Chapter 5
As the grip on my hand loosened, Raina naturally broke free and turned to look, her face showing astonishment.
“Mila, is Kane actually your her?” Raina exclaimed.
The girls nearby whispered excitedly, “OMG, Kane is just as handsome in real life as he is online.”
“Someone asked, “Raina, didn’t you say Kane was supposed to handle your family’s case?”
I didn’t get why they reacted like this. I let my arms drop limply to my sides and curl my fingers inward. Suddenly, an overwhelming wave of embarrassment washed over me.
Well, the sweet and innocent image I worked so hard to build was now completely ruined. It was bad enough that Shane already disliked me. If Kane started hating me too, how am I supposed to survive here?
Camila clung tightly to Kane’s sleeve, her voice trembling with sobs as she tried to explain, “Kane, it’s not what you think. Ash didn’t bully me. I just… I’ve missed you terribly.”
I was speechless.
Seriously? Who even asked her that?
Kane lowered his gaze to glance at Camila, withdrew his arm impassively, and stated coolly, “I’m Ash’s brother.”
Camila froze, her tears abruptly stopping as she stood rooted to the spot.
www
After a long, awkward pause, she finally stammered, her voice barely above a whisper, “Kane, are you still angry with me?”
Kane ignored her and strode over, stopping right in front of me.
He was so tall that I only came up to his shoulder. I licked my lips and uneasily averted my gaze.
From above, his gentle voice drifted down. “Did anyone give you a hard time, Ash?”
I was stunned. Replaying the scene in my head, I never expected Kane’s first question to be this.
“Kane, how could anyone give her a hard time?” Shane strode over from the hallway, passing a tissue to Camila and shooting me a dirty look. “We all saw it. Ashley was the one acting all high and mighty.”
Kane shot Shane a sidelong glance, an icy glint flashing in his glasses. Shane immediately fell silent.
My gaze landed on Camila, who was clinging to Shane’s sleeve and sobbing. I couldn’t help but feel annoyed. Shane was such an idiot.
I gently poked Kane’s arm and blinked at him. “They had my phone smashed.”
His warm hand rested on my head as he said, “As long
that
T
“How can you be sure she’s not hurt?” A mocking laugh came from the stairwell, followed by the sharp click of heels.
Melissa flicked her shoulder–length curls and cast a disdainful glance at Raina. “You always gang up, and I can ignore that. But how dare you pick on my friend when I’m not around?”
Melissa said I was her friend?
That tone made her seem domineering and gave me an odd sense of security.
I couldn’t help but say, “We’re just lunch buddies…”
2
Melissa shot me a glare and then turned to Kane. “Check the security footage and determine liability. What do
Kane gave a firm nod. “Exactly what I had in mind.”
In just two sentences, Kane mapped out the entire plan and stepped aside to make a phone call.
4
you
think?”
Raina and her gang stood frozen like lambs to the slaughter, knowing every action reflected on their families. They could run, but their
families would bear the consequences.
1/3
My gaze drifted to where Shane stood. He was still comforting Camila.
“Ashley, you’ve really been keeping secrets, huh?” Melissa leaned against the railing beside me and blurted out.
“Keeping what secrets?” I replied.
Melissa snorted, “Come on, I could accept that Shane is your third brother, but you actually tried to fool me before by saying your eldest brother is just a lawyer?”
“He is a lawyer. I didn’t lie,” I replied, genuinely confused.
Melissa couldn’t help but shoot me a glare. “He’s Kane Hunter, the legal titan of Beverllie. There’s no case he can’t win. Even the mayor would have to show him the utmost respect.”
Legal titan? That was a big name.
Bewildered, I couldn’t help but stare at Kane as he ended the call and strode
grace.
Kane checked his watch and said, “Let’s move. Time to settle this.”
His figure was a perfect picture, exuding effortless
Ave
We soon arrived at the president’s office.
As the footage from the sky bridge finished playing on the projection screen, an eerie silence fell over the room.
The president cleared his throat and pushed a freshly brewed cup of coffee toward Kane. “I was just a prank between kids. An apology could settle this matter, right?”
Trey Evett, the CEO of Evett Group and Raina’s father, forced a smile from his seat. “Yes, we’ll cover all compensations. Let’s not let this incident strain our relationship.”
