From Ruin She Rose novel Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Emily turned to Sean and Lydia, her voice sincere. “Mr. Sinclair, I’m sorry for fighting with you. Ms. Bennett, I’m sorry for pushing you.”

She meant it—more sincerely than she’d ever meant the forced apologies her “classmates” at St. Gabriel Reform Academy had wrung out of her.

She just wanted to be done with the Bennetts. As long as it could make them leave her alone, she didn’t mind admitting to things she’d never done.

After all, ever since she turned eighteen, she’d lost count of how many times she’d been forced to confess to things she hadn’t done.

Emily’s sudden apology caught everyone off guard. They’d all thought she’d stay stubborn.

Since she refused to bow, they assumed she’d shout that she was right and scream that they were framing her, and maybe even snap at them for siding with Lydia, just like always-why did she back down now?

They stared at Emily, who stood there, like she was waiting for their next move. The anger that had been blazing a second ago slowly fizzled out of their faces.

Lydia’s face contorted uncontrollably. She stepped forward, took Sean’s hand, and squeezed it gently. “Sean, she apologized. We should let this go. She said sorry so quickly, like she was afraid we’d back out-she must be sincere.”

Sean snapped out of it and patted her hand. “You’re too sweet. She didn’t apologize that fast because she’s sincere. She did it because she’s scared.”

Lucas caught on too, nodding. “Exactly. She’s terrified I’ll get that hotel footage. She doesn’t want the whole town to know what she did. That’s why she caved so quickly when she heard an apology would end this.

“But I’m not buying her act. I’m getting that footage today, and I’m sending it straight to the media. Everyone’s going to see who she really is.”

Sean’s face stiffened. ‘Why bring up the footage again? And he even wants to send it to the media.

Before he could figure out a way to shut that down, Lydia grabbed Lucas’s hand, stopping him from using his phone. “Lucas, don’t be stupid. Sean and I can take it. But if the media gets that footage, it could mess up the company.”

She dropped her voice. “Dad doesn’t run the company much these days, but it’s his life’s work. If something goes wrong, he’ll blow a fuse, and that’s not good for his health.”

Her words sounded like concern for Gale’s health, but they were a warning to Lucas: if this messed with the business, Gale would lose it. Even though she’d kept her voice low, everyone heard.

Matthew sighed. “Lydia’s so thoughtful, willing to take unfairness for her dad’s sake. Mr. Gale Bennett, you really have a wonderful daughter.”

Helen nodded. “I wish I had a daughter like that. Instead, I got a troublemaker boy.”

Emily listened to their cozy little chat, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. But the others were too busy gushing over Lydia to

notice.

Clearly, they weren’t gonna let Emily off easy.

Sean turned to her, his voice dripping with righteousness. “Emily, you’re not weaseling out of this today. Lydia’s too kind to

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Chapter 44

hold a grudge, but I’m not. Bow and apologize to both of us. Or I’ll make you.”

“What are you going to do?” Emily eyed him warily. Her face went pale, and she instinctively took a step back.

She’d heard “I’ll make you” too many times before. Every time, it meant some cruel trick from those “classmates.”

Sean stared at her with that same creepy look-the one from her nightmares about those “classmates.”

“Nothing,” Sean said, a nasty grin on his face. “Just want you to bow and apologize to me and Lydia.”

Instead of acting, he turned to Gale. “Checking those security cameras would damage Bennett Group, and I don’t want that. But Emily needs to learn her lesson.

“Someone as stubborn as her won’t change unless she gets a real wake-up call. Otherwise, she might do something even worse. And by then, she might not get lucky enough to run into people like us Sinclairs-people who’ve got Bennett Group’s back.

“I get it. You spent eighteen years raising her, and you just can’t bring yourself to punish her. But I can help. After all, I’m the one who got hurt the worst today. And it’ll help Lydia feel better too.”

Already fired up over Emily’s attitude, Gale nodded without hesitation. “Okay. Think of it as helping you get even. Give her a good lesson.”

He thought to himself, ‘Sean’s got a point. This time it’s the Sinclairs, who are on our side. But what if it were our rivals next time? Who knows what kind of damage that could do?’

Emily’s face went white. She glanced around instinctively.

Matthew and Helen looked indifferent; Gale and Emma wore disappointed scowls; Sean’s eyes blazed with hate; Andrew stood off to the side, cold as stone; Lucas looked smug, like he was enjoying this; Lydia hesitated, but didn’t lift a finger to help.

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