Chapter 29
“Sierra has already realized her mistake and truly regrets it. Ms. Wilson, could you please give her a chance to make amends?” Harold pleaded, his demeanor extremely sincere.
In the eyes of Lillian’s teachers and classmates, Harold was undoubtedly a prominent figure in the business world with substantial wealth. Even for the sake of reputation, as a CEO, he shouldn’t have to humble himself so much before a girl.
However, only Harold knew that Sierra had really gotten into trouble this time. Over the past few days, he had used all the connections he could muster, only to find himself at a dead end
He had investigated everything about Lillian since she came to Fillcrest High School and still believed it was the Smith family who had stood up for her. He went to the Smith residence yesterday, but Kevin had no knowledge of the matter.
Franklin Johnson, the police chief, claimed it was an order from his superior, so Harold managed to find the superior he mentioned. To his surprise, that man, too, said it was an order from his superior and advised Harold not to probe further. It was then that Harold became utterly panicked.
“Could you please let her off the hook this time? Once Sierra is out, I promise she will apologize to you in person. Please, I beg of you,” Harold implored.
The students eavesdropping outside were shocked by his words and began to gossip in hushed tones.
“Is Sierra not out on bail? She’s still in jail?”
“That doesn’t make sense. Isn’t Lillian not the favored one at home? Why would Bradley go to such lengths for her, even risking a feud with the Terrell family?”
“The Wilson family can’t be that powerful. Harold came to the school to plead with Lillian personally. That doesn’t add up.”
“Is it possible that the Smith and Wilson families are working together?”
“I think the Wilson family is using this as an opportunity to take down the Terrell family. Otherwise, how could they be so ruthless over such a matter?”
Lillian felt that Harold wasn’t admitting his mistake. He said that only because he was afraid. “You should be talking to Bradley, not a student like me,” Lillian said, turning and leaving the office.
“See? I knew it! The Wilson family is using this as an opportunity to go after the Terrell family,” one classmate remarked.
Harold stood there, stunned. “Bradley?”
In the evening, Lillian returned home to find Bradley sitting on the couch with a bruise on his eye. Yetta was applying ointment to it. Upon seeing Lillian, Yetta immediately confronted her angrily. “Why did you tell Harold it was Bradley who did it?”
Because of Lillian’s words, Bradley was confronted by Harold at his office. Although furious that Bradley had played him for a fool and pretended to intercede on his behalf, Harold swallowed his pride for the sake of his daughter.
He apologized and pleaded, but Bradley stubbornly refused to admit it, insisting it wasn’t him.
In a rush for a meeting, Bradley, unable to clarify the situation, had his assistant entertain Harold, which was misconstrued as Bradley avoiding Harold out of guilt.
Already upset, Harold, in a fit of anger, grabbed Bradley’s arm, demanding an explanation. Unfortunately, the situation escalated, leading to a physical altercation between Harold and Bradley’s assistant, resulting in the current state of affairs.
Lillian said, “Would he believe me if I said I did it?” Then, glancing at Bradley, she sneered, “Besides, I was trying to save
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Chapter 29
your face.”
It was disgraceful for a father not to stand up for his daughter but to plead for the aggressor instead.
Yetta shrilled, “You’re doing this on purpose, trying to make the Terrell family hold a grudge against your father.”
Lillian admitted it outright. “So what if I am?”
Yetta was incredulous and furious. “There’s a limit to your mischief. How could you say things like that? Do you think this is your grandmother’s place?”
Before Yetta could finish, Bradley stopped her. He looked at Lillian and asked, “Did Harold give you any trouble at school today?”
Lillian was unmoved by Bradley’s concern, ignoring him as she walked towards the stairs.
Bradley asked again, “Is there no room for negotiation regarding Sierra’s matter? Even if it’s just a few less years?”
The sound of Lillian’s footsteps going upstairs was his only response. It was clear there was no room for negotiation.
“After all, they were classmates. Lillian wasn’t harmed in the end, was she? She’s so ruthless at such a young age, sentencing Sierra to decades in prison. That would ruin Sierra’s life,” Yetta said inappropriately.
Although Bradley also felt the punishment was excessive, in the end, Lillian was not in the wrong, so he spoke fairly. “That’s Sierra’s own fault.”
Yetta fell silent, thinking Bradley was holding a grudge because Harold had punched him.
“Now that Harold believes you did it, what are you going to do? If Lillian doesn’t let Sierra go, the Smith family won’t let her go either. If Sierra is really sentenced to so many years, Harold would retaliate,” Yetta said.
This matter involved more than one level of people in the police department. It was clear to everyone that Bradley didn’t have the strength for this. But Lillian grew up with her grandmother and could only rely on the Smith family and Bradley. Naturally, people assumed it was Bradley who did it.
Because of Lillian’s words, her conflict with a classmate escalated into a business rivalry. Bradley really couldn’t explain himself out of this one.
“Ever since we brought her into the family, there hasn’t been a moment of peace. It’s hard to tell if she’s intentionally trying to mess with us or if she’s just cursed,” Yetta muttered quietly.
Her eyes flickered as she deliberately said, “Didn’t the fortune teller say that things would be fine after that day?”
Seeing a slight change in Bradley’s expression, Yetta knew she was getting through and continued. “The fortune teller said it would be safe after that day, but it seems like we can’t really rest easy. She’s still a jinx, after all. Maybe… we should send her back to her grandmother’s place.”
She revealed her ultimate goal, saying, “Anyway, she’s not happy here. Every day, she either upsets you or argues with Yolanda and Mindy. The incidents she causes just keep getting bigger, and who knows what will happen next?
“Mike will be returning from abroad soon, and there might not be any peace then. Maybe we should talk to her. If she wants money or a house, that’s fine. Let’s just let her live separately from us.”
Bradley didn’t give any indication of his thoughts, so Yetta quickly added fuel to the fire. “We should ask for her opinion. Maybe she doesn’t want to stay here. She might be causing these incidents on purpose, trying to force us to talk to her so she can get more in negotiations.”
Bradley finally reacted and looked at Yetta. Yetta thought she had succeeded and was elated.
Chapter 29
But then Bradley stared at her, his voice deep and serious. “I don’t expect you to treat Lillian as your own daughter, but you should at least act like a responsible elder.”
Yetta instantly shut up.
5
Word got around the senior class that Sierra couldn’t be bailed out. Many students were torn between admiration and fear for Lillian. They kept their distance but were curious about her status in the Wilson family and her relationship with the Smith family.
Harold was on the move every day, either trying to pull strings or looking for Bradley.
Bradley was fed up with the harassment, while Lillian enjoyed a carefree life. But this peace didn’t last long.
On a weekend morning, Yale urgently informed her. “Samuel has been discharged from the hospital. Henry was captured by him and taken to the Lewis residence; he’s been out of contact, and I don’t know if he’s still alive.”
Lillian, whose sleep was disturbed, had only one thought at the moment: to take her sniper rifle and give Samuel another shot, sending him to hell once and for all.
“Henry in Samuel’s hands is as good as dead. With Samuel’s brutality in Neragion and Jerisburg, it would be a mercy if Henry only lost his life. If Samuel really likes men, with Henry’s looks, wouldn’t he be raped and killed? Lillian, you have to think of something!”
“Shut up!” Lillian said.
Lillian rolled out of bed and quickly got herself together. She opened her suitcase and fingerprint–unlocked a hidden compartment.
As the compartment opened, several finely crafted parts were revealed. Lillian quickly assembled some of them, and in no time, she had a small pistol in her hand.
