Chapter 56: Defending What, Exactly?
Asics
Ben expected Lily to continue her relentless attack, but after a brief conversation with the police,
she left. Left?!
In the car, Ben and Amy were both speechless, while John poured water for Lily and wiped her hands with a tissue–utterly attentive.
“That’s it?” Ben exclaimed.
Amy echoed his frustration.“Those teachers were awful! And that’s all?” As the car left WestDragon Mountain, they grew restless. Wasn’t there a mastermind behind all this? This abrupt ending was unsatisfying.
“First, let’s address our agreement. Andy’s school event is in five days. We’re all going.” Ben’s expression showed resistance. It was a pre–arranged condition, but he reluctantly “agreed.“Fine.”
Lily narrowed her eyes. Was there tension between her son and Andy? The argument at the auction had involved all three children.
“As for the training camp, it’s not over.” Her words recaptured their attention. “Those people were awful, but the mastermind is worse.” Ben clenched his fist. He wanted to find whoever had plotted against him.
“During my conversation with Director Moore, he admitted to targeting Ben for payment.”
“Amy, why did I speak to Director Moore privately?”
Amy thought for a moment.“Because only in a private conversation would Director Moore reveal the truth. In public, he wouldn’t admit to something like that.”
“Exactly!” Lily gave Amy a thumbs–up; her usually self–centered daughter was learning to consider other perspectives.
Amy’s lips curved upward; she’d soon be as skilled as Lily!
“Why did Director Moore push Jack and the others forward? To shift blame; it becomes a conflict between classmates.”
“What good is it to punish the teachers? We need to target the mastermind; even Director Moore was just a pawn.”
Lily continued, “My agreement with Director Moore was to address the false advertising and refund the tuition. Once students withdraw, they’ll have extra teachers, and they’ll need to find a way to deal with them.” The unqualified teachers would be fined; they wouldn’t find work in similar institutions, and Director Moore, while seeming to have escaped, had damaged his relationship with the base. He’d caused them trouble, and no matter what they called each other, the loss of profit mattered more than anything.
Lily slowly explained the situation. It might seem like they’d let them off easily, but those involved would face long–term consequences, which couldn’t be directly attributed to the Janson *Lamily. Superficial revenge was meaningless; a long–term strategy was far more effective.
Ben and Amy were silent. They’d never considered this approach. In the past, their reaction would have been immediate and direct. They’d expected tears, apologies, and forced compliance. But Lily’s solution was far more satisfying in the long run.
Director Moore said Lin San, his junior high school classmate, had paid him two hundred
14.9%
Chapter 56: Defending What, Exactly…
thousand doallars to handle this.” Director Moore, thinking it was just dealing with a child, readily accepted the money. He clearly hadn’t expected the consequences. “Next, we investigate Lin San and the person you met at the marathon. Your father will handle that,” Lily delegated the task to John,
Ben looked at Lily with a complex expression. “Why do you have the same name as my mother? He knew her name and that she was his father’s girlfriend, but he still pursued the question. He was genuinely curious about this woman’s sudden appearance.
“Suspicious?” Lily asked. Ben and Amy both nodded. They still didn’t fully understand her, this woman who commanded her father’s obedience. Where had she
had she come from?
Lily smiled.“Want to know more? We’ll spend more time together. You’ll find out eventually.”
Ben and Amy each had their own homes; they rarely visited the Janson residence. The staff were surprised to see them both staying there.
Amy was home because of her break–up with Hanson. She’d taken out her SIM card and avoided contact. Now, having cleared things up and posted her announcement, her friends were curious, so she decided to avoid them.
Ben had no choice. The base incident showed that someone was plotting against him. His classmates and friends were all suspects, so he preferred to wait for his father to investigate. He stayed with Amy.
Ben asked Amy why she was in Boston. To avoid mentioning Hanson, she changed the subject.
“When are you me back?”
paying
Ben:…His sister had become surprisingly petty!
After he transferred the money, Amy said, “Oh, I forgot to mention. Your allowance is getting cut next month.”
Ben’s eyes widened. That amount was barely enough! He was planning a trip to L Country to see- his favorite basketball player!
“It’s her rule, and Dad agrees.”
Ben’s intention to confront his father stopped. He knew arguing with Lily would be futile
“We’ll talk about that after the school event. I’ll definitely fight for my rights!” He tried to maintain his dignity.
Amy didn’t refute him, harboring no expectations. She couldn’t beat Lily; neither could her brother. Defending what, exactly?
The siblings settled into a peaceful routine. Unbeknownst to them, chaos was brewing elsewhere.
