"Saira, put your hand on your heart and ask yourself: who wronged whom? Who bullied whom?"
"From the day I came home, you've been deliberately picking on me, framing me, and inciting your friends against me. Do I need to recount everything that happened in detail?"
"Let's not even talk about the past. Just today, in the cafeteria, who started the provocation? If I hadn't fought back, you would have smeared my name all over by now."
"Even though I fought back, I couldn't escape your tactics. You spread false rumors online to ruin my reputation and now you come to me, pretending to be innocent and pitiful. According to you, it's as if I'm forcing you, persecuting you."
"Tell me, where's your shame?"
Zuri's words hit the four girls like a barrage of bullets, leaving them speechless. The surrounding students, upon reflection, realized that it was true. From beginning to end, it was Saira and her friends who targeted Zuri. Now, they came over playing the victim, making many feel nauseous.
"Saira and her friends are so disgusting."
"The guilty party complains first. They target others everywhere and still claim they're being bullied. Who's bullying whom?"
"I used to like Saira, but now... ha!"
"Zuri's been through a lot these days. In hindsight, it's likely that Saira and her friends orchestrated everything."
"Highly possible. Otherwise, why would Zuri, who just started school, be targeted out of the blue? She's not some poor student with no background."
"Analyzing it this way, Saira is too revolting. What goddess? More like a venomous snake."
"Zuri is truly pitiful. Saira enjoyed her life, and now she still bullies and targets her. It's tragic."
"Natalie and her friends are such fools. Saira isn't even the Lin family's true daughter, so why are they still sucking up to her?"
"You don't get it. Some people are used to being sycophants. They can't change overnight."
"Haha, that's spot on."
The murmurs came from all directions, reaching the ears of Saira and her friends. They had never been humiliated like this before, and their faces turned beet red.
"Who are you calling a sycophant?" Natalie angrily turned to the crowd, trying to find the person who spoke but couldn't identify anyone.
Seeing her anger, the surrounding students fell silent.
Just then, a voice dripping with nonchalance came from the back of the crowd.
"They're right. You are a sycophant."
As everyone turned to look, they parted to reveal a goth girl dressed like a gangster, with a lollipop in her mouth. She walked coolly, with metal chains around her waist that jingled with her movements.
Natalie's face turned even redder when she saw who it was. "Azura, don't go too far."
Azura chuckled. "No matter how far I go, I'm not as shameless as you."
Her eyes swept over the four girls, and she leaned in slightly, sniffing exaggeratedly, then made a face of disdain. "I smell something fishy on you."
Naya, dark-faced, retorted, "Azura, how dare you insult us? We haven't done anything to you."
Azura blinked innocently. "Your backstabbing and deceitful tactics aren't fishy enough?"
"You..."
Even with her strong composure, Naya was infuriated by Azura's words.
"Ring, ring!"
The bell for class rang, and the surrounding students dispersed.
Under everyone's gaze, Saira and her friends left in embarrassment.
Azura glanced at Zuri. "You're the Lin family's newly returned daughter. Not bad looking, the Lin family hit the jackpot."
"Class is starting," Jason said, looking a bit frustrated at the only girl still standing in the classroom. He knew who she was but had never met her in person. She was famous, a member of the Ye family from the capital. No one else in the academy dressed like this.
"Boring." Azura muttered as she left, her colorful hair swinging, and the metal chains clinking with her movements.
"That's Azura. I've never seen her before."
"I almost thought Azura knew Zuri."
"I've heard of her last year but never seen her."
"They say she didn't attend school for a whole semester. No, she came just for one day."
"Azura and Kaden, could they be siblings?"
"What are you thinking? Azura is from the Ye family in the capital. Kaden's background is nothing compared to hers. They're not even on the same level."
"Why did Azura come to Oceanic City?"
"I heard she was kicked out of the Ye family because she's an illegitimate child."
The classmates chatted animatedly, ignoring Jason's lesson.
Jason tolerated it for a while, but as their chatter grew louder, he turned and slammed his desk. The classroom instantly fell silent.
"It's class time. If you want to chat, do it after class."
When they finally quieted down, Jason resumed his lesson, but he had barely started when the murmurs began again. Jason's face darkened with frustration.
Just then, a cold voice cut through the chatter from the back of the classroom.
"Shut up!"
Everyone's eyes turned to Zuri. This time, no one dared to make a sound.
Back at the Lin household, Dalia was arranging flowers in the small garden. Seeing her daughter return, she smiled. "Saira, you're back."
"Yes," Saira replied, her voice choked with emotion.
Noticing her distress, Dalia immediately put down her scissors. "What's wrong? Did someone bully you?"
"Mom, why can't you be my real mom?" Saira cried, hugging Dalia tightly.
Dalia's heart sank. "Did someone say something behind your back?"
Saira shook her head, remaining silent.
"Was it Zuri who bullied you?"
"No, it's not that. Mom, don't blame her. It's my fault. I shouldn't be here, making her unhappy." Saira sobbed.
Dalia's face darkened. "What did she do to you?"
Saira shook her head, denying it.
Under Dalia's persistent questioning, Saira reluctantly revealed the 'truth'. "Natalie is my friend. She sued Natalie. Yes, Natalie was wrong, but it wasn't serious enough for a lawsuit. I asked her to back down, but she humiliated me in front of everyone."
Saira burst into tears again, and the servants, hearing the commotion, looked on with suspicion.
Saira, leaning on Dalia's shoulder, had eyes brimming with tears. Yet, there was no sorrow in her gaze, only deep-seated hatred.
