , screaming at West across the courtroom . " You promised she'd drop this ! You fucking PROMISED ! " " Were you lying to me this whole time ?! Do you WANT me rotting in prison ?! " West stood up from the gallery , voice eerily calm . " You tried to kill someone . Multiple times . " " You deserve this . " " I'm not stopping till your whole family's six feet under . " Margot collapsed to her knees , totally breaking down . " Ms. Hale , West , please ! I'm sorry ! " " I'll do anything . I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you . Just please don't do this ! " West walked over slowly . And slapped her . Hard . Twice across the face . She just took it . Then started hitting herself . There ! Is that better ?! Does that make you happy ?! " He tilted his head , smiling this dead , cold smile . Yeah . You know what would make me happy ? " Watching you rot in a cell for the rest of your miserable life . " Something snapped in her . She launched herself at him . Hands around his throat , screaming , hitting , kicking like a feral animal . You BASTARD ! You FUCKING BASTARD ! " Bailiffs rushed in , trying to pull her off , but she wouldn't let go . By the time they pried her away , West was flat on the courtroom floor , gasping for air , blood streaming from his nose . Margot got life . No parole . West's injuries put him in the ICU for two weeks . Doctors said he'd never be able to have kids . Ever . 12.14 Chapter 8 After he got out of the hospital , he didn't come looking for me . Instead , he threw himself into work . Three years later , Vaughn Holdings was worth double what it used to be . Then he did something that shocked everyone- He went after Kincaid Industries . No mercy . No limits . Two months later , Kincaid Industries was on the verge of collapse . Eventually the Kincaid company went bankrupt . Margot's parents couldn't handle it . Both had breakdowns . Died in a psychiatric facility . But the revenge spree destroyed Vaughn Holdings too . They ran out of money . West didn't try to find investors . Just filed for bankruptcy . That day , he showed up outside my office . Hair a mess . Suit wrinkled . ' Autumn ... they're done . Gone . I made sure of it . " ' And yeah , I'm fucked too now . But I don't care . " ' Can we just ... start over ? " didn't say anything . Just drove right past him , splashing dirty gutter water all over his expensive shoes . The second he let Margot get pregnant , we were done . But West didn't give up . Every day , he'd show up with homemade lunch . In those sad little containers . ' very day , I had my assistant throw it in the trash right in front of him . he next day, he'd try again with something different . ventually , I got sick of it and moved my operations overseas . le couldn't afford a plane ticket . o he couldn't follow . Abroad , I met someone new . A bright , warm guy with the clearest eyes I'd ever seen . One look , and I was gone . kept " running into him . " Surprising him with little gifts . Six months later , we got married . On our wedding day , West showed up at the venue in a stained , torn suit . 13:11 He Made Me Apologize to His Work Wife ! IPSVD'd Hall vas ' with Death D Chapter 8 Kept shouting that he was my real husband . That I couldn't marry anyone else . I didn't waste words . Just had security release the dogs . He ran . But kept looking back . I never looked at him once . After the wedding , my husband and I were happy . That's when I got it - this is what real love looks like . Not that toxic mess I escaped from . Better late than never , right ? Honestly ? Couldn't have worked out better .