Madam Ricci could dismiss the bullying cases, but the abduction?
The video of Calin ordering security personnel to assault someone? And then Sergei taking care of the bodies afterward?
What kind of children had she raised?
"She was seducing Dad! She wanted to replace you!" Calin shouted. "What are you complaining about? Mom, I dirtied my hands for you! So what are you being so sanctimonious about now?"
Madam Ricci's eyes reddened.
"For a long time, I've known your father had a habit of going out and pursuing young women..." Her voice faltered. "But no matter what, that doesn't excuse what you and your brother..."
She stopped herself and closed her eyes, breathing heavily.
After composing herself, she turned toward the lawyer.
"What are our chances of winning against Shin Keir?"
The lawyer's expression immediately turned grim. Even he didn't have much confidence.
They weren't dealing with an ordinary opponent.
They were dealing with Shin Keir, a man whose influence reached into virtually every corner of the country's business and political landscape.
In fact, the lawyer had originally only agreed to represent Calin in the previous cases. For the lawsuits involving Shin and Yeri, he had suggested bringing in another legal team with greater experience in cases of this magnitude.
Madam Ricci had refused and insisted that he handle everything himself because of his previous successes with Calin's other cases.
"I think it helped that I publicly questioned the accusations against my daughter regarding the attempted murder of Yeri," she said. "Now public opinion is divided into two sides."
"Are you sure there isn't any evidence you're withholding?" the lawyer asked, turning toward Calin.
Calin thought for a moment before shaking her head uncertainly. "There was a heavy blizzard that night, and most communications were down. Even the hotel was running on an emergency backup generator."
The lawyer didn't look reassured.
He had already warned Madam Ricci not to do anything reckless, yet she had gone ahead and caused a scene at Hadi Keir's funeral.
If anything, that could become another matter Shin Keir might pursue legally.
---
At the first hearing, Shin Keir himself was absent.
His entire legal team, however, was more than enough to intimidate anyone.
They presented detailed evidence concerning Calin's harassment, defamation, and other offenses.
Among the allegations was her decision to publicly expose a private contract that had nothing to do with her, along with her attempts to imply an inappropriate relationship between Yeri and Tristan in order to damage their reputations.
They also presented evidence regarding Calin's attempt to drug Shin Keir with the medication she had obtained and intended to use as a powerful aphrodisiac.
Even those allegations alone could result in severe penalties.
Calin's lawyer countered by arguing that his client had been manipulated and exploited by people she trusted.
He presented evidence involving her father, who had allegedly pressured Calin into seducing Shin Keir by threatening to remove her from his inheritance.
Then there was Bryce Gate, who had supplied Calin with the private contract and encouraged the scandal involving Yeri and Tristan.
"Ms. Ricci did not act entirely of her own free will," the lawyer argued. "She was repeatedly influenced and pressured by the people closest to her."
Although Shin's legal team possessed undeniable and compelling evidence, Calin's side wasn't completely empty-handed either.
They presented chat records, text messages, and surveillance footage from the Ricci residence showing Master Ricci berating his daughter and pressuring her into following his instructions.
They also provided evidence suggesting that the source of the aphrodisiac had been arranged by Master Ricci himself.
If anything, the evidence painted Calin as less of the mastermind and more of an accomplice manipulated by those around her.
The proceedings quickly became one of the most closely watched legal battles in the country.
Tensions surrounding the case spread across social media as neither side showed any intention of backing down.
"Lawsuits between wealthy people are really different. This is so satisfying. I feel like I'm watching some global sports competition, and we can only guess who'll win in the end."
Another netizen replied:
"Agreed. Although the Riccis have already fallen, connections don't disappear overnight. Just look at the previous cases against Calin. If it were anyone else, their life would already be over with a lifetime sentence."
Another comment gained considerable attention:
"I'm on Calin's side. I'm not saying she's innocent, but she's also a victim of a terrible upbringing. Her father only ever seemed to view her as a tool for money. Perhaps she never truly liked Shin Keir, but with everyone around her constantly telling her that they're a perfect match, she was conditioned into believing it herself."
That comment immediately sparked another wave of arguments.
Some people pointed out the numerous victims who had suffered because of Calin's actions, while others accused her supporters of deliberately ignoring those victims simply because they sympathized with Calin.
The debate quickly became polarized.
On one side were those demanding that Calin face the full consequences of her actions.
On the other were her most devoted supporters, insisting that she had been manipulated her entire life and should be treated as another victim.
Other netizens couldn't have cared less about the details or progress of the case. Instead, they focused on Calin's disability and apparent mental instability and immediately took her side.
