Chapter 23
Emily not only dodged Aiden’s hand but also slapped it away with her own.
The sting made him instinctively pull his hand back.
“Aiden, if you keep trying to get handsy, don’t blame me for not holding back. I’ve been dealing with the street since I was a kid, so I’ve got plenty of strength!” Emily warned, her voice icy.
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It was still the same thin face from before.
But now, Aiden saw nothing but unfamiliarity in her expression.
Could it be because of the misunderstanding from the last time Bianca was bullied, and she got upset?
Aiden frowned and softened his tone, “Emily, don’t be stubborn. I’m doing this for your own good. You know we have a partnership with the Reyes family. If they come after us, we need to give them an explanation. If you admit your mistake, they won’t be too harsh.”
“And if you don’t apologize now, the Reyes family might call the police. Do you really want to ruin yourself over this?”
“Call the police?” Emily raised an eyebrow. “Let them do that then!”
She would welcome it.
Even if they didn’t call the police, she would.
Aiden was furious at Emily’s stubbornness.
It seemed the Johnson family’s kindness and protection over the years had made her arrogant.
Hayden was right; she needed to face some hardships to see reality.
“If you won’t listen, you’ll regret it later,”
When that time came, even if she begged him for help, he wouldn’t easily agree.
Aiden opened the door to leave, only to come face–to–face with a uniformed officer.
As the heir to the Johnson family business, he quickly regained his composure after a moment of surprise.
“Who is Emily? We have a case of assault and need you to come with us to the station for investigation,” the officer said, showing his badge.
Aiden looked at Emily with a complex expression. “If you regret it now, I can still help you…”
“I’m Emily. Let’s go!” Emily didn’t wait for Aiden to finish. She calmly nodded to the officer and walked out first.
Her composed demeanor made it seem like she was going to receive an award.
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8:52 Tue, Oct 14
Chapter 23
Aiden’s face darkened.
He watched Emily’s back with a cold smile. She probably didn’t realize that with the Reyes family’s lawyer involved, she might end up spending some time in jail.
As she was “taken away” by the police from school, someone secretly took photos, adding new material to the already buzzing campus forum. The news spread from one department to the entire university and beyond.
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Even though the principal wanted to keep things quiet, hearing that the Reyes family was involved, he knew his efforts would be in vain.
He could only try to control the forum’s discussions and prevent students from spreading the news further.
Emily, unfazed, followed the officers to the station.
Byron’s biological mother, Sabrina, was so agitated upon seeing Emily that she tried to rush at her.
“You wretch! How dare you hit Byron? He’s bedridden because of you! Why don’t you just die? No wonder you were abandoned, you trash…”
Sabrina hurled insults at her.
Aiden, who had followed them, heard Sabrina’s words.
Emily was still part of the Johnson family, so Sabrina’s insults were indirectly aimed at them, too.
Eli was away on a business trip and was unaware of this yet.
Aiden, swallowing his pride, quickly tried to calm Sabrina down. “Mrs. Reyes, please calm down. Don’t worry, we’ll cover Byron’s medical expenses, and we won’t protect Emily for her mistakes.”
Sabrina’s anger was one thing, but her outburst was also a test of the Johnson family’s reaction.
“Emily, you think you’re so tough? Now you can face the consequences of your actions!” Hayden sneered, standing next to Bianca.
Bianca looked at Emily with concern. “Emily, before the case is finalized, you should apologize and seek Byron’s forgiveness. Maybe they’ll go easy on you. Otherwise, what will you do if you end up in jail?” She sounded like a caring sister.
Hayden, standing nearby, added, “Bianca, you’re too kind. She bullied you, and you’re still thinking about her. She deserves this!”
Aiden, with a stern face, lowered his voice and reminded Emily, “Now do you understand my intentions? You should listen to us; we’re all trying to help you!”
Emily sneered, “You all are such good family members. The charges aren’t even confirmed, and you’re already making me confess, afraid the Reyes family won’t have enough evidence!”
Sabrina’s face darkened. “What, you think you can deny it? Growing up in the streets, you’ve learned to be a rogue, but it won’t help you here. You dared to hit Byron; I’ll make sure you rot in jail.”
Emily laughed coldly. “Do you have any evidence? Just accusing me of hitting Byron doesn’t make it true.”
8:52 Tue, Oct 14
Chapter 23
She remembered that there were no cameras in the small grove.
That’s why Byron had taken Sophia there to bully her.
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“You think there’s no surveillance, but Byron’s injuries are real. Hayden is a witness, and so are many other students. They all saw you hit
him.”
Sabrina wasn’t speaking without reason; she had consulted with their lawyer and wouldn’t be easily swayed by Emily.
Emily’s cold gaze shifted to Bianca and Hayden.
Aiden hadn’t expected Hayden to testify against her.
But maybe he was considering the partnership between the two families and wanted to stand up for Bianca, who had lost her spot.
Of course, Aiden didn’t agree with it. No matter how wrong Emily was, it should have been handled within the family. Taking it outside would only disgrace the Johnson family.
Hayden met Emily’s gaze and snorted, “What are you looking at? I’m telling the truth. And I’m the witness, so why are you glaring at
Bianca?”
Emily cursed silently. ‘Fool.‘
Bianca had sold him out, and he was still backing her up!
She looked back at the smug Sabrina.
“Hayden has a grudge against me, so his testimony might not be valid. Did he mention who started it? If he lies, that’s perjury.”
Emily confidently smirked, her lips curling coldly. “Even if I hit Byron, it was self–defense.”
“Self–defense? You call it self–defense when Byron can’t even get out of bed?” Sabrina screeched.
Byron’s father, Isaac Reyes, also had a stern face, but he didn’t look at Emily.
To him, Emily was just a woman with no significance,
So he spoke directly to Aiden, “It seems Emily doesn’t realize her mistake. I can’t overlook this for the sake of our partnership. We’ll proceed according to the law.”
“Fine, Mr. Reyes, let’s follow the law. If Byron is faking his injuries, that’s a false accusation, and I can countersue. So, I suggest you take him to the hospital for an injury assessment.”
“Emily, stop talking and don’t make things worse! Aiden thought Emily didn’t understand the severity of the assessment and scolded her.
“Emily, you’re quite bold. Fine, we’ll have the hospital do a thorough assessment!” Isaac said, fuming as he and Sabrina prepared to leave.
Emily suddenly pulled a USB drive from her bag and said, “Mr. Reyes, I almost forgot. You might not have footage from the grove, but I
do!”
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8:52 Tue, Oct 14
Rebirth. Top Star Actress
