In her memories, the mad Emperor had an unpredictable temperament. He was often angry, resentful, vindictive, and constantly looked at her with judgment, as though she were always out causing trouble.
But her past self seemed completely nonchalant about it.
If anything, she had actually seemed excited and even enjoyed that side of him.
Yeri: "..."
Was she some kind of doormat?
A masochist? Or perhaps she had developed a split personality?
Because there was no other reasonable explanation for why her past self had apparently looked at the Demon Emperor's terrible temper and thought, 'Yes, that's the man for me.'
Yeri shook her head, telling herself not to get overwhelmed.
She needed more information to sort through the tangled fragments of her memories. It would be better if she could get more time with Xati and let him tell her his story.
---
On that same day, Calin's hearing proceeded.
She appeared in court in a wheelchair, wearing nothing more than a plain white T-shirt and jeans.
Madam Ricci had petitioned for the hearing to be conducted in private, but the opposing parties objected.
Since the first case involved multiple allegations of bullying against Calin, the court had decided to consolidate the related claims into a single group action.
Throughout the proceedings, Calin remained detached. She simply sat in a daze, her vacant expression making her look as though her soul had been drained from her body.
At this point, her legal team had done an excellent job de-escalating the situation. In fact, many of the victims had already agreed to settlements before the official hearing even began.
Moreover, several socialites and celebrities who had initially gone public with allegations against Calin chose to settle after hearing that she had become disabled and could no longer use her other arm, along with the rumors surrounding her deteriorating mental state.
For them, it was more important to improve their public image by appearing merciful and magnanimous.
Some celebrities, in particular, were eager to capitalize on the situation, with reporters and media outlets clamoring for interviews and social media appearances that could potentially boost their popularity and lead to new projects.
Meanwhile, after being warned by the Keir legal team, Madam Ricci had left the funeral hall and arrived at the courthouse late.
By then, the hearing was already nearing its conclusion and was currently on a recess.
"My dear daughter, don't worry. Mom will definitely help you win all these cases," Madam Ricci murmured beside her. "I even went to the Keirs to seek justice for you... Those heartless people, Shin Keir and Yeri Zhi. Just because they weren't there doesn't mean they'll get away with this."
Calin, who had been sitting in a daze, suddenly flinched at the mention of their names.
She blinked several times, her eyes darting around the courtroom.
"Cold... cold..." Her voice was barely audible. "It's so cold..."
Madam Ricci leaned closer and touched her forehead.
"You're not running a fever. In fact, I feel hot in here. Are they being stingy with the air conditioning?"
Calin didn't even look at her. She simply continued muttering the same words, hugging herself tightly as though she expected someone to suddenly jump out at her.
"Calin, don't be like this, okay?" Madam Ricci urged, then gestured for the private nurse to cover Calin with a blanket. "There are reporters and cameras everywhere. How are you going to make a comeback if you ruin your image like this?"
Calin didn't seem to hear her, and continued mumbling to herself, her eyes unfocused.
When the hearing resumed, the courtroom once again filled with the sounds of lawyers presenting arguments, people murmuring among themselves, and the sharp strike of the judge's gavel whenever the room became too loud.
Strangely, those sounds seemed to comfort Calin.
The formal proceedings distracted her trapped mind from the memory that continued haunting her: an eerily cold place buried beneath heavy snow, where she had been completely alone.
"We're doing well," the assistant attorney told Madam Ricci during another brief recess. "There's a strong possibility that the court will order monetary compensation rather than impose a custodial sentence."
"As it should be," Madam Ricci snorted.
The Ricci family's accounts were nearly depleted from hiring the best legal team available and covering their other expenses.
Most of their properties and major assets had either been sold or frozen by the federal authorities because of the Bryce Gate case.
The judge returned to the bench and reviewed the next matter.
"Moving to the next case. The court will now hear the allegations of abduction, unlawful detention, blackmail, and assault brought against Calin Ricci by Lucia Hera."
Calin's attorney immediately rose.
"Your Honor, the defense objects to proceeding on these allegations. There is no admissible evidence or credible witness testimony presently before the court to substantiate the claims. Furthermore, the alleged victim, Lucia Hera, cannot be located. We therefore respectfully request that these allegations be dismissed for lack of evidence."
The courtroom murmured.
The judge looked down at the case file.
"The objection is noted. However, the court has not yet ruled on the admissibility or sufficiency of the evidence. The matter will proceed accordingly."
The attorney remained standing. "Your Honor, the defense maintains its objection."
The judge nodded. "Noted. You may proceed."
Just then, a soft female voice came from the audience.
"I'm here."
Everyone turned.
