It wasn't just Winston Frank who panicked.Once the other ingrates in custody finally realized they might actually be going to jail, fear spread through the holding cells like a virus.
They all suddenly wanted one thing:
Mediation.
The only hope they had left was for Jason Carter to forgive them.
And naturally, before proceeding with interrogation, the police had to contact the victim's side — Julia and Jason.
As the police dialed Jason's number, Winston and the others stared with desperate hope.In their minds, they still fantasized about negotiating.
Some were willing to return a little money.A few — only a handful — were willing to return the entire amount.But more than half?
They didn't want to return a single dollar.
In their warped logic, once the money was in their hands, it was theirs forever.
The call connected.Only two sentences were exchanged before the officer hung up.
Winston rushed forward, eyes filled with hope."Officer, what did he say?"
The officer replied calmly:
"Julia and Jason refuse mediation."
A woman in the group blurted out, "Did you tell them we're willing to give back a hundred thousand?!"
The policeman raised an eyebrow.
"I told them. Their answer remains the same. Even if Winston returns every penny, they still refuse. Even if you return the money tenfold, they still refuse."
He added, voice steady but firm:
"Don't misunderstand.They don't care about your money.It's you who need their forgiveness — not the other way around."
Winston's vision blurred, and he nearly collapsed.
The ingrates who were hoping to mediate by returning only a fraction of the money felt panic rise in their throats.
But unbelievably, most remained indifferent.
Ignorance and arrogance — a deadly combination.
Winston's parents were prime examples.
His father snorted, "Frank, don't worry. They're bluffing. That money was given voluntarily — how can they call it extortion? They can't put us in jail."
His mother chimed in smugly, "Exactly! I'll contact a lawyer. Why should we return money we already received? Jason Carter is just trying to scare us."
A middle-aged woman added sarcastically, "We got the money fair and square. Why would a court punish us for that? Let's just hire a lawyer."
Mills sneered too, "Even if I don't know one, I can hire one. Money talks."
And hire lawyers they did.
But once the lawyers arrived and reviewed the situation, their faces immediately darkened.
One attorney put it bluntly:
"Without mediation, you're looking at 3 to 10 years minimum for felony extortion. For some of you — especially those with prior threats — sentencing could be on the high end."
He added, nodding toward Henry Lang and Dave Miller:
"And you two are in far deeper trouble. You caused serious physical injury. That's aggravated assault with severe bodily harm."
Henry and Dave turned ghost-white.
The lawyer continued:
"That charge alone can mean 10 years to life. Combined with extortion? You're looking at decades."
Henry nearly collapsed.
Dave's lips trembled uncontrollably.
The ingrates finally understood the truth
It was ending their harassment forever.
Only now did they understand the officer's earlier words:
"It's not about how much you return. They don't care about money.It's you who must beg them — not the other way around."
Once Caleb arrived at the precinct, his first instinct was the same as every other panicked family:beg for mediation.
After the police contacted Jason Carter and Julia, mediation was firmly rejected.
Still unwilling to accept reality, Caleb immediately applied for bail, gathered his son and secretary, and rushed straight to the hospital.
The moment they reached the third floor, the first thing they saw was Julia unscrewing a thermos and gently pouring hot water for Jason.Her movements soft, her expression warm — the quiet intimacy of a devoted wife.
That single image hit Caleb Jr. like a knife to the chest.
His jealousy surged like a tidal wave.
He had prepared himself mentally to apologize, but seeing Julia tenderly caring for another man — the man he had tried to sabotage — shattered every defense he had.
He had wanted to force Julia into depending on him.
Instead, he had nearly killed her mother...and pushed Julia directly into Jason's arms.
Realizing he'd become the unwitting matchmaker for the man he hated most made the bitterness inside him unbearable. But the possibility of facing jail time forced him to swallow it down.
Caleb, Cai., and the secretary approached.
Caleb Senior bowed slightly and spoke first, going straight to the point:
"Mr. Carter, Miss Julia… let me begin by apologizing for my son's foolish behavior. But I must clarify something so there are no misunderstandings. My son did instruct those people to create some disturbance — but only a small one. He never ordered them to harm anyone. The assault on your mother was entirely He Lang and Dave Miller's own reckless behavior."
Caleb Jr. quickly added, "Julia, I lost my head. I just… I liked you too much. I panicked and made a mistake. I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt. It was those ingrates who went overboard."
Julia's hands tightened into fists.Her breathing sped up.Her shoulders trembled slightly with rage.
Jason immediately took her hand, grounding her, steadying her emotions.He looked at the Cai father and son with an icy calm that carried far more pressure than shouting.
Jason didn't pretend he fully understood Julia's years of hardship — but he understood enough.
Her father nearly died from his illness, draining every cent the family had.Her mother ran the factory alone, working herself into exhaustion.Julia worked part-time just to stay in school.And all the while, more than a hundred ingrates harassed her family daily — banging on the factory doors, blocking their home, harassing her on-campus.
They endured.They survived.Finally, things were getting better.
And just when they were climbing out of the mud…Caleb Jr. hired people to tear everything down again.
Her mother almost died.Her father collapsed from stress and landed in the ICU.
Their family was seconds away from being destroyed forever.
And now this man came to shrug it off with
"I only did it because I liked you too much."
Jason's expression hardened.
Cai noticed Julia relaxing the moment Jason held her hand — and how she turned toward him instinctively, trusting him completely.
His heart twisted with jealousy.
"Julia, I—" he began, voice trembling.
Jason cut him off coldly:
"Stop playing innocent.See you in court."
Cai's composure cracked.
"Who the hell are you? I'm talking to Julia. You don't get to speak for her!"
But before Jason could reply—
"Yes."
Julia's voice was soft, gentle, but firm enough to snap something inside Caleb Jr.
Just one word.But that single word held all her trust — and her choice.
Caleb Jr.'s breath stuttered. His face flushed scarlet. His pride shattered into pieces.
Caleb Senior stepped in before his son could explode.
"Mr. Carter," he said, trying to sound reasonable, "I understand your anger. But the later escalation by those ungrateful people had nothing to do with my son. Even without him, they might have acted the same."
He continued, changing tactics:
"Still, we should acknowledge our part. As a gesture of goodwill, we're willing to pay all of Ms. Liu's medical expenses. The perpetrators should pay, yes — but we'll handle it."
He straightened his shoulders, adopting the tone of an experienced negotiator.
"As the old saying goes, better to make a friend than an enemy. Mr. Carter, there's no need to press this so hard. One should leave room where possible."
"I, Caleb, have some influence in Savannah. If you ever want to expand here, I can help arrange things. There's even a project worth several million I can connect you with immediately."
Ah.
There it was.
A mix of threat and offering.Old underworld style disguised as negotiation.
Jason stared at him — then laughed, cold and sharp.
"Several million?" Jason said. "That's what you bring to the table? You think that's enough to buy mediation?"
His eyes sharpened.
"You think your family is qualified to call itself my 'enemy'?"
Caleb Senior's expression stiffened.
Jason leaned forward slightly.
"You're not."
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