Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 240: Chapter 240

"If there's nothing else, I'm leaving," Zoe said. "I'm in a hurry."
Seeing that Zoe clearly had no intention of listening to them—let alone forgiving Sophia—Samuel, Alex, and Simon all froze for a second.
Just as Zoe was about to turn around, Samuel quickly stepped forward and blocked her path.
"I know we can't undo what happened," he said, "but the one who actually killed those kids is already dead. My sister, at worst, was being malicious. She'll pay for that. But can't you forgive her, just once?"
"Yeah. We'll make sure she learns her lesson and stops hurting people," Alex added.
"We messed up, sure," Simon said, sounding a little bitter, "but didn't you, too? If you hadn't taken Shawn away and upset Sophia, she wouldn't have gone that crazy."
Zoe sneered.
"Zoe, give her a break," Samuel said. "Or name your terms. As long as you can forgive us—and Sophia."
But Zoe just laughed. "If I forgive you, who's going to stand up for those orphans? The ones with no family, no control over whether they live or die?
"So Sophia's life matters more, just because she was born lucky and has brothers who care? And those war orphans just deserve to die?"
Samuel had no reply.
Zoe went on. "Sophia was the one who leaked the orphanage's location to that arms dealer from Yaniston. You admit that, right?"
Samuel winced, wishing he could slap himself.
Back then, he had just casually mentioned that the world's top mercenary, Firefox, was funding that orphanage—he didn't know Zoe was helping out there too.
But Sophia found out anyway. Just an awful, stupid coincidence.
By all accounts, Samuel was also partly to blame, but he still argued, "Those kids are already dead. Even if you really kill Sophia, they won't come back. We can do anything else you want—just not that. Isn't that enough?"
"It's not enough! Not even close!" Zoe said. "When Sophia was destroying the lives of over three hundred kids, did she ever stop to think about what kind of life they had?
"Their world was nothing but battlefields, ruins, and smoke. Full of pain. They never had a single peaceful day. The wars started by adults crushed everything around them.
"They finally saw a bit of light—and then Sophia ended it all.
"They were fighting to survive. Even after losing limbs, family, and friends to war, they never gave up. Staying alive was their only hope.
"Did you know, one kid lost both arms, but had amazing talent for the piano? He worked non-stop, and with his feet, became a great pianist.
"And there was a blind kid who still managed to paint picture after picture. He painted doves—symbols of peace.
"Do you have any idea how much they wanted to live? How hard they tried to be part of this world? No! People like you, living in peace, have no clue.
"Dale Freeman, five years old. His country was torn apart by war. A bomb destroyed his whole village. He was the only survivor, but he lost his hearing forever. Still, he dreamed of being a singer. Every day, he practiced sight-singing and ear training.
"Rosalie Grier, eight. She was just a baby when enemy soldiers attacked. Her mom was blown in half—but before she died, she held Rosalie tight and saved her.
"She grew up carrying her mother's wish for her to live. Even though she had autism, she never gave up. With hard work, she finally found her place in the orphanage.
"Ben Jackson, seven. His parents were soldiers who died protecting their country. Ben was captured by enemy forces and lost both legs. Even as an orphan and a disabled kid, he stayed cheerful.
"He never gave up. Every morning, he woke up smiling, trying to comfort the other kids. He said, 'The meaning of my life is to bring joy to everyone.'"
Zoe rarely spoke this much at once. But her words hit hard—far beyond anything a few simple sentences could ever express.
Samuel, Alex, and Simon couldn't take the weight of it anymore. For the first time, they truly realized just how many strong, hopeful lives their sister had destroyed.
After hearing Zoe out, they were choked up, unable to say a single word. These were stories they had never heard—stories no one in their peaceful world had ever told them.
After a long silence, Samuel finally said, "I think... we know what we have to do now."
After parting ways with the White brothers, Zoe got in the car and headed to the research base in Jelonsburg.
Waiting for her was a group of elderly researchers—each a big name in their field. But now, they looked more like Zoe's assistants, all smiling at her with eager, almost flattering expressions.
"Ms. Evans, can you come take a look at my problem first? I think something's wrong with my engine, but I can't figure it out."
"Don't listen to him, Ms. Evans. His can wait—mine's urgent. We found a new mineral vein, but we still haven't figured out what kind of ore it is. It might be a brand-new type. We need your help."
"Cut it out, all of you. I've got patients waiting on me to save their lives. The medicine is almost done—we're just one step away.
"If you all know what's good for you, you'll move. If anything happens to those patients, it's on you!" said an older man with graying hair.
His voice was loud, and he still had plenty of strength. He shoved the other researchers aside and stood in front of Zoe by himself. "Ms. Evans, please, come with me first. Lives are on the line!" he pleaded.
These were the top researchers in Jelonsburg, all advanced in age—yet every single one of them showed deep respect for Zoe. If anyone else saw this scene, it would've caused a huge stir in Jelonsburg.
After all, no one would believe that a teenage girl could earn such respect from a group of world-class experts.