CHAPTER 440: CHAPTER 440: LEAVE ROOM FOR OTHERS

Mrs. Alden still followed Ashley Shaw back to the dormitory to talk.

The scene she caused outside was nothing more than trying to pressure Ashley Shaw to relent. Now that there’s no need to force, Ashley Shaw is willing to have a proper chat, so there’s no need for Mrs. Alden to continue causing trouble.

Once the dormitory door closed, all three of them breathed a sigh of relief.

Ashley Shaw asked directly, "What are your demands? Go ahead, tell us."

Jocelyn Hayes also said, "Exactly, let’s not beat around the bush. Since we’re looking to resolve this, let’s be clear about our words. We also don’t want your daughter’s mistakes to affect us."

Mrs. Alden gritted her teeth and spoke frankly, "Fine, since that’s the case, I’ll be direct. The police plan to charge my daughter because the amount involved is too high. We... can’t afford to pay it."

If they can’t afford to pay, they must pursue legal avenues.

Over two million in damages, a sentence far beyond the worst expectations of the mother and daughter.

Especially when they don’t want to be sentenced for even a day.

"You can afford such an expensive hairpin, you must have money... I don’t think you want to ruin us mother and daughter..."

"We were indeed wrong previously, we shouldn’t have spoken with such an attitude. But we were really frightened. Ordinary people like us, where can we find that kind of money, right?"

"There’s a saying, saving a life is better than building a seven-tier pagoda. Please be generous and forgive us mother and daughter!"

"As long as you don’t charge her, we mother and daughter can work like oxen or horses for you in the future!"

"Wendy got into the school through a legitimate path, she has a bright future... As long as you’re willing to let us go for now, we can write an IOU, these over two million, we can slowly repay..."

"I promise, we’ll definitely repay the money, but even if you kill us now, we really can’t afford it!"

"You might as well give us an opportunity to repay slowly, otherwise you won’t get any better..."

At this point, Mrs. Alden still wanted to threaten.

She wanted to say that if Wendy really got sentenced, she would come to the school and harass them every day.

But she swallowed her words.

Because she could see these three people were more receptive to softness rather than hardness.

In fact, Mrs. Alden was right.

With such open talk, and her willingness to repay the money for the hairpin slowly, Ashley Shaw spoke to her calmly.

"Locking up Wendy is not our intention, her going to jail doesn’t benefit us at all. Now that you’ve corrected your attitude, let’s do as you suggested."

Mrs. Alden’s eyes brightened.

"You’re willing to settle privately?"

Ashley Shaw nodded.

"I can accept a private settlement, but I have a few conditions. See if you can agree to them."

"Tell me! As long as it’s not something we can’t do like immediately taking out the money, I’ll agree to everything else!"

Ashley Shaw paused, then said, "About the money, you can repay it over ten years, but not directly to me, pay it to a middle-man... This middle-man can be a teacher from the school or the officer handling this case, so there’s no ambiguity in the middle... This is my first condition."

Mrs. Alden nodded repeatedly, "Of course that’s fine!"

Ten years, if she and Wendy work hard together, they can definitely repay the money.

"Second condition, I don’t want to cross paths with your daughter anymore, I’m sure you understand... So, I hope you can find a teacher at the school and request transferring her to another class, and also change her dormitory."

Mrs. Alden agreed again.

She also didn’t want Wendy to see the faces of these three people every day, so even if Ashley Shaw hadn’t mentioned it, she would have done it.

"Third condition, you may not come to me again, Wendy neither. Let’s not mention this matter ever again. Otherwise, it may cause disturbances for us. Especially... you can’t turn black into white outside. If I find out you’re speaking ill of me behind my back, I’ll reopen the case. Anyway, we have all the witnesses and evidence."

Mrs. Alden nodded, "I understand."

She also didn’t want more people to know because this matter was her daughter’s fault.

Ashley Shaw responded with a simple "Hmm," saying, "Alright, those are my three conditions. I’ll contact the police now, but I’d ask you to leave."

With the matter resolved, Mrs. Alden was also planning to pick up Wendy.

She promptly said, "I’ll leave now, I deeply apologize for earlier, and I ask you to understand the heart of a mother."

Ashley Shaw couldn’t bear to hear those words "mother."

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, she turned away and said, "Go ahead, you should properly educate your daughter so she doesn’t repeat the same mistake."

"Yes, yes," Mrs. Alden agreed to everything.

Soon after Mrs. Alden left, Jocelyn Hayes felt a bit indignant for Ashley Shaw.

"You’re just too soft-hearted!"

Ashley Shaw said, "I’m not soft-hearted, it’s just this is the best way to handle it."

Ariana Grant understood her better, explaining for Ashley Shaw, "Ashley feels that making a fuss won’t benefit anyone. We’re upright and not afraid of shadows, but we can’t defend against such unscrupulous personalities coming to annoy us constantly. Now, this way, it’ll make them grateful, unable to speak a single bad word about us, and we won’t be bothered by misfortune anymore."

Jocelyn Hayes waved her hand.

"Alright, alright, I understand, what you mean is leave room, so we can meet again later, huh!"

Her way of doing things is to retaliate a hundredfold for every single hit.

What’s there to fear when this Mrs. Alden comes to cause trouble?

If she comes once, I call the police once.

Let’s see who can outlast whom.

But upon calming down, she realized Ashley Shaw’s method was best.

Sentencing Wendy would only provide temporary relief, without gaining actual compensation.

On the contrary, resolving things like this ensures they’ll repay the money for the hairpin slowly over ten years, and they must be grateful to them.

The deeper she thought about it, the more Jocelyn Hayes admired Ashley Shaw.

"No wonder when we left, my mom said you’re more mature than me."

Ashley Shaw was momentarily taken aback, "Did she?"

"Yes, my mom said you don’t seem like someone our age, generally anyone else in your position would have been scared out of their wits today."

Ashley Shaw inexplicably felt a bit guilty.

Because she’s indeed not someone of their age.

She changed the subject and asked, "Have you received the text? There’s a meeting tonight."

"I got it," Ariana Grant said with a worried expression, "Poor me, I have to go to the meeting alone as a loner. If I had worked a bit harder, I could have gotten into your major and joined you."

Jocelyn Hayes wrapped her arm around Ariana Grant’s shoulder.

"Don’t be afraid! We’ll take you to your class first, then we’ll go to the meeting, and after the meeting, we can all go out for a late-night snack."

"Can we still go out tonight?"

"Of course, just be back by 9:30."

"Okay! Then I won’t diet tonight, I’ll indulge for just one night!"