Chapter 587 An Exit Strategy
Amelia sensed something was off. As the voice condemning Catherine rose, she discreetly tugged at Catherineâs sleeve.
âCatherine, maybe we should leave. Somethingâs not right here!â
Though Amelia believed Catherine was innocent, stirring up a crowd wasnât worth it. They had better step back and let things cool down.
Catherine was initially planning to leave, but Jada didnât figure out the situation and even morally pressured Catherine.
Jada was so clueless and asking for trouble. If Catherine didnât play along, itâd be rude not to reciprocate.
Catherine took a couple of steps forward and approached Jada.
Seeing Catherine closing in, Jada was uneasy.
Catherine had an intimidating aura, which made Jada tremble as she talked to Catherine.
âWhat do you want to do, Catherine?â
Catherine stared at her, sneered, and asked in a low voice, âArenât you hoping Iâll forgive you?â
That cold, eerie grin sent shivers down Jadaâs spine, making her upset.
She was regretting this, and she thought she shouldnât have provoked Catherine. Even though Jada felt a bit scared now, it was too late for her to change anything.
She braced herself and continued with her initial plan.
âYeah. If youâre willing to forgive me, Iâll do whatever you ask!â
Catherine crossed her arms and slowly circled Jada.
Every step Catherine took was torment for Jada. Each turn of Catherine made Jada more upset and her hands trembled involuntarily.
The immense pressure made it hard for Jada to keep her hands steady by her side.
Noticing Jadaâs reaction, Catherine sneered, âNo need to be so tense. Iâm not about to kill you. If you want my forgiveness, why not publicly confess what you did wrong to me? Let the folks here judge, and I might consider forgiving you.â
Seeing Catherine pressuring Jada, Amelia knew Jada must have done something wrong. Seeing Jada staying silent, she decided to help Catherine.
âYeah. Spill it. Tell us what you did wrong!â
After Amelia said that, the onlookers began to chime in, but they were helping Jada.
âJada, your apology is so sincere. I feel like no matter what happened, it should be forgivable. You can openly share it, and weâll definitely support you!â
âYeah. Thatâs right! We all stand behind you!â
Jadaâs expression darkened in an instant. She hadnât expected Catherine to confront her right there.
If she revealed why she angered Catherine, no one would support her.
Then, it would be irreparable.
Moreover, it would damage not just the Grelin Groupâs reputation but also the Facersâ standing. Jada realized that she couldnât confess.
Faced with Jadaâs silence, people around couldnât grasp what was happening.
Catherine didnât have the patience. She raised her voice and said, âIf you canât even admit your mistake, why should anyone believe your apology is genuine?
Hearing Catherineâs words, Jada couldnât respond. She stood frozen, and her face was filled with anguish.
Catherine pointed at the surrounding crowd and questioned Jada, âGuiding these uninformed students, you use them as tools for your moral manipulation. Are you sure your conscience wonât condemn you?â
Jada, with her head bowed, still couldnât admit what she did to Catherine. Catherine stood at the side, and she was resolute and upright.
The onlookers, initially sympathetic toward Jada, woke up.
Catherineâs words acted like a wake-up call. The onlookers realized their sense of justice and kindness were used as tools against Catherine. They felt extremely angry.
Those who accused Catherine moments ago now demanded an explanation from Jada.
âJada, we need to hear the whole story before we can help you. You get that, right?â
âNo need to keep looking. Her stance tells it all. Sheâs too scared to spill. She probably did something shady!â
Facing the crowdâs accusations, Jada felt embarrassed as if her clothes had been ripped off in public. After pondering for a while, she finally came up with an excuse.
Looking distressed, she looked at the crowd and explained in a flustered tone, âIâm sorry, everyone. Itâs not that I donât want to share. Itâs just I canât. It involves sensitive business matters of my familyâs company. Itâs confidential!
As soon as she finished, Amelia was the first to step up and refute her.
âYou were desperate for the whole world to know about Catherine bullying you earlier, and now itâs suddenly business secrets? You canât say anything? Jada, it seems like youâre feeling guilty, huh?â
Amelia was unable to tolerate Jadaâs deceitful behavior. She couldnât stand this two-faced girl.
If it werenât for Catherineâs quick thinking, the whole school might have heard rumors of Catherine being a bully.
But now that the truth was out, Jada started pretending to be innocent, which was utterly despicable.
âSuper Catherine, since she wonât speak, why not speak up for her? Things need to be clarified, or everyone will think you bullied her!â Amelia suggested.
Catherine thought Ameliaâs suggestion wasnât bad.
Since they were in this situation, it was best to clear the air.
âItâs not that big of a deal. Jada used her familyâs massive resources and set a trap for a partnership with my family, aiming to bankrupt us. However, her funds werenât enough, and she fell into her own trap.â
After Catherineâs brief explanation, Amelia exploded in anger and cursed loudly.
She shouted, âHoly crap! Thatâs despicable! She failed at setting a trap and then wants your forgiveness and help? How shameless! This is a new low!â
Amelia wasnât the only one. Everyoneâs perspective on Jada changed after hearing the whole story.
Catherine noticed that Jada raised her head and seemed to want to explain herself.
Catherine calmly asked, âDo you want me to be more specific?â
The incident involving the Grelin Group and the Facers was still a localized matter. Both families were trying to contain the issue, hoping to minimize the damage.
If Catherine disclosed this matter here, all their efforts would be in vain.
Jada couldnât let that happen. Faced with Catherineâs dominance, she could only bow her head and apologize.
âIâm sorry. Please forgive me this time. Spare the Facers and the company my grandfather left behind!â
Catherine already anticipated Jadaâs approach. From the beginning, she had prepared for an exit strategy.
âGo back and tell your grandfather to come find me!â