Chapter 107 This Time It's Her Turn to Threaten the Roberts Family
"You're saying Lily wrote the source code?"
After hearing this, David froze for quite a while before saying, "I... I had no idea?"
Besides, how could someone as young as Lily be that capable?
"David, I mentioned this to you before. You just forgot. Lily has quietly contributed so much to our family, but we've all overlooked it."
Michael was only now gradually realizing how ridiculously wrong he had been before.
David was somewhat speechless. "I thought you wrote the source code and she just helped out a bit."
He had assumed Michael was deliberately saying Lily wrote it just to humor her.
He never imagined it was actually true.
The secretary said anxiously, "Mr. Roberts, the tech department is out of options. What do we do? If word gets out, the group will be in serious trouble."
"What are those people in the tech department good for if they can't even match a young girl?"
David felt extremely embarrassed for a moment. He stared at Lily. "What are you trying to do? Just because I forgot you wrote the source code, you're getting revenge on me like this?"
He just forgot about it, that's all.
Was it really that important?
Lily was part of the Roberts family, too. What's wrong with making some contributions?
"Yes."
Lily admitted it quite straightforwardly.
Her gaze was ninety percent cold. "David, you don't have time to give me trouble right now. You're the one in trouble. I suggest you hurry up and find someone to fix this before all your trade secrets get leaked."
"Lily, how dare you? All these years, you've eaten the Roberts family's food, drunk the Roberts family's drinks—everything came from money the Roberts Group earned. And now you want to harm the Roberts Group? Do you have no conscience?"
Lily stood in the doorway, speaking coldly. "First of all, our parents left trust funds for each of us. My education expenses were all deducted from mine."
"Fine, fine, fine. Even so, all these years you've lived in the Roberts family, your food, clothing, housing, transportation—wasn't all of that provided by the Roberts family? Every birthday, we bought you expensive gifts. Don't those count?"
"Have you forgotten? Ever since our parents died, I stopped celebrating birthdays. Every time it was Sophie's celebration, and you bought expensive gifts for her. It had nothing to do with me."
"Nonsense. I clearly remember buying you an antique phoenix crown."
The corner of Lily's mouth curved coldly. "Sophie took that thing long ago."
"Impossible. That was a gift for you. Why would Sophie take it?"
David instinctively looked at Michael, his gaze questioning.
Michael answered somewhat guiltily, "David, that was also a misunderstanding. Lily and Sophie had a conflict before, and to apologize, Lily gave those things to Sophie in a fit of anger."
"Even as an apology, you can't regift something I gave you to someone else, can you? Michael, what were you thinking?"
David felt somewhat uncomfortable, too.
Lily pulled out an envelope filled with cash. "This is what I calculated—the cost of meals over the years, a total of one hundred thousand dollars. We're even now. I have nothing more to do with the Roberts family!"
An envelope of money was thrown into Michael's arms. His hands trembled as he didn't dare pick it up.
David's face turned iron-blue with anger. "Lily, don't think this means I won't dare discipline you."
Lily raised her head, her eyes ice-cold. "Mr. Roberts, I suggest you leave, or my next step will be to publish the source code of the Roberts Group's system. Then all of the Roberts Group's data will be taken by hackers out there.
Your competitors will probably be very happy."
David's whole body shook with anger. "You... you... very well! Lily, from today on, I, David, sever our sibling relationship. I will never forgive you, and I will never acknowledge you as my sister!"
"David! How can you say that!"
Michael quickly grabbed David. "She's our real sister! We promised Mom and Dad we'd take care of our only sister."
"But if it weren't for Lily, Mom and Dad wouldn't have died in that car accident!"
David's eyes were bloodshot with violence. "If I'd known Lily would turn out like this, Sophie's father shouldn't have saved her first back then—he should have saved our parents first!"
Images of the car accident from years ago seemed to flash through Lily's mind.
She could barely stand, forcing herself to lean against the doorframe.
But she couldn't remember what actually happened the day of the accident.
She just felt her heart being cut like a knife, unable to catch her breath.
David angrily took off his jacket. "Lily, you always think we favor Sophie, but we adopted her for you, to repay your debt. You not only caused Mom and Dad's deaths, but also Sophie's father's death. Since you want to leave, I'll grant your wish!"
After David finished speaking, he turned and left in the elevator.
"David, come back!"
Michael was both anxious and angry. He turned back to look at Lily. "Lily, David was just speaking in anger. Don't take it to heart."
Lily could barely stand.
Dennis stepped forward to support Lily's shoulder, his gaze concerned. "Are you okay?"
Lily shook her head and asked Michael hoarsely, "I still can't remember what happened the day of the accident. Did I really cause Mom and Dad's deaths?"
"No, it had nothing to do with you. The accident was just that—an accident. The perpetrator ran a red light and hit Mom and Dad's car. They were the murderer!"
When Dennis heard the word "murderer," something seemed to stab deep in his pupils, and pain spread through him.
Lily didn't quite believe it. "But that's not what David meant."
"David was speaking in anger. You know David's temper!"
Michael looked at Lily with concern. "What happened back then wasn't your fault."
Lily's eyes were cold. "Then can you say you've never blamed me?"
Michael's eyes immediately flickered. Of course, he had blamed her.
He pressed his lips together. "That's all in the past. You were still young then, and we weren't that old either. We didn't handle many things well. If I hurt you, I apologize, okay?"
Dennis's tone was mocking. "You, Roberts family people—besides moving your lips to apologize, what else can you do?"
"This isn't your business. Lily, I'm sincere."
Michael knew he hadn't done many things well before, but he recognized the problems now.
He would change.
Lily wiped her tears and looked at Michael. "Just go. I have nothing to do with the Roberts family anymore."
"Lily, let me explain..."
Dennis blocked Michael. "At this point, do you think you, the Roberts family people are qualified to ask for her forgiveness? All the harm you've done to her—can your flimsy apologies just sweep it all away?"
Michael's eyes reddened. "I... I really regret it."
He had tried to stop David and Austin, too.
Why couldn't she forgive him just once?
"If you really want what's best for Lily, then stop disturbing her life."
Dennis pushed Michael away and forcefully closed the door.
Michael was shut outside. His stomach transmitted severe pain, but it couldn't compare to his heartache at this moment.
Before long, Austin ran out of the elevator. "Michael, I saw David storm off, saying he was buying the nearest flight back to Empire City. It seems like something happened at the company. What about Lily? Is she okay?"
"She's fine. Let's go."
Michael wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and waved his hand.
"Just leave like this? Michael, didn't you say no matter what, you'd win Lily back?"
"Maybe staying away from Lily is the best choice. We're the ones who wronged her. We shouldn't disturb her new life."
Michael regretfully hit his head. "If only time could turn back. I would never let any of this happen."
Austin stood up and knocked on the door. "Lily, come out here! Michael is so sick and waiting for you outside. Are you just going to ignore him?"