Chapter 174
Julie's POV
The hospital's fluorescent lights made everything look sickly pale. I rushed through the automatic doors, my heart pounding like a drum, the sound drowning out the chaos of medical equipment and urgent calls.
Harry sat alone on a plastic chair in the hallway, looking so small and helpless. His face was covered in purple bruises, with dried blood crusted around his nose. When he saw me, tears he'd been holding back flooded his eyes.
"Julie..." his voice trembled.
I knelt in front of him, gently touching his swollen cheek. "Oh God, Harry. How are you?"
"Ma'am?" A tired-looking teacher approached us. "Are you Harry's sister?"
I stood up, protectively placing my hand on Harry's shoulder. "Yes. Julie Brown. What exactly happened?"
The school's disciplinary director stepped forward with a grim expression. "There was an altercation this afternoon. Harry got into a fight with another student, Blake Morrison. The boy was hit in the head with a brick and required nine stitches."
My heart sank. "A brick?"
Harry's voice was barely audible: "I didn't mean to hurt him that badly."
"If you can't reach an understanding with the Morrisons, Harry could face disciplinary action," the director said.
"Harry," I said firmly, placing my hands on his shoulders. "You need to apologize to Blake's family."
He looked at me with those frightened big eyes. "But Julie—"
"No buts. Bow your head and say you're sorry."
Harry reluctantly lowered his head toward the well-dressed woman standing nearby—Blake's mother. "I... I'm very sorry."
Though my heart was breaking for my little brother, I knew he had to take responsibility for his actions.
The woman—Blake's mother—looked down at Harry with obvious disdain, then at me with barely concealed contempt.
"An apology isn't enough," she said coldly. "My son has a head injury. He could have been killed."
I also bowed my head. "I'm so sorry. Harry's just a child—he doesn't understand—"
"Don't make excuses for him."
Then Blake's father stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "We want compensation. One hundred thousand dollars."
The number hit me like a physical blow.
"That's..." I couldn't even finish the sentence.
"No money, no deal," the man continued. "Otherwise, we'll see you in court."
Harry suddenly stood up, his young voice filled with righteous anger. "I wasn't trying to hurt Blake! I was protecting the kids he was bullying!"
Everyone turned to look at him. His face was flushed, tears streaming down his cheeks, but his voice was strong.
"Blake has been collecting 'protection money' from five or six elementary students for months. Today he hit a little girl who couldn't pay. I saw it and I got angry. I didn't plan to hurt him—I just wanted him to stop!"
The words poured out of Harry. "He was hurting other people, and nobody was doing anything about it. So I did something. I'm sorry I hurt him, but I'm not sorry I stopped him!"
Harry looked at me with guilt and pain in his eyes. "I'm sorry for getting you involved in this mess, Julie. I know we can't afford this money."
---
Andrew's POV
I'd been standing back, observing this entire pathetic scene with growing disgust. Not disgust at Julie or her brother—but at the Morrisons and their obvious power play.
This should have been beneath me. A bottom-feeder dispute between poor people and middle-class bullies. I would normally walk away without hesitation, never looking back.
But watching Julie's face crumble when they demanded that amount, seeing that kid Harry stand up and defend his sister so sincerely—something twisted in my chest.
The Morrisons weren't seeking justice. They were predators.
I'd seen this dynamic countless times in business. Rich people using their resources to crush anyone who dared inconvenience them. Usually, I was on their side.
Not tonight.
"One hundred thousand dollars," I said, stepping forward. "That's an interesting number."
Both parents looked at me with sudden interest, probably calculating my net worth based on my clothes and watch. I could practically see the dollar signs in their eyes.
"And you are?" Blake's father asked.
I felt Julie's warning gaze burning into me, but I ignored it. These people thought they could destroy a family because they had money and connections. Time to teach them what real power looked like.
I deliberately pulled out my cigar case, taking my time lighting up.
"You're so desperate for money—did your family go bankrupt or something?" I blew smoke in their direction, watching their faces change.
The shift was immediate. Their predatory confidence wavered.
"Are you going to help pay or not?" Blake's mother demanded, but there was uncertainty in her voice now.
"Oh, I'll help," I said. "I'll help you understand what leverage means."
I turned to Harry, studying the kid's bruised face. "Did you attack Blake on purpose?"
"No," Harry said firmly. "I was trying to save the other kids."
I looked back at the Morrisons. "Interesting that you didn't call the police. You came straight to the school to pressure them instead. Why is that?"
I saw Julie catch on immediately.
"I think we should call the police right now," she said, her voice growing stronger. "Let them handle this properly."
The disciplinary director looked like he was about to have a panic attack. "Actually, the Morrison family has connections to our board of directors. For the school's reputation, it would be better if we handled this privately..."
There it was. The corruption laid bare. These people had been getting away with this because they had the school administration in their pocket.
Julie hesitated, and I knew she was worried about her brother's academic future.
I smiled the same smile I used when preparing to destroy a competitor.
"Then let's call the police anyway. And while we're at it, I'll contact some journalists I know." I paused. "I think they'd be very interested in a story about systematic bullying, extortion of elementary school children, and how certain families use their board connections to cover it up."