Withdrawal
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.