She had never felt as humiliated as she did today. More and more people were now looking at her not with the previous admiration and reverence, but with ridicule, mockery, and disdain.
And it was all because of her.
Her arrival had destroyed her life, had ruined everything she had.
Hearing her sobs, Dalia felt heartbroken. Her daughter, who had always been pampered, had never cried so bitterly before.
"Don't cry, don't cry, mommy will make things right," Dalia comforted her gently, patting her back.
The distinct roar of a supercar echoed from afar and soon entered the courtyard, pulling into the garage. Zuri, with a backpack slung over one shoulder, walked around the courtyard towards the house. As she reached the entrance, Arianwen kept signaling her with her eyes.
"Madam is very angry. Second Miss, brace yourself," Arianwen warned in a low voice.
"Arianwen, is she back?"
Dalia's voice came from the living room.
"Yes, yes."
Zuri walked past the living room, heading upstairs.
"Stop."
Zuri turned around to see her mother's displeased face looking at her from the living room.
"What did you do at school today?"
"Nothing."
"You're lying!"
Dalia was furious. A daughter like this, full of lies and lacking manners, irritated her just with a glance.
"The Ji family and our Lin family have a cooperative relationship. Uncle Ji is your father's friend. How could you sue them over such a trivial matter? How is your father supposed to face Uncle Ji in the future?" Dalia suddenly softened her tone, her voice becoming gentle.
"What lawsuit?"
Aaron walked into the living room and gestured for Zuri to sit down.
"Aaron, Zuri had a minor conflict with that girl Natalie. Zuri, without considering the gravity, directly sued her. Tell me, over such a small matter, taking it to court, what does that look like?" Dalia said gently.
"You sued Natalie?" Aaron's sharp eyes fixed on Zuri.
Zuri glanced at her mother, a cold smile in her heart.
How much she resembled Saira!
Always downplaying the key points, emphasizing her actions, subtly distorting the facts.
Her mother's defense and affection for Saira were so intense that it could twist the truth and tarnish her own daughter.
"Yes, I did," Zuri admitted straightforwardly.
"Withdraw it," Aaron ordered firmly.
"I won't withdraw it."
"Child, why don't you listen to your father? He wouldn't harm you. Don't be stubborn, listen," Dalia coaxed gently.
Her refusal had already displeased Aaron. Now, hearing his wife's words, his discontent with Zuri grew even stronger.
"Don't you care about the reason?"
"No matter the reason, I told you to withdraw, so you withdraw," Aaron commanded coldly.
What serious matter could involve children that warranted going to court?
Zuri laughed silently.
Her father was always so authoritarian, never asking for the reasons, acting solely on his own will. Never considering if she might get hurt in the process.
How selfish to the extreme!
Yet, this man was her father.
"If I withdraw, the Lin family's reputation will be ruined. Are you sure you want to withdraw?"
"What do you mean?"
Aaron cared about two things most: his company and the Lin family's reputation.
"Natalie spread rumors online, slandering me with false accusations of a chaotic private life, pregnancy, abortion, and other negative news. I am part of the Lin family. While my reputation being tarnished doesn't matter, the Lin family's reputation would be trampled underfoot, becoming the subject of public ridicule and gossip."
"To silence everyone, issuing a statement is useless. The only effective way is to use legal means to defend our rights. This would not only shut everyone up but also deter anyone from using such methods to defame the Lin family in the future."
"Though I don't understand business matters, I know one thing. If a company is tarnished, it will be harder for it to advance compared to other companies. Reputation is crucial for a business."
"I once read a report in a magazine about a century-old company whose stock value plummeted by billions due to continuous scandals from its descendants. The family business fell from the top position to third or fourth and gradually declined."
"When the incidents occurred, the company's top management didn't take them seriously, thinking they were minor issues that could be suppressed or resolved with statements. Even though it seemed there were no losses at the time, it actually planted the seeds of danger for the future."
Hearing this example, Aaron immediately thought of a famous company in H Country. She was probably referring to it.
Zuri had said so much just to convey one point: any scandal, no matter how small, must be dealt with strictly. Otherwise, one day it will explode and become a dangerous seed that could destroy the Lin Group.
Aaron fell into deep thought.
Dalia smiled, "It's just a small issue, not as serious as you say. You're making a mountain out of a molehill."
A small issue?
To her mother, her own daughter being defamed like this was a trivial matter.
The words cut deep as always, sharp and merciless, stabbing straight into her heart.
"This is not a small issue," Zuri retorted seriously.
"Children's matters are never that serious. Zuri, you're overthinking it."
Whether she was overthinking or not, she didn't know.
What she was certain of was that Aaron would definitely think more about it.
Even if the lawsuit was eventually withdrawn, her purpose was achieved.
She had successfully planted a seed deep in Aaron's heart, waiting for it to sprout and grow strong.
By then, Saira or Christian, whoever they were, could go to hell.
Aaron took her words to heart, but suing over this issue seemed excessive and could make others think it was an overreaction. However, he couldn't let it slide either. He had to find another way to resolve it.
"Withdraw the lawsuit. Tomorrow, I'll have the Ji family girl apologize to you."
"Fine, but I think she should apologize in front of the entire school. After all, if the lawsuit is withdrawn, people might think we're guilty and there really was such a matter."
She conceded, and her words made sense. Aaron nodded in agreement.
"I'll explain everything to Uncle Ji."
Seeing the outcome, Dalia hurried upstairs to share the good news with Saira.
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