Chapter 883
After a while, they fell asleep nestled in each other's arms. Skylar woke at three in the morning, realizing the lights were still on. She got up, turned them off, and returned to bed. The second she did so, Joe pulled her back into his embrace. Perhaps he deeply needed companionship that day.
Habits had ingrained themselves in Skylar unconsciously. Initially, she'd felt awkward when Joe held her while they fell asleep. Now, she was instantly comfortable the moment he did. This mirrored her growing feeling that her marriage with Joe could last a lifetime.
"Why don't you take a tour of my company this weekend?" Joe's voice, sharp and alert, cut through the midnight stillness.
Skylar agreed, "Alright."
The next morning, over a leisurely breakfast, Skylar mentioned running into Rowan and Jenny at the hospital.
"The Jakemans wouldn't let them be together," Joe stated.
Skylar said nothing more. Clearly, Joe knew about Jenny and Rowan; Rowan would soon learn about her and Edwin.
Harold Zane, Woodman High's headmaster, and Tom Black, a teacher, visited Simona and Wendy in the hospital. Unaware of Simona's powerful family background, they were shocked to discover she was Aiken's daughter. Aiken was not someone to cross.
Several of the perpetrators' parents had come to the school, distraught over job losses. All the boys were high-achieving students. The teachers, having checked on them at the detention center, confirmed the incident was impulsive; the teenagers hadn't considered the consequences of their actions.
The parents had come to the hospital to pressure Simona and Wendy for more compensation, hoping to save their sons' futures. However, upon arriving at Simona's room, they found Aiken on a call. They hesitated.
Aiken looked at Harold and Tom impassively. "Did you both come here directly from the detention center?" he asked.
This stunned them.
"If I'm not mistaken, my company has sponsored many of Woodman High's projects for a decade. Now, it seems you've forfeited that privilege. You're unwilling to hold the perpetrators accountable, preferring to let the victims suffer. You're trying to manipulate me," Aiken said calmly. His calm demeanor was the most terrifying aspect—a veiled threat. He already knew about their visit to the detention center and their intentions.
Harold quickly calmed himself. "The children regret their actions. Their parents are offering compensation. These children aren't evil; their parents regret failing to instill proper morals. Can't you show mercy?"
Several of the parents held influential positions—company owners, corporate board members, one even Harold's nephew. Their careers hung in the balance. Furthermore, Woodman High couldn't afford a scandal; Harold was about to retire and this threatened his peaceful retirement.
Aiken roared, "Bullshit!"
Harold and Tom's faces fell.
"They boasted about it afterward. Does that sound like remorse? Why don't you try being bullied? Then I'll beg for your forgiveness. What do you think?" Aiken retorted.
"Y-you can't make such an assumption," Harold and Tom stammered.
Aiken grinned. "It's not an assumption."
Their jaws dropped.