Chapter 248

Haynes couldn’t take it anymore. He interrupted Jasper with a deep, steady voice.

“Jasper, enough. Stop with the nonsense.”

Jasper retorted, “I’m not spewing nonsense! I’m just stating facts.”

The officer interjected, “Mr. Wilkinson, I must remind you that every word you speak now could have legal consequences. Did they really use Ms. Pearce’s life as leverage?”

Jasper faltered, “Rachel has a terminal illness, and they…they refused to treat her unless we met their conditions. If that’s not using her life as leverage, then what is it?”

The officer had never seen someone with such a skewed view. “Mr. Wilkinson, by your logic, anyone with a terminal illness who can’t afford treatment should sue hospitals for extortion, claiming their lives are being used as leverage?”

Jasper’s breath hitched, “How can you say that? We’re willing to pay…”

“So, you want to buy something from someone who doesn’t want to sell it to you. Is that not their right?”

Jasper’s confidence waned. “I’m offering them money. Why shouldn’t they sell it to me?”

The officer gave Jasper a meaningful look. “Mr. Wilkinson, transactions are based on mutual consent. Forcing a sale is illegal too.” Jasper was about to continue with his twisted arguments when Haynes cut in, unable to listen any longer.

“Jasper, shut up.”

Since when did Jasper become so unreasonable? Haynes turned to the officer. “We’ll fully compensate Mr. Burton for his losses, including medical expenses and emotional distress.”

He paused, then asked, “Could Jasper’s responsibility be considered more leniently?”

The officer gave Haynes a nod of approval, then glanced at Jasper with a hint of disdain.

Was arguing really useful now? The law doesn’t bind to whoever argues best. Better to think about how to resolve this situation. These so-called rich kids, they sure added a new dimension to his understanding of diversity.

The officer continued, “Mr. Wilkinson’s actions have severely endangered the safety of others. I’ve spoken with the other party, and they don’t agree to a settlement. They want Mr. Wilkinson to face the consequences.”

Jasper was furious. “They bullied Rachel! I haven’t even confronted them yet, and now they’re shamelessly playing the victim!”

The officer advised, “Mr. Wilkinson, technically, we should arrest you. You’re currently out on bail due to your injuries, thanks to your lawyer. However, your attitude might make it impossible to reach any settlement.”

“If the other party insists on not settling, according to the law, you might have to spend some time behind bars.” Jasper gritted his teeth. “They wouldn’t dare!”

Seeing Jasper so stubbornly unreasonable, the officer decided it wasn’t worth wasting more words on him.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave. Consider whether you want to seek their forgiveness.”

Haynes soon found Stella. At that moment, Stella was tidying up the clinic. She was alone; Marvin and Mr. Burton were nowhere to be seen. As Haynes stepped inside, he glanced at the mess on the floor and paused, his eyes darkening. The damage here…it seemed quite extensive. Now, Haynes understood why Stella and her team felt the need to call the police. But he had to get Jasper out of this mess.

Haynes approached Stella, his tone firm and unwavering.

“Stella, I need you to sign a forgiveness statement.”

Stella paused her sweeping, picked up a divorce agreement she had ready and waiting.

“Sure, sign this divorce agreement, and I consider granting forgiveness.”

Chapter 249

This divorce agreement was exactly the same as the one Stella had wanted last time, where she asked for an equal division of assets. But Haynes wasn’t having it. He wanted her to walk away with nothing.

Stella, tired of the entanglement, finally agreed. However, on the day they were supposed to meet at the courthouse, he stood her up. Stella realized something important: if she didn’t fight for herself, no one else would.

Haynes’s face darkened. “Stella, is it fun for you to keep using divorce as a threat? Just because I missed one appointment, you have to make a fuss over and over again?”

“If you’re really that upset about it, tonight, we can go out. You can choose where to go.”

Stella looked at Haynes as if he had completely lost his mind.

“A date? Haynes, are you out of your mind? I asked you to meet at the courthouse to finalize our divorce, and you think I wanted to go on a date?”

Thinking of Rachel’s interference and Jasper’s actions, Stella guessed that Jasper might have said something to Haynes.

She mocked, “I say I want a divorce, and you all think I’m trying to get your attention. I ask you to meet at the courthouse, and you think it’s a ploy for a date.”

“If that’s how you interpret plain English, then let me ask you this…”

Stella’s eyes, strikingly clear, fixed on Haynes’s handsome face.

“What will it take for you to believe that I genuinely want a divorce from you?”

The question hit Haynes like a sledgehammer, leaving him momentarily stunned. Seeing his silence, Stella continued, her tone calm.

“Of course, you can keep thinking I’m playing games to get your attention, but just so you know I’m not signing Jasper’s release papers…to shake the foundation of his career in your prestigious family.”

“Even if his time in holding isn’t long, having a record is enough to…”

Haynes’s eyes narrowed. “Stella, how can you be so cruel?”

“Cruel!?” Stella chuckled without anger. “Wasn’t it cruel when your dear friend insulted me, hurled abuses, and now that he’s facing the consequences, you call me cruel?”

Though Stella was smiling, her eyes seemed to have frozen over.

“If fairness is cruelty, then maybe you shouldn’t live in this world, because it would poison you.”

Haynes locked eyes with her, his gaze intense and overbearing.

“Stella, are you absolutely sure you want to divorce me?”

Stella met Haynes’s gaze without flinching. “Absolutely.”

“Fine.” Haynes nodded. “The same terms as before—you leave with nothing, and I sign the divorce papers.”

Stella couldn’t help but laugh at Haynes’s condescending attitude.

“Haynes, you’re the one who needs me now, not the other way around. If you want to sign and end this amicably, that’s great. If you don’t, it’s all the same to me. We can take this to court. But your best buddy might have to endure some more hardship.”

I heard Jasper scratched himself up pretty badly, almost ruining his face. Even if the wounds heal, he might end up with scars. After all, his face got into contact with some of Mr. Burton’s concoctions, and some of those are pretty toxic. Jasper nearly tore Mr. Burton’s clinic apart, and now Mr. Burton can’t stand him and refuses to make an antidote.