Betrayed, Then Back For Blood - Chapter 82: Chapter 82
You are reading Betrayed, Then Back For Blood, Chapter 82: Chapter 82. Read more chapters of Betrayed, Then Back For Blood.
"... Is she your girlfriend?" The director of the Education Bureau asked nervously.
Ashton froze for a moment, then gave a faint smile and said, "Who told you that?"
Hearing the amusement in Ashton's voice on the other end of the line, Peter Connell's expression became more serious. "It doesn't matter who told me. I just need your answer."
Though honestly, Ashton didn't even need to give him any answers. The fact that he didn't deny it said enough. Even if Briar wasn't his girlfriend now, she would be in the future.
Ashton lit a cigarette and said, "Mr. Connell, no matter what my relationship with Briar is, if someone has reported it to your bureau with solid evidence, shouldn't you be handling it impartially? Don't let the people down."
Peter nearly choked from Ashton's fake righteousness. "Alright, got it. I'm hanging up."
Peter was fuming inwardly. 'Doesn't he just want me to investigate it thoroughly? Why dress it up like that?'
However, his call was not completely fruitless. At the very least, he confirmed that the rumors flying around Shoneport were true, and Ashton really was interested in Briar.
Peter picked up Briar's file again, lingering on the line that said she was eighteen. He clicked his tongue and sneered, "This punk!"
Since she was Ashton's future girlfriend, Peter knew he had to handle the matter strictly by the book.
So, he put down the file and dialed the landline on his desk. "Adam, come in for a minute."
Meanwhile, Briar dragged Ellen back to her house. As soon as they entered, Ellen admitted her mistake without even changing her shoes. "I'm sorry, Briar."
Briar bent down to grab a brand-new pair of pink slippers from the shoe cabinet, gesturing for Ellen to wear them. Then, she kicked off her own shoes and walked to the couch in her socks. "So, what did you do wrong?"
Ellen changed into the slippers and followed Briar to the sofa, looking so aggrieved that she was about to cry. "I was wrong for only crying when I was bullied, instead of fighting back."
With five bank cards in her hand, Ellen was so ashamed that she could not even raise her head.
"Yes, and what else?" Briar took out a can of candy from under the coffee table, peeled a candy, and popped it into her mouth. The sweet and creamy flavor quickly spread in her mouth, easing her irritation.
Ellen sat down carefully and said, "And... I shouldn't have kept quiet. I should've told you right away."
Briar glanced at the girl, knowing full well Ellen had been bullied for a long time, and her personality wouldn't change overnight. "Yes. It's good that you've realized your mistake. You're still a minor. Whenever something happens, you should go to your guardian for help first."
Ellen nodded obediently.
"Your brother's still not back in the country. So I'm your temporary guardian.Anyone who messes with you messes with me. And my people never get bullied and stay silent." Briar said it patiently.
Ellen nodded as if she understood. "So I can fight back? What if... I really shut them up?"
Briar explained, "If someone shuts you up, that just means you're weak.If you shut them up, that's skill. As for whether you hurt or cripple them—that's not your problem. Your brother will handle it. Got it?"
Ellen's eyes lit up. "Got it! Got it!"
"I'm glad you understand. It's noon. Order two takeaways and go to the fridge to get some blueberries and cherries and wash them." Briar felt zero guilt about bossing around a minor.
"Okay!" Ellen replied quickly.
She stayed at Briar's place until evening. Only after dinner did she head home. By the time she left, all the negative emotions had basically disappeared, and she was skipping as she walked.
Once Ellen was gone, Briar called Ian, summarizing the important parts of what had happened that day.
Ian had a short fuse. The moment he heard that his sister cried from being bullied again, he started swearing over the phone, threatening to have those kids taken out.
Briar said angrily, "Alright, control yourself. You're not even back to Dasmieca and you're already causing trouble? Are you trying to scare your sister to death?"
Ian said reluctantly, "Fine! I'll control myself."
As for to what extent, that would depend on his mood.
"I already stood up for her. The five students and that homeroom teacher won't get off easy. As far as I'm concerned, this ends here for now." Briar knew Ian wouldn't take this lying down.
"Okay," Ian finally muttered and quieted down.
