Reborn To Ruin Her Rivals - Chapter 40: Chapter 40

The world was cruel, but it taught Arielle to survive. Every time she'd been bullied before, she'd ended up trampled underfoot, begging for mercy without dignity.
She'd been their doormat—licking shoes, barking like a dog, too terrified to fight back by Sharon's "good girl" conditioning.
That constant compromise only emboldened them, letting their cruelty run wild. Today? She was taking a little revenge.
Alex watched others grovel before Samson and guessed the truth: 'This man's power outclasses us all.' She seethed in silence, determined to uncover his background.
Samson turned to John. "This isn't over, Mr. Smith. My sweetheart was bullied—they must apologize, or I'll sue."
His gaze swept the group, lingering on their bruised faces. Seeing Arielle unscathed finally eased the knot of worry in his chest.
On the phone, Arielle had only said she'd gotten into a fight with classmates. And she needed an uncle at the station for show, with one condition that he would not back down.
'Back down? Me? Never,' Samson scoffed inwardly. Seeing the injured students, Samson had to admire Arielle's sheer grit.
'Taking on a whole group alone? Impressive. If only she were truly my niece,' he thought wistfully, 'someone would carry on everything I'd built. But—'
His thoughts were cut short by Alex's shrill accusation, finger jabbing towards Arielle. "Look at her! Not a scratch! Our kids are hurt—we deserve apologies!"
Samson's eyes narrowed. He disliked Alex's grating voice, the rude pointing, the flying spittle. All bluster, no manners.
Samson barely knew Arielle, but he understood her character. 'These people even speak rudely to a stranger. They must deserve it.'
Samson turned to glance at Arielle, who looked perfectly unbothered. He thought, 'An eye for an eye. Just like me in my youth.'
Another parent stepped in, trying to smooth things over. "Mrs. Anderson, please, calm down. Kids roughhouse! Don't take it out on the children."
After all, Samson was a top-tier figure in Theoria, no one dared offend. More parents chimed in, eager to appease the looming threat Samson represented.
They pushed for reconciliation, dropping all claims, even suggesting a conciliatory dinner to strengthen ties.
Seeing her supposed allies cave, Alex fumed silently. Swallowing this injustice was bitter, but she had no choice.
John breathed a sigh of relief. This truce was the best outcome. 'Students fighting again? The same students, freshly patched up? I swear, I'm quitting teaching!' he thought desperately.
The boys' parents handled things brutally. A sharp slap, a rough kick, and their sons instantly cowered, muttering apologies. Boldness vanished under paternal authority.
The girls, however, turned away, stubbornly resisting. Olivia's mother snapped, "Come on, apologize now!"
Olivia, leader of the Four, was incensed. 'Apologize? To her? No fucking way. I'm the victim! And I'm your daughter! Why are you taking her side?' she screamed inwardly.
"Are you serious? She nearly ruined my face!" Olivia protested. "Why should I apologize?!"
"You are rational now? Would you tolerate someone calling you those things?" she said.
Olivia was left speechless. She would have killed anyone who insulted her like that. But when it came to Arielle, she couldn't swallow the defeat.
'The rumors about her were true! Everyone knew it! I'd just read the truth out loud; I hadn't done anything wrong,' she screamed inwardly.
But under her mother's stern gaze, Olivia caved. She stomped over to Arielle, spat out a stiff, resentful "Sorry."
The other girls, radiating reluctance, followed suit with equally insincere apologies.
The parents then turned their groveling towards Samson. He remained stern-faced, radiating icy displeasure.
He thought, 'Cheap apologies for bullying Arielle? They got off lightly. These entitled brats needed a harsher lesson.
'Kindness invites bullying. And weakness is an invitation. They feast on it.'
Samson made no claims to sainthood. He even considered himself, by conventional standards, a bad guy.
But his code was clear: never target the innocent. Cross him, however, and the price would be severe.
Ten minutes later, the forced apologies concluded. Only then did the tension ease slightly from Samson's brow.
After a curt nod to John, Arielle left with Samson. They climbed into a high-profile luxury car, flanked by bodyguards in escort vehicles.
The other parents exchanged uneasy looks—some breaking into cold sweats. 'Samson's anger was palpable.'
Whispers erupted as soon as the cars were out of sight:
"How is Mr. Lowery connected to the Bradfords? Arielle's uncle?"
"That's weird. Mrs. Bradford's brother is a Dalton, not a Lowery. I've met him; definitely not Samson."
"So what's the deal? Someone of Mr. Lowery's status wouldn't use a fake identity."
"Who cares? Distant relative, probably. Something obscure."
"Exactly. I need to have a serious talk with my son. Thank goodness he didn't ruin us."
News of the fight, the police station, and Arielle's dramatic exit swept through the school.
Everyone expected Arielle to be torn apart by angry parents or expelled in disgrace. Her downfall seemed inevitable.
Instead, the opposite happened: Arielle hadn't apologized once, walked away scot-free, and even made the victims apologize to her.