They Bullied the Top Student, Then My Mafia Family Arrived Chapter 09

They Bullied the Top Student, Then My Mafia Family Arrived Chapter 09

The moment they saw me awake, both my parents visibly relaxed.

Victoria strode over and pulled me into a crushing hug, thumping my back hard with one hand.

“I knew she’d be all right. She’s got Moretti grit in her!”

Dad immediately exposed her.

“Someone was bawling so loudly the whole estate heard it. Your grandfather’s birthday dinner had to be stopped halfway through.”

Mom lowered her voice.

“And the second you heard something had happened to our baby, didn’t you grab your gun and charge out of the estate?”

I looked around.

The Family leaders who had seemed so intimidating moments ago were now smiling at me with surprising warmth.

My voice was still hoarse.

“Thank you for coming to get me.”

They immediately responded one after another.

“We’re family. Of course we came!”

“Anyone who comes after you comes after all of us.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll make sure they answer for what they did.”

—

For the first time since waking up, I felt myself relax.

I wasn’t alone.

Then I turned toward the four men standing across from me, every trace of color gone from their faces.

Adrian was pale.

Ethan looked completely lost.

Even Julian, who was usually the quickest thinker among them, seemed unable to come up with a way out.

Nolan was still on his knees, too frightened to move.

My parents followed my gaze.

Victoria narrowed her eyes.

“Sweetheart, what do you want us to do with these four?”

“Say the word, and the entire Family will follow your decision.”

Dad said nothing.

He simply rotated the revolver slowly in his hand.

Every time the barrel swept in the four heirs’ direction, all four of them visibly flinched.

Finally, Adrian gritted his teeth.

“Grace, do whatever you want to us. We won’t fight it. Just leave Lina out of this. She knew nothing about it.”

—

Julian immediately added, “He’s right. We made these decisions ourselves. Lina never asked us to hurt you.”

One after another, all four of them defended Lina.

They described her as innocent and kind, conveniently leaving out the fact that she had repeatedly stood by while they used their Family status to humiliate me.

Even my parents seemed slightly uncertain after hearing them out.

“Sweetheart, it does sound as though the girl herself had nothing to do with planning this.”

I thought for a moment.

“Then let’s make a bet.”

All four men looked up at once.

“Bring Lina here.”

“If she’s willing to take full responsibility for everything you did, I’ll ask my Family to call this off. We won’t come after any of you, including her, over what happened before today.”

“But if she refuses, each of your Families hands over a third of its core businesses as compensation.”

The four of them froze.

Then relief washed over their faces.

They exchanged glances, clearly believing they had just been handed a way out.

—

Adrian nodded immediately, as if afraid I might change my mind.

“Deal.”

Julian sounded completely certain.

“Lina’s kind. She won’t abandon us.”

Ethan had already pulled out his phone.

“There’s no way she’ll just stand there and watch our Families cast us out.”

Even Nolan slowly got back to his feet, obviously convinced Lina would agree.

Ten minutes later, Lina appeared outside the school.

The sight of the armed guards, black convoys, and helicopters had clearly frightened her.

She stood at a distance for a long moment, too intimidated to come any closer.

I explained everything from beginning to end.

“Lina, these four say they humiliated me, locked me up and even kidnapped me because they were defending your honour.”

“If you’re willing to take responsibility for all of it, I’ll let them go.”

“Will you?”

When I finished, I simply watched her.

All four men turned toward Lina at the same time, staring at her

—

expectantly.

Adrian was already smiling, utterly convinced they were about to be saved.

Lina stood there in silence for a long time.

She looked at Adrian.

Then Julian.

Then Ethan and Nolan.

Her fingers tightened around the strap of her backpack, loosening and tightening again.

A moment later, she looked away.

“No.”

Her voice was clear.

“They’re the ones who did those things. Why should I be responsible for them?”

The smiles vanished from all four men’s faces at once.