Late at night, Briar curled up in the swing chair by the window in her second-floor bedroom, laptop in hand, fingers flying across the keyboard. With the auction coming up in a few days, she had been browsing the Hacker Alliance's leaderboard every night, picking up a few quick, low-effort jobs to earn some fast cash.
She got so caught up in her work that she lost track of time and eventually dozed off, curled up in the chair with her laptop.
The next morning, when Ashton arrived at Briar's gate, he was greeted by a picture-perfect Sleeping Beauty moment.
The girl's hair fell loosely over her shoulders, her side profile bathed in the soft golden light of dawn—misty and ethereal. One of her hands rested lazily outside the swing's armrest, exuding a kind of quiet allure.
Ashton stood silently at the gate, head slightly tilted up as he watched her. Coming from an elite family, he had seen his share of beautiful women—but only Briar, with her pure yet striking looks, managed to captivate him like this.
Suddenly, Briar opened her eyes and met Ashton's unwavering gaze. His eyes, usually calm, now carried a cold, bottomless stillness like a frozen lake.
Ashton froze for a second, then casually raised his hand and waved at her. Feeling no embarrassment at all that he'd been caught watching her sleep, he mouthed, "Briar, come eat breakfast."
Briar read Ashton's lips and raised her eyebrows silently. After a moment, she nodded, stretched her curled-up limbs, and carried the computer into the bedroom.
In less than 20 minutes, Briar changed his clothes and walked out while tying her hair. "Mr. Wade, what's wrong? Are you planning to handle my breakfast from now on?"
Her morning voice was still a little raspy.
Ashton's lips curved faintly as he said, "A teenage girl needs three regular, balanced meals a day. Otherwise, you won't grow taller."
Briar glanced up at the obvious 8-inch height difference between them. She wanted to argue, but the words got stuck in her throat, so she only snorted heavily.
That drawn-out little hum went straight to Ashton's heart, making it flutter. He held back a smile and tried to comfort her. "You're only 18. There's still room for you to grow taller."
Briar didn't respond.
To make it up to her, Ashton personally warmed up a glass of milk for her. Briar drank it with clenched teeth.
She thought while glaring at the man, 'Hmph! So what if you are tall?'
Her sulky expression made Ashton chuckle.
Ashton froze for a moment, then gave a faint smile and said, "Who told you that?"
Hearing the amusement in Ashton's voice on the other end of the line, Peter Connell's expression became more serious. "It doesn't matter who told me. I just need your answer."
Though honestly, Ashton didn't even need to give him any answers. The fact that he didn't deny it said enough. Even if Briar wasn't his girlfriend now, she would be in the future.
Ashton lit a cigarette and said, "Mr. Connell, no matter what my relationship with Briar is, if someone has reported it to your bureau with solid evidence, shouldn't you be handling it impartially? Don't let the people down."
Peter nearly choked from Ashton's fake righteousness. "Alright, got it. I'm hanging up."
Peter was fuming inwardly. 'Doesn't he just want me to investigate it thoroughly? Why dress it up like that?'
However, his call was not completely fruitless. At the very least, he confirmed that the rumors flying around Shoneport were true, and Ashton really was interested in Briar.
Peter picked up Briar's file again, lingering on the line that said she was eighteen. He clicked his tongue and sneered, "This punk!"
Since she was Ashton's future girlfriend, Peter knew he had to handle the matter strictly by the book.
So, he put down the file and dialed the landline on his desk. "Adam, come in for a minute."
Meanwhile, Briar dragged Ellen back to her house. As soon as they entered, Ellen admitted her mistake without even changing her shoes. "I'm sorry, Briar."
Briar bent down to grab a brand-new pair of pink slippers from the shoe cabinet, gesturing for Ellen to wear them. Then, she kicked off her own shoes and walked to the couch in her socks. "So, what did you do wrong?"
Ellen changed into the slippers and followed Briar to the sofa, looking so aggrieved that she was about to cry. "I was wrong for only crying when I was bullied, instead of fighting back."
With five bank cards in her hand, Ellen was so ashamed that she could not even raise her head.
"Yes, and what else?" Briar took out a can of candy from under the coffee table, peeled a candy, and popped it into her mouth. The sweet and creamy flavor quickly spread in her mouth, easing her irritation.