A woman slowly stood from her seat as she removed her sunglasses and lowered her mask.
"I'm Lucia Hera."
The courtroom erupted in whispers.
Reporters immediately began raising their cameras.
Calin stared at her.
Her face went pale as though she had just seen a ghost.
Lucia walked toward the witness stand, subtly glancing at Calin before frowning.
While hiding abroad, she had remained updated on everything happening through the news and social media.
Her impression of Calin had once been that of a dazzling star, someone born into an untouchable family and seemingly beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Seeing her now was simply too shocking.
Once sworn in, Lucia began recounting what had happened.
She explained how she had been fired from KGG, how she had used her status as an influencer to cause trouble for Yeri, and how she wanted Shin Keir's attention at the time.
She then described her abduction, explaining that although she never saw her captor's face, she recognized the voice as Calin's.
She testified that her life had been threatened, and was later blackmailed to keep targeting Yeri.
When she went to see Yeri, a frightening man had suddenly stormed into the hospital, opened fire, and nearly killed her and Yeri.
"Voice? So you never actually saw who abducted you, not even once?" Calin's lawyer immediately challenged. "You simply assumed it was Calin? What is your relationship with Yeri Zhi and Shin Keir? And where have you been all this time?"
He turned toward the judge.
"Your Honor, this is purely speculative testimony driven by personal animosity. There is no direct identification of my client. Who is to say this witness isn't being used against her?"
Lucia's lawyer immediately rose.
"Objection. Counsel is attempting to discredit the witness by implying an improper relationship without presenting any factual basis."
Lucia's attorney then presented additional evidence.
Photographs and video footage showed Calin entering and leaving an abandoned factory. Other individuals seen accompanying her were identified as members of Sergei Ricci's mafia organization.
Both sides continued their heated arguments as the courtroom grew increasingly tense.
Then Calin suddenly screamed.
For a moment, it was as though she had regained her senses as she pointed directly at Lucia, her face twisted with pure hatred.
"Bitch! How dare you compete with me for Shin Keir! Who do you think you are? A poor wretch like you, dreaming of marrying into the Keirs? In what capacity? You should thank me for waking you up from your delusion!"
The entire courtroom erupted into chaos.
Calin's legal team immediately scrambled to restrain her and prevent her from saying anything further, her attorney looked furious, the veins on his forehead visibly bulging.
Lucia trembled in the witness stand.
Despite having heard Calin's voice repeatedly in the news while she was abroad, hearing it in person brought everything rushing back.
The abandoned factory, the hunger, beatings, and threats. The terror of not knowing whether she would survive.
The courtroom was buzzing with speculation.
"So Calin just admitted that she knew Lucia Hera?" someone in the gallery whispered.
"Isn't that practically an admission to the allegations?"
"Not necessarily," another person argued. "It sounds more like a personal rivalry. Let's wait for the rest of the evidence."
Calin suddenly screamed again.
"Snake! Snake! You monster!" She thrashed violently in her wheelchair, her eyes wide with terror. "All of you are monsters! You want my life! You want to hurt me!"
Calin's lawyer stared at his client with a look of utter despair before immediately seizing the opportunity to use her current mental state as a reason for the court to disregard her outburst.
"Your Honor, my client is clearly experiencing severe psychological distress and is currently under heavy medication. Her statements should not be interpreted as a reliable admission of guilt."
He paused before adding, "Furthermore, she never actually mentioned Ms. Hera by name. Given her current condition, it is entirely possible that she was referring to someone else."
It was a desperate argument, but the defense had little choice.
--
Meanwhile, at Neri Medical Hospital, Marianne Vega had just finished her shift and was about to leave when Sergei Ricci cornered her in the parking lot.
Ever since she still refused to get back together with him, he had been bombarding her with calls and messages.
Some were apologetic, others were entitled, and some were outright demanding.
"I already told you we're over," Marianne said firmly. "No. Perhaps there was never even a beginning between us."
Sergei looked exhausted. "Why can't you understand that I was just confused back then? I didn't know my own feelings. If this is about Natalia—"
"Sergei Ricci, you were never confused, nor were you unaware of your feelings." Marianne cut him off. "I'm not refusing to forgive you because of Natalia either."
She stared at him.
"Besides, isn't today your sister's hearing? Why are you here instead of being by her side? You're always there for her, no matter what. Even when she's done something wrong, you choose to cover for her."
Sergei waved his hand dismissively.
"What's Calin's situation got to do with us? Or is the reason you refuse to forgive me because of Calin? I didn't know what she did to you at the stairwell," Sergei continued. "Even when you overheard us talking, did I ever harm you? I know I ended up wronging you, but... don't people make mistakes?"