Chapter 12 I merely responded with a neutral "Oh," and said I was just passing by to take a quick look before heading off. My mom panicked, gripping my hand tightly. "What's the rush? You haven't even seen your dad yet. Do you know he wasn't just ill? He was attacked!" I raised an eyebrow. "Who would dare attack him?" "Leila!" My mom spat through gritted teeth. "That ungrateful wretch teamed up with our competitors to try to steal confidential files. Your dad caught her red-handed. "And do you know what she did? She shamelessly beat him up on the spot and stabbed him in the shoulder with a fruit knife!" That was bold. I almost laughed but instead asked calmly, "Did you call the police? Leila should be in jail by now." My mom shook her head. "We decided to handle this ourselves. Leila is no longer part of this family. She's dead to us!" "Is that so? Well, go ahead and handle it then," I thought. Noticing the time, I decided to leave. My mom chased after me, begging me to stay for dinner. She assured me my dad and Shane would be home soon after bringing my dad out of the hospital. Before I could respond, they both returned. My dad was wrapped in bandages, his face ashen. Shane looked furious like he was ready to kill someone. When they saw me, both of them smiled. My dad greeted me warmly. "Carol, you're back! I shouldn't even be out of the hospital yet, but I left early just so I could see you." I gave a slight nod but said nothing. Shane extended a hand for a handshake, his expression lightening with humor. "Miss Carol Lowe, the pride of Crownridge University and a rising star. Welcome to our humble abode!" He thought he was being funny. I felt a bit dazed. So, the cold and aloof Shane actually had this side to him? 1/3 In both this life and the last, after all these years, it was my first time seeing it. When I didn't respond, Shane looked a little awkward and uneasy. My mom quickly smoothed things over. "It's so rare for the whole family to be together. Come on, let's go inside and have dinner." They all surrounded me, ushering me toward the house. I glanced at the time again and shook my head. "No, I don't want to miss the sunset." I left anyway. After watching the sunset over the ocean, I returned to Crownridge University. Now in my senior year, I teamed up with a few friends to embark on a startup journey. The road was far from easy, but it felt meaningful. By the second year of my master's program, our efforts finally paid off. I earned my first real income-one hundred and sixty thousand dollars. Life grew even busier. With both my studies and my business taking up my time, I often fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. I completely ignored the news coming from home. By the time I graduated with my master's degree, my partners and I officially launched a company. We didn't make a fortune, nothing compared to my wealthy family, but the independence and sense of achievement made it all worthwhile. It was around this time that I saw Leila again. She came to find me alone. The moment she saw me, she slapped me across the face. Luckily, I reacted in time and blocked her slap. Otherwise, I would've ended up with a swollen face. Without saying a word, I slapped her back. She wasn't quick enough to dodge and ended up seeing stars, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. 2/3 +25 Bonus She spat on the ground and snarled at me, "The whole family has abandoned me. Are you happy now?" I pulled out a tissue, wiped my hands, and stayed silent. She clenched her teeth. "Carol Lowe, you've won. I never imagined that distancing yourself from the family was part of some master plan. Retreating to advance-such a ruthless strategy!" I glanced up at her, exasperated. "Have you ever considered that maybe I distanced myself from the family for my own sake?" "Bullshit!" Leila's eyes were bloodshot with fury. "Mom and Dad cut ties with me. Shane even hit me in public. It's all because of you! They love you now! They don't love me anymore!" I shook my head and called the police. The officers arrived and took Leila away. After finishing my statement at the station, I made a quick call to let my mom know what had happened.