Chapter 122 Public Disy

“The school gate is perfect,” Franklin said. “Plenty of people around. Public opinion is a bpowerful /bbthing /bI everyone thinks Scarlett framed Reba, she won’t be able to show her face again.b” /b

Martha bit her lip. “Are you sure this will work? What if sheshes out?”

“She won’t,” Franklin replied with a wave of his hand. “I’ve thought this through. I’ll bring a bcontract/b. bIf /bbshe /breally willing to let Reba go, I’ll offer her one percent of the shares.”

Martha’s eyes widened in shock. “Are you out of your mind? That’s Reba’s inheritance! You’re bseriously /bgoing to hand it over to that little tramp?”

Franklin let out a long sigh and ced a steadying hand on her shoulder. “You’ve seen it yourself – we’re backed into a corner. Scarlett’s doing this on purpose.”

Oliver joined in to calm her down. “Don’t worry, Mom. One percent isn’t much, and we can always take it back once she returns to the family. Right now, the priority is getting Reba out.”

Gritting her teeth, Martha nodded. “Fine. I’ll go myself in the morning.”

“Take a few things from your jewelry vault,” Franklin said, gesturing upstairs. “Didn’t Scarlett give you some cheap trinkets at her birthday party? She probably thought they were worthless. This time, bring a few expensive ones. People like her, born to grovel for scraps, are easy to buy.”

–

Martha flinched. Her vault was filled with the pieces she’d carefully saved over the years Reba. Now she was supposed to hand them over to Scarlett? It made her stomach churn.

all meant for

Franklin’s face hardened. “If you keep hesitating, Reba won’t make it out of that detention center.”

Martha’s body gave a visible shudder, and she turned without another word, heading upstairs. She’d just pick a few pieces on the cheaper side.

Over the past few years, Scarlett had rarely known a peaceful night’s sleep. Butst night, for once, her dreams were empty. If not for her internal clock jolting her awake at i5 /ia.m., she might have slept the entire day away.

R

Since she was up, she decided to make a few medicinal sachets. She might need them once she arrived in Jandale

Whenever she worked on herbal remedies, she lost herself in focus. By the time she finished, it was already -9 a.m. When she opened the door to her small herb room, her phone was vibrating nonstop.

She realized she’d forgotten to change her settingsst night.

Back when she lived with the Joyner family, her phone was always on max volume – she had to be ready at a moment’s notice. Over time, it had made her anxious and jittery. If she hadn’t known how to treat herself, she probably would’ve needed medication to get through the day.

After the formal break from the Joyners, she switched to vibration mode at night. But she’d been too caught up making sachets to remember.

Now, the screen was flooded with messages university.

iScarlett/ii, /iie /iiback /iquick. iYour /iifamily’s /iihere/ii! /i

–

-dozens of them, mostly from ssmates at the medical

bYour /bparents are looking everywhere bifor /i/biyou/ii. /i

Where are you? Are you okay?

And then, halfway through the flood, the tone shiftedpletely.

Scarlett, ihow /icould iyou /iisteal /ifrom iyour /iiown /iifamily/ii? /i

iYou’re /iadoptedi, /iand you still ibullied /iithem/ii? /i

iHow /icould someone as smart ias /iiyou /iisteal /iifrom the /ipeople iwho /iraised iyou/ii? /i

Your parents are ihere /iito /itake iyou /ihome. At ileast /iishow /iup.

There were over 99 messages. She couldn’t even finish reading them.

But a few ssmates had sept pictures and videos.

Franklin, Martha, and Oliver were standing right at the school gate, asking around for “Scarlett.

Scarlett had always kept a low profile. Back then, she was just another face on campus- no one bhad /bbpaid /bher much attention.

But after Skycrest Labs made headlines, and the medical symposium had stunned everyone, she bwas /bbno /blonger invisible.

If anyone didn’t know who she was now, they were either new to the school or living under ia /irock.

Scarlett locked her phone and took a deep breath. She was supposed to leave Trenwyn soon. Thest thing she wanted was to get dragged into more chaos.

Better to avoid the campus entirely.

But just then, a call came in – it was Wayne.

“Ms. Joyner, our school’s doing a jointpetition with Jandale University. I already signed you up. You’ll be heading out within three days,” he said cheerfully. “Even if you’re not on campus, you’ll need toe by and fill out a form.”

“I… already submitted a leave request,” Scarlett replied cautiously.

Wayne didn’t sound the least bit annoyed. In fact, he sounded concerned. “Not feeling well? Makes sense. probably exhausted. Don’t worry, I can bring the form to you. You really stood out at that symposium

Just send me your address.”

Scarlett went silent.

–

After a moment, she made up her mind. She had a few things left in her dorm anyway. “I’lle to campus.”

At the entrance of Trenwyn Medical University, Martha dabbed at her eyes and gave ba /btearful smile to a group of students.

“Thank you all so much for your help. I’m terribly sorry if we’ve caused any disruption.”

Her expression was so sorrowful, some students began to waver.

“You’re just her adoptive mother… You’ve already gone above and beyond.”