Every time a hearing concluded, reporters were quick to capture photographs of Calin sitting dazed in her wheelchair. Naturally, the images evoked sympathy from many people.
-
As the days passed, another name was dragged into the controversy.
Elder Madam Keir.
Calin's legal team presented records showing how the old matriarch had repeatedly encouraged Calin and reassured her that she would eventually become engaged to Shin Keir.
There were also records of Elder Madam Keir readily accepting gifts from Calin, particularly rare jewelry pieces and valuable collectibles.
When Elder Madam Keir received the formal legal notice accusing her of misleading Calin, intentional deception, and inducing justifiable reliance, meaning Calin had reasonably believed her false assurances and acted upon them, she nearly suffered another stroke.
But perhaps her obsession with her reputation had made her more resilient. She didn't want to die with negative accusations attached to her name.
She angrily slammed her teacup onto the table.
"How dare she!" the old matriarch scolded. "I've been nothing but good and considerate toward that girl! I treated her like my own granddaughter, and this is how she repays me? With hostility?"
Master Keir, sitting across from her, looked through the documents with a frown.
"I warned you long ago that Shin's engagement wasn't yours to decide. I also told you to stop encouraging Calin."
"I am the matriarch!" Elder Madam Keir hollered. "It is my duty to protect this family and make sure suitable women enter this family!"
"And was Eleanor suitable?"
The old matriarch froze, then her expression immediately turned aggrieved.
"She was perfectly fine when she married you. If you hadn't brought that unfilial son of yours back, and if Celestine's existence hadn't threatened everything, would she have done something so drastic?"
Master Keir didn't respond, that was all in the past.
Instead, he returned to the matter at hand.
"What are you going to do?"
Elder Madam Keir frowned as though he had asked the most ridiculous question imaginable.
"What do you mean? This is between Shin and Calin, so naturally, he should deal with it himself. I'm merely a sick and frail old woman now. Do you expect me to handle his legal troubles?"
"Great-grandma is right," Xati suddenly said from the side. "You should just focus on your health."
Ever since Hadi's funeral, Elder Madam Keir had failed to convince anyone to let Xati move into the main house with her.
So she had conveniently used her supposed need for recuperation as an excuse to remain at Shin's villa for the time being.
"Let my grumpy dad take care of everything," Xati continued. "He's got plenty of free time anyway."
The old matriarch immediately laughed, clearly delighted to have her great-grandson siding with her.
There was only one thing she still couldn't accept.
"Xati, how many times do I have to tell you that Shin isn't your father?" she demanded. "What will your real father think whenever you call his cousin 'Dad'?"
Xati merely shrugged and continued maneuvering his little toy sports car around the garden, making it drive in circles.
He hadn't particularly liked this old woman at first.
But now that he had discovered she disliked the mad emperor, she suddenly seemed useful. If nothing else, he could use her to annoy that infuriating demon.
"By the way, where's Tristan?" Elder Madam Keir asked worriedly. "That brat keeps avoiding the matter regarding Xati's mother. Could it be she's really some commoner?"
"He has his own plans," Master Keir said. "As you said, you're already sick and frail. Don't concern yourself with this anymore."
"My mother is the best woman in the world! Who are you calling a commoner?!" Xati chimed in, clearly offended.
The two adults looked at him.
Elder Madam Keir quickly softened her expression and tried to coax him.
"Then tell Great-grandma your mother's name."
Xati pursed his lips and stubbornly drove his toy sports car in circles again.
At that moment, Shin happened to pass by, apparently just there to retrieve some documents, when Master Keir called out to him.
Shin glanced toward the garden as though he'd just spotted something unpleasant.
For the past couple of months, he had rarely gone there. With the old hag occupying the place like it was some retirement home and Xati causing trouble every day, there was little reason for him to visit.
Master Keir looked him up and down as Shin strode over.
"I rarely see you these days. At least don't overwork yourself or skip your meals."
Before Shin could answer, Elder Madam Keir waved the legal documents in her hand.
"What about the hearing? I initially wanted to ask you not to be too harsh on Calin, but it seems my concern was wasted on an ungrateful person. Take care of this for me and make sure my name is cleared from this nonsense."
Shin merely glanced at the front page.
"It looks justifiable to me."
"What do you mean?" Elder Madam Keir immediately flared up. "Are you saying I was wrong?"
"Aren't you?" Shin's tone remained indifferent. "Are you sure you didn't mislead her? Make false promises? Or did you not accept any of the presents she gave you?"