---- Chapter 6 Victoria's POV The day I got back to Boston, I went straight to my old law firm: Sterling & Associates. The moment I pushed open the glass doors, the entire office fell silent. Every head turned, faces etched with shock. "Oh my God, Victoria!" my partner, Sarah, nearly spilled her latte on her keyboard. "You're really back!" "Ryan told me you were making a comeback-I thought he was joking!" another colleague, Jake, rushed over and wrapped me in a hug. I offered a faint smile, but my gaze was as sharp as it had ever been. "It's time I got back in the ring." I gave myself no time to ease back in. That same day, I took on a case that had the East ---- Coast legal community buzzing. A Boston biotech firm was facing a hostile takeover by a Silicon Valley giant. It was a legal minefield of patent disputes, complex share structures, and international trade law. The opposition had hired an all-star team from Cravath. No one else dared to touch it. But I signed the retainer without a moment's hesitation. "The preliminary injunction hearing is in four days." I said, closing the case file, my voice calm. "That's more than enough time." On the day of the hearing, the opposing counsel radiated confidence. They all assumed the "washed-up lawyer who vanished for three years" was no longer a threat. ---- But when I stood to speak, the courtroom fell silent. My logic was flawless, my evidence airtight. Every rebuttal was a precision strike. When they tried to argue a point, I had already anticipated their every move. "Pursuant to Section 7 of the Clayton Antitrust Act, the defendant's acquisition constitutes a clear violation of market competition principles. Furthermore, under Article 15 of the relevant International Trade Agreement, the patent transfer required FTC approval-a step that was deliberately bypassed." My voice was quiet, but every word cut like a knife. " This isn't just commercial fraud. This is criminal monopolization." The color drained from the faces of the opposing lawyers. The judge nodded along with my points. In the end, it was a total victory. ---- My first case back, and the message was clear: Vicky was back. As I walked out of the courthouse, reporters from the Boston Globe swarmed me, camera flashes blinding. I stood on the steps, faced the cameras, and spoke, my voice clear and firm. "Yes, Vicky is back. And this time, I'm not backing down for anyone." Finn's POV Meanwhile, in New York. The next day, Finn returned to Mount Pleasant and called out her name from habit. "Victoria?" Only a dead silence answered him. He frowned and walked to the entryway, where he saw a drawer was slightly ajar. A piece of paper was sticking out.