Raina erable
“Are they still kids?” Kane tapped his fingers on the table, glanced over with a sardonic smile, and said, “If I recall correctly, adults can be held criminally responsible, can’t they?”
Trey replied, “Come on, let’s not go that far.”
Melissa scoffed, twirling a lock of her curly hair around her finger. “A whole group ganging up on one person. Doesn’t that qualify as school bullying?”
Kane took a sip of his coffee and said, “It does.”
“Can intentional property damage warrant detention?” asked Melissa.
Kane replied, “Yes, it can
A few words were all it took to classify the incident.
“No, it wasn’t me,” Raina stammered, panic visibly spreading across her face.
Camila looked utterly flustered, her eyes brimming with anxious tears. “Kane, please don’t be angry. It’s all a misunderstanding. It’s my fault. Raina only did it because of me…”
Shane chimed in, “Come on, Kane, it’s just a minor squabble. Why don’t we just let it go?”
Kane coolly cast a glance at Shane and finally fixed his gaze on Camila. He said, “Ms. Dyson, now that you’ve returned to your real home, you have no further ties to the Hunter family. Please refrain from trying to associate yourself with us.”
“As for how to handle this…” Kane’s gaze softened as it landed on me. “Let my sister decide.”
All eyes abruptly shifted back to me, the person at the center of it all.
A strange warmth blossomed in my chest. Back at the Dyson family, I’d always been neglected and had never known what it felt like to have someone in my corner. Now, suddenly, my heart was overflowing with warmth.
“No need for detention,” I said with a smile. “Just compensate for the emotional distress and return the gifts I previously gave to Raina. That will be enough.”
All told, I was looking at a seven–figure compensation.
2/3
Raina suddenly snapped, “Ashley, are you ripping me off?”
All of a sudden, a sharp slap rang out.
I froze for a second and stared at Trey. Damn, the old man really packed a punch.
“Dad… You hit me…” Raina stammered, a bright red handprint instantly blooming across her cheek as her eyes welled up with utter disbelief.
Trey’s chest heaved with rage as he barked, “Apologize to Ms. Hunter.”
Kane finally rose from the sofa with lazy indifference and brushed imaginary dust from his sleeve. “I’ll reconsider our partnership with Evett Group. Let’s call it a day.”
Reading the room, I promptly fell in step behind him.
Now, it was Trey’s turn to panic. He chased after Kane for a few steps, only to realize Kane completely ignored him. Frustrated, he stopped in his tracks, pulled out his phone, and called the board.
“Kane, you’re amazing.” I gazed up at Kane’s chiseled jawline as I walked beside him.
Although Evett Group wasn’t as influential as Dyson Group, they were still a major player in Beverllie. For them to grovel over just one case only proved one thing–Kane was seriously badass.
Kane chuckled but said nothing.
Melissa turned to Kane. “So you’re really not taking Evett Group’s case?”
Kane replied, “No.”
Melissa smirked in satisfaction. Noticing my confusion, she began to explain, “The Evett–Hinson joint project hit a snag. Evett Group pulled some strings to bring Kane in, hoping to avoid paying compensation.
“I was a bit concerned at first, but as long as Kane stays out of it, we’re guaranteed to win this case. Don’t worry, we’ll sue Evett Group down to their last penny.”
Now I got why Trey was so desperate just now. After all, Kane was his only shot at winning the case.
I grinned from ear to ear. Suddenly, my heart swelled with pride.
“Thank you for today, Ms. Hinson.” Kane nodded to Melissa. He then ruffled my hair and said, “Let’s go home.”
I jogged a few steps to catch up and asked, “Where’s Zane?”
“He’s busy with surgeries this weekend. Won’t be coming home,” Kane replied.
A lightbulb went off in my mind, and I quickly asked, “Is Zane awesome too?”
Kane couldn’t help but chuckle as he looked at me. “Why don’t you ask him yourself?”
I pursed my lips and caught sight of Shane standing with Camila out of the corner of my eye. It seemed that he wouldn’t come home. That actually worked out perfectly for me.
After all, I’ve got something big to discuss with Dad.
3/3
