Chapter 24
The slap stung! I stared at Jason, his figure suddenly looming large. I hadn’t expected him to grab my hand and slap Lucas.” Silence fell.
Sophie felt a surge of satisfaction seeing Lucas struck. He wouldn’t forgive Lina now.
Lucas’s eyes were bloodshot.“Lina! You dared to hit me?” Wasn’t she afraid of his anger?
I calmly retracted my hand. It had felt good.“You hit me; I returned the favor. Is there a problem?”
“But I’m your brother! I was preventing you from saying something wrong, from causing trouble! It’s not the same!”
Lucas, proud and self–respecting, hadn’t expected a slap from me, even after his apology. It was humiliating. He also shifted to wolf, facing off against Jason.
Jason’s lips curled in sarcasm.“What wrong words? What trouble?”
Lucas looked at Sophie, indignant.“Sophie was emotional. If Lina provoked her, she might have hurt herself!” He hadn’t done anything wrong. Lina was cold and lacked family feeling. Even winning the match didn’t justify harming family!
Jason looked at Sophie, his eyes cold and dark.“We’ve been talking for a while. If you were going to kill yourself, why haven’t you done it yet? What are you waiting for?”
Sophie was taken aback by his harsh words. He was quite aggressive in wolf, but she hadn’t wanted to die. When did Lina. become close to this sarcastic school doctor?
She was embarrassed, unsure what to do with the razor blade. She tried again, eyes red.“I… I was just anxious…”
“If you’re anxious, find a private place. But using suicide to threaten someone is wrong!”
Sophie burst into genuine tears.
I was exhausted. I looked at Jason.“Let’s go.” I didn’t want to waste more time.
Nathan frowned.“Where are you going?”
“It’s my business.”
“But you’re a minor. As your guardian, I have the right to know your whereabouts, and you can’t just leave with a strange man!” He eyed Jason suspiciously. Had this man influenced her recent changes?
Lucas blocked my path.“Nathan’s right. You’re young. Don’t be fooled by a smooth–talking man.”
Nathan glared at Jason.“If you forcibly take Lina, I’ll report you for luring a minor.”
I was angry.“He’s not luring me; I want to leave!” I couldn’t stand the suffocating atmosphere.
Nathan said, “Lina, I know you’re in your rebellious phase, but you’ll understand I’m doing this for your good!”
Jason sneered. “For Lina’s good? So every time there’s a conflict, she has to compromise and apologize? She’s always made to suffer, always gets hit, and has to be understanding? Keep that ‘good‘ for yourselves!”
Nathan was speechless, finally realizing he’d neglected Lina. She’d always been obedient and quiet, so he thought she didn’t mind. He hadn’t been a good brother.
Pack Enforcer and a lawyer arrived.
The lawyer said, “I’m Ms. Ashford’s lawyer. Given the repeated violence from her family, we’ve submitted evidence, and she’ll be escorted to a safe place.”
I was surprised. I hadn’t hired a lawyer! Had Jason?
< Chapter 24
He met my gaze, calm and reassuring.
Lucas was furious.“What’s this? We’re her guardians. What right do you have?”
The lawyer stopped Lucas.“Sir, Ms. Ashford has applied for personal safety protection. You’re ordered to stay away from her for six months. Further actions against her will result in legal proceedings.”
Lucas was speechless, angry and guilty. Nathan felt defeated. He realized he might lose his sister. He pleaded, “Lina, I haven’t been a good brother. You’ve been wronged. Don’t do this.”
I slowly looked up, my eyes clear.“Forget it.” It wasn’t necessary.
I turned and left. Nathan’s throat tightened, his eyes welling. He’d hurt her. She wouldn’t trust him anymore, wouldn’t return
home!
Lucas panicked. She couldn’t leave! She was their sister!“Nathan, do something! She can’t leave! We’re a family!” What about
the finals?
Nathan gave a wry smile.“Knowing that, why did you hit her?”
Lucas was speechless. He’d hit her first! He regretted his impulsiveness. But it was because of Sophie! She amplified his emotions through her movement and mindlink.
He turned to Sophie.“Why did you do something so dangerous?”
“Lucas, I wanted Lina to calm down and join the team. I was doing it for you.” She was trying to avoid blame.
Lucas found it ridiculous. “Self–harm makes her calm down? You were morally blackmailing her!”
Sophie’s expression froze. Lucas had suddenly become clever!
Nathan tried to mediate.“Lucas, stop.”
“Brother, it’s true! Sophie didn’t use self–harm to pressure Lina; she did it on her own, causing this whole mess!”
Lucas realized something was wrong.
Sophie shrunk back, saying pitifully, “Lucas, I’m sorry. I was desperate. I won’t do it again. I’ll apologize to Lina.”
Lucas softened slightly. But thinking of Lina, he felt a pang of sadness. Sophie was her usual cheerful self again.
She inwardly hated Lina. The self–harm tactic would’ve worked, driving a wedge between Lina and Lucas. But that doctor had ruined it all!!
Sophie’s eyes gleamed.“Brother, what’s Lina’s relationship with that doctor?”
Nathan’s expression was complex. “I don’t know.”
“Brother, I’m worried Lina will be tricked. We’re wealthy and powerful; that doctor might be trying to climb the social ladder.”
Lucas frowned.“That doctor? He’s not worthy.”
Nathan’s eyes were cold. “I’ll have someone bring her back and make that doctor disappear from FirstQuarter Pack.” The
Ashfords weren’t to be trifled with.
Sophie’s eyes flickered. Without the doctor, Lina would be her old, vulnerable self.
But the men returned with bad news.“Mr. Ashford, we can’t find Miss Ashford or the doctor.”
Nathan panicked. Lina was gone?