Ellen sat down carefully and said, "And... I shouldn't have kept quiet. I should've told you right away."
Briar glanced at the girl, knowing full well Ellen had been bullied for a long time, and her personality wouldn't change overnight. "Yes. It's good that you've realized your mistake. You're still a minor. Whenever something happens, you should go to your guardian for help first."
Ellen nodded obediently.
"Your brother's still not back in the country. So I'm your temporary guardian.Anyone who messes with you messes with me. And my people never get bullied and stay silent." Briar said it patiently.
Ellen nodded as if she understood. "So I can fight back? What if... I really shut them up?"
Briar explained, "If someone shuts you up, that just means you're weak.If you shut them up, that's skill. As for whether you hurt or cripple them—that's not your problem. Your brother will handle it. Got it?"
Ellen's eyes lit up. "Got it! Got it!"
"I'm glad you understand. It's noon. Order two takeaways and go to the fridge to get some blueberries and cherries and wash them." Briar felt zero guilt about bossing around a minor.
"Okay!" Ellen replied quickly.
She stayed at Briar's place until evening. Only after dinner did she head home. By the time she left, all the negative emotions had basically disappeared, and she was skipping as she walked.
Once Ellen was gone, Briar called Ian, summarizing the important parts of what had happened that day.
Ian had a short fuse. The moment he heard that his sister cried from being bullied again, he started swearing over the phone, threatening to have those kids taken out.
Briar said angrily, "Alright, control yourself. You're not even back to Dasmieca and you're already causing trouble? Are you trying to scare your sister to death?"
Ian said reluctantly, "Fine! I'll control myself."
As for to what extent, that would depend on his mood.
"I already stood up for her. The five students and that homeroom teacher won't get off easy. As far as I'm concerned, this ends here for now." Briar knew Ian wouldn't take this lying down.
"Okay," Ian finally muttered and quieted down.
Late at night, Briar curled up in the swing chair by the window in her second-floor bedroom, laptop in hand, fingers flying across the keyboard. With the auction coming up in a few days, she had been browsing the Hacker Alliance's leaderboard every night, picking up a few quick, low-effort jobs to earn some fast cash.
She got so caught up in her work that she lost track of time and eventually dozed off, curled up in the chair with her laptop.
The next morning, when Ashton arrived at Briar's gate, he was greeted by a picture-perfect Sleeping Beauty moment.
The girl's hair fell loosely over her shoulders, her side profile bathed in the soft golden light of dawn—misty and ethereal. One of her hands rested lazily outside the swing's armrest, exuding a kind of quiet allure.
Ashton stood silently at the gate, head slightly tilted up as he watched her. Coming from an elite family, he had seen his share of beautiful women—but only Briar, with her pure yet striking looks, managed to captivate him like this.
Suddenly, Briar opened her eyes and met Ashton's unwavering gaze. His eyes, usually calm, now carried a cold, bottomless stillness like a frozen lake.
Ashton froze for a second, then casually raised his hand and waved at her. Feeling no embarrassment at all that he'd been caught watching her sleep, he mouthed, "Briar, come eat breakfast."
Briar read Ashton's lips and raised her eyebrows silently. After a moment, she nodded, stretched her curled-up limbs, and carried the computer into the bedroom.
In less than 20 minutes, Briar changed his clothes and walked out while tying her hair. "Mr. Wade, what's wrong? Are you planning to handle my breakfast from now on?"
Her morning voice was still a little raspy.
Ashton's lips curved faintly as he said, "A teenage girl needs three regular, balanced meals a day. Otherwise, you won't grow taller."
Briar glanced up at the obvious 8-inch height difference between them. She wanted to argue, but the words got stuck in her throat, so she only snorted heavily.
That drawn-out little hum went straight to Ashton's heart, making it flutter. He held back a smile and tried to comfort her. "You're only 18. There's still room for you to grow taller."
Briar didn't respond.
To make it up to her, Ashton personally warmed up a glass of milk for her. Briar drank it with clenched teeth.
She thought while glaring at the man, 'Hmph! So what if you are tall?'
Her sulky expression made Ashton chuckle.
End of Betrayed, Then Back For Blood Chapter 82. Continue reading Chapter 83 or return to Betrayed, Then Back For Blood book page.