The legal team they assembled wasn't just there to talk; they had already begun moving.
Their first step was to file the case with the Savannah Police Department and request an official injury assessment.
The results came back fast:
Julia's mother had sustained an open skull fracture — classified as a Level 2 Severe Injury.
Most people online didn't understand how serious that was.
They imagined "minor injury" meant scratches or bruises. They imagined "severe injury" meant serious but survivable.
But no.
A "minor injury" under medical legal standards includes things like losing one testicle.
A Level 2 Severe Injury meant:
She was one step away from dying.
After the report was filed, the police were required to register the case. Normally, this took a week or more.
But the legal team's connections made it smooth;the case was officially registered the same day.
Partly because of influence, partly because the situation was simply that serious.
At the same time, Olivia began leveraging media power.
She contacted New Vision Media. Within hours, articles, videos, and short documentaries flooded the internet.
Their family's story exploded like wildfire.
Julia's dad sacrificing his entire life to help impoverished children…The shameless harassment from ungrateful relatives…The violent assault on Julia's mother…
Public outrage reached a boiling point.
Public pressure wouldn't determine the verdict — but it would absolutely accelerate every legal step.
Once a story becomes a nationwide firestorm, even local authorities must handle it cautiously. Suppressing it would be seen as corruption, and the backlash would multiply.
Meanwhile, in a massive luxury villa across town…
Cai paced angrily in his private gym.
After thirty minutes of pounding the sandbag, his temper had not cooled.
"These useless idiots!" he roared. "I told them to stir up trouble — not send someone to the hospital! Do they not understand the difference?!"
His family was considered influential in Savannah. He never intended for things to go this far. He just wanted to hurt their family financially until Julia had no choice but to come begging.
Then he would swoop in like a "saviour," forcing her to accept him.
But instead?
Those reckless, greedy relatives went completely out of control — pushing her mother so hard that she nearly died.
If anyone traced this back to him…
His reputation? Ruined.His family? Pulled into scandal.Julia? She would hate him more than anyone alive.
The door opened and his secretary hurried in.
Cai demanded impatiently, "Well? What did you find out?!"
The secretary's face was pale and grim.
"Mr… we're in serious trouble."
Cai froze.
The secretary continued:
"First, although you didn't show up in person, the trail wasn't covered well. And you warned Robert, which exposed your involvement. A simple investigation will link everything back to you."
He swallowed hard before speaking again.
"And second… this is no longer a minor disturbance. This resulted in a severe injury. That alone makes the case extremely hard to suppress."
Cai's jaw tightened.
But the secretary wasn't finished.
"And the worst part…"
He hesitated before continuing.
"The person helping Julia… Jason Carter… he's not simple."
Cai scoffed. "He's just some college kid who spends money!"
The secretary shook his head.
"We couldn't uncover his full background. That's how deep it is."
Cai's expression shifted.
The secretary pressed on:
"But from what we did uncover… it's terrifying."
"He owns massive assets in the Pacific Coast region.""He's in charge of a government-backed redevelopment project."
"And he seems to have a close relationship with high-ranking officials. Maybe even the mayor."
Cai's face twisted in disbelief.
A random university student… with that level of influence?
The secretary added one final blow:
"We believe that even though Jason Carter isn't local to Savannah…he's powerful enough that we cannot underestimate him."
The gym fell silent.
And for the first time…
Cai felt fear.
"Furthermore," the secretary continued, "he's already taken action. And those greedy people have walked straight into his trap. They rushed to the hospital to pressure Julia, and Jason Carter immediately gave each of them sixty thousand dollars."
Cai Lawson's pupils contracted.
"Sixty thousand… each?" he repeated. "If there were over a hundred fifty of them… that's more than nine million dollars. Is this Jason Carter insane with money?"
The secretary shook his head.
"… he's not a fool. He's brilliant. He's setting up a trap so perfect it's terrifying."
He explained:
"Those people have been extorting Julia's family for years. Showing up at their doorstep, sabotaging their workshop, blocking the entrance to their home, even harassing Julia at school. That is legally extortion."
"And this time, they rushed into the family's workshop, committed violence, caused severe injury, and then demanded money. That's textbook felony extortion."
"And by accepting sixty thousand dollars each? They've escalated it into a far more serious crime. Now there's no way for them to talk themselves out of it. They'll have to spit out every cent—and then go to prison. Minimum three years. Some could get ten or more."
"And you…" The secretary's voice dropped. "You are the instigator. The more severe their sentences are… the more severe yours will be."
Cai's expression froze.
"You mean… he's willing to burn nine million dollars just to set a trap? Even if he gets it back later, there are still risks once it's spent!"
"Jason Carter's personal assets are estimated at several billion," the secretary said gravely. "And that's not counting his background. That man is not simple. And I fear this storm is only beginning. We must prepare now—before things become uncontrollable."
Just then, the secretary's phone buzzed. He picked it up, listened, and his pupils rapidly shrank.
He immediately opened several news apps—TikTok, trending search lists, aggregated media feeds. His face darkened instantly.
Cai's voice grew sharp. "What now?"
The secretary exhaled shakily.
"… this incident has exploded online. Not just the hospital attack—everything. There's clearly capital boosting the exposure. The narrative has gone national."
"Those greedy people—the whole internet despises them. And your name… has already been tied to the incident."
"The bigger the public outcry, the more damage. At a certain point… even your father may not be able to suppress it."
Cai's temper burst.
"I only met those idiots once! And I explicitly told them to just cause trouble—not hurt anyone!"
"Our defense will argue that, of course," the secretary said. "But people won't see it that way. Judges may not either. And the public security bureau… well, they'll naturally side with the victim under this pressure."
He spoke with grim clarity:
"My earlier intuition was correct. This storm has only begun. Jason Carter is aiming to destroy you."
"Mr Cai, we cannot delay. If we wait until the court summons us, it may already be too late."
He began listing steps rapidly:
"First, cut ties with those greedy troublemakers immediately. Gather evidence showing you only intended minor harassment—not injury. Make sure it's clear that their later actions were their own."
"Second, pay all of Julia's mother's medical bills in full. And offer additional compensation—before we're forced to. Try to seek forgiveness. Even if they refuse, the gesture reduces sentencing."
"And third—prepare to humble yourself. Especially toward Jason Carter. That man is not someone you can afford to offend."
Cai's face twisted in humiliation and rage.
He had been monitoring University for weeks, spying on Julia's interactions with Jason.
He hated Jason.Jealous.Powerless.Competing with him felt like punching the sky.
And now, he had to bow his head to him?
Cai slammed a fist into the sandbag with a furious roar.
Just then—
DING DONG.
The sudden ring of the doorbell froze him in place.
A moment later, the housekeeper sprinted into the gym.
"Mr Cai—police officers are here to see you."
Both Cai and the secretary stiffened.
The secretary whispered, "Impossible… it hasn't even been twenty-four hours… The case was filed today…"
Then he realized it.
Jason was moving faster than they imagined.
And far more ruthlessly.
The storm hadn't begun.
It was already here.
There are 150 chapters ahead in my Patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
patreon.com/B_A_3439