Dawn knocked at Peige's house. The door swung open, and Tara appeared, frowning.
"What do you want?" Tara demanded.
Dawn cut her off with a calm smile.
"I'm not here to stay." She handed Tara a neatly folded piece of paper with an address scribbled on it. Then she smiled at her once more and turned to leave.
Tara stared at the paper, confusion and curiosity warring on her face. Slowly, she shut the door and locked it. What could Dawn be planning? she wondered.
Back at home, Dawn found her siblings gathered in the living room, but Jason was missing. She frowned. Probably still angry.
She climbed the stairs and knocked at Jason's door. No answer. She opened it carefully and found him sitting on the bed, headphones on, lost in music.
"Hey," Dawn said softly, tapping his shoulder.
Jason turned, removing his headphones. A flicker of guilt crossed his face. "Hey," he replied. "I'm sorry for earlier. Leslie explained everything."
Together, they headed downstairs. Dawn briefed the siblings on her plan. "We're going to the Manchester's and inviting Daphne and Adam to the pizzeria."
A few minutes later, they stood at the Manchester's door. Daphne answered with her usual grace, inviting them in. Dawn explained the plan, and though Daphne approved, worry clouded her features. "Are you sure Adam will go along with this?" she asked.
Dawn's lips curved in a knowing smile. She led Leslie, Jason, and Amy straight to Adam's room, Daphne following eagerly. They didn't bother knocking before entering.
"Hello, Adam," they greeted in unison, but silence was all that answered them.
Dawn leaned down and whispered something in Amy's ear. Nodding, Amy stepped closer, took Adam's hand, and tugged gently. "Come on, get up. Let's go to the pizzeria," she said.
Adam looked down at her small, insistent hand and sighed. He couldn't refuse. He stood, following the kids out of the room.
Meanwhile, at Peige's house, tensions were boiling over. Tara confronted her mother with fury.
"I visited your lovers, and guess what? You had them even when you were married. What kind of nerve is that?"
Peige's lips curled into a dismissive smile. "I owe you no explanation. I can live my life how I want."
"You were still cheating on Dad while carrying me! What kind of woman does that?" Tara's voice cracked with rage.
Peige's face hardened. "I see what Dawn is doing. She's trying to destroy this family—and it's working."
"Leave Dawn out of this! This is all on you. You made me grow up without my parents together!" Tara shouted.
Peige opened her mouth to respond, but Tara had already tuned her out. She stormed to her room to pack, determined to leave. She didn't know where she was going, but she didn't care.
Back at the pizzeria, Dawn, Daphne, Adam, and the siblings slid into a booth. Dawn greeted Alex warmly and placed the order, returning to her seat with a satisfied smile. Soon, Alex brought a steaming box of pizza, and they dug in, the rich aroma and laughter filling the air.
Dawn tried starting a conversation with Adam, but he remained silent, lost in his own thoughts. A few minutes later, the meal was finished. Dawn waved Alex goodbye.
"Leslie, Jason, Amy, go with Adam," Dawn said. "Daphne and I have some business to handle."
Dawn arrived at Peige's house once again and knocked. When the door swung open, Peige's eyes blazed with fury.
"I came to tell you something," Dawn said, smiling sweetly. "Get a good lawyer. I'm not backing down."
Peige laughed mockingly, but Dawn didn't falter. She simply turned and walked away, leaving Peige standing in stunned silence.
The next day, the courtroom buzzed with a tense silence. Dawn sat quietly at the plaintiff's table, her hands folded tightly in her lap. Beside her, Daphne leaned forward with calm confidence, her presence both reassuring and fierce. Across the room, Peige shifted uneasily, her expression wavering between arrogance and unease.
The judge, a stern woman with glasses perched low on her nose, adjusted the papers before her. "We are here today regarding the case of Miss Dawn Collins versus Miss Peige Silvester, concerning falsified documents and harassment."
Dawn's lawyer rose. "Your Honor, the evidence is clear. My client, Dawn Collins, and her siblings were given fraudulent DNA results by Miss Silvester, falsely claiming that they were adopted. This deceit not only created unnecessary chaos in their home but also inflicted severe emotional distress on the twins, who are minors. Such an act was malicious and calculated."
The judge's eyes narrowed at Peige. "Miss Silvester, do you understand the gravity of your actions? Providing false documents to a family is not a harmless prank—it is harassment, emotional manipulation, and defamation of character. It is cruel."
Peige fidgeted. "I… I didn't mean—"
"Silence," the judge cut in firmly. "The court will not tolerate excuses. Your actions were deliberate."
The lawyer pressed on. "Your Honor, we ask that a restraining order be placed on Miss Silvester, forbidding her from contacting or approaching Dawn Collins and her siblings. Furthermore, we seek financial damages, as the children will require counseling to recover from the trauma caused by her lies."
The judge gave a solemn nod. "This court rules in favor of the plaintiff. Miss Peige Silvester, you are hereby ordered to cease all contact with Dawn Collins and her siblings. A restraining order will be issued effective immediately. Pay a fine of $10,000—partly as damages to cover therapy and partly as a punitive measure for your malicious conduct. Additionally, you will perform fifty hours of community service. Perhaps then you will learn the value of honesty and respect."
Gasps rippled through the courtroom. Peige's mouth opened in shock, but no words came out.
The judge rapped her gavel. "Case closed."
Dawn exhaled slowly, relief softening her face. Daphne touched her shoulder gently. "You've won, Dawn. She can't hurt you or your family anymore."
For the first time in a long while, Dawn felt the weight of Peige's shadow lift. Justice had finally spoken.