Chapter 99: Legally Ashbourne

When Shani and her four friends entered the cafeteria, once again they became the center of attention, but this time there were no scornful or dismissive glances from the students.

Shani wanted to laugh. It only took a single forum post to change everyone’s perception.

But Shani felt no gratitude. She would much rather be hated by everyone as an orphan from a backwater town than praised as a member of House Ashbourne.

As their group took their seats, Vivienne approached their table with a haughty look.

Glaring down at Shani, she said in a smug tone, "You don’t have to thank my father. After all, we’re family. Just make sure you don’t embarrass—"

"As if the Ashbournes would help out of the goodness of their hearts! You guys were involved, too!" Sonny cut in sharply.

"The post on the forum provided proof that my chat logs in the previous post were fake!" Vivienne argued back quickly.

She then turned back to Shani, who hadn’t even bothered to look at her. "Don’t be ungrateful."

"Ashbourne..." Jeryon’s deep voice boomed, accompanied by a heavy, oppressive aura.

Vivienne felt a shudder ripple through her. It was the exact same pressure she had felt from Shani earlier. Remembering that moment made her body tremble on reflex, seized by irrational terror.

"Watch your tongue if you ever want to speak again," Jeryon added, his gaze piercing through her.

Vivienne stumbled backward as if someone had shoved her, even though no one had laid a finger on her. Her pride screamed at her to hold her ground, but her fear won out.

She glanced at Shani, who was calmly eating her meal, wanting to hurl one last retort. Yet she ultimately thought better of it, spooked by Jeryon’s threat.

Surprisingly, before she could turn around, Shani’s calm voice rang out.

"Vivienne, our next interaction won’t be this peaceful."

Vivienne didn’t have time to process Shani’s words. She fled the cafeteria, dragging Gideon along with her.

"Shani, you’re not joining House Ashbourne, so you’re not an Ashbourne. We need to make this clear," Kiran said earnestly.

Sonny, sitting across from her, nodded in agreement. "I can write a post to clarify everything."

However, the other four seemed hesitant about the idea. The last time Sonny had written a clarification post, it had sunk like a stone in a deep pond.

"I don’t need to do anything. Before long, the Ashbournes will make a scene all on their own," Shani muttered with a profound look in her eyes.

Shani’s prediction came true in less than an hour. Iris contacted her, instructing her to report to the Headmaster’s office to meet Dominic Ashbourne.

She didn’t even need to guess why her uncle had come. As it turned out, before heading to the Headmaster’s office, he had stopped by the lobby of Panther Building.

He had met Vivienne down there, but when he called her down, Vivienne intentionally didn’t use an earpiece so that everyone could hear Dominic declaring that he was there to update Shani’s records because she had legally become part of House Ashbourne.

Upon reaching the Headmaster’s office, the scene that greeted her was almost identical to a few days ago. The Headmaster, Dominic, and House Ashbourne’s lawyer were all present.

The only difference was the smug, triumphant look plastered across Dominic’s face, as if he had already won the battle.

Shani greeted the Headmaster politely, then opened her smartwatch to call her lawyer.

"There’s no need to call your lawyer. House Ashbourne’s legal team has already taken care of everything," Dominic said dismissively.

The Headmaster cast a displeased look at Dominic’s dismissive tone, yet he lacked the authority to intervene now that the head of House Ashbourne was legally Shani’s family.

Besides, having a family backing her would at least give Shani proper standing as Jeryon’s sole partner.

"Let’s put past grievances behind us, we are family now. Tomorrow, return to the mansion together with Vivienne," Dominic continued in a commanding tone.

"Put them behind us? I’m not senile. My memory is far too sharp to just forget everything so easily," Shani retorted nonchalantly, though anyone listening could catch the razor-sharp sarcasm in her voice.

"Shani, you—!" Dominic’s temper flared, but he quickly reined himself in, not wanting to get reprimanded by the Headmaster or humiliate himself further.

"Don’t be unruly, Shani. We are in the capital city, and you are a Grand Academy student. You need to learn how to mind your tongue," Dominic lectured, assuming the air of an elder scolding a junior.

"Are you serious right now?" Shani choked out, suppressing a laugh, though a cynical chuckle still escaped her lips. "Instead of lecturing me, why don’t you go teach your own daughter?"

Dominic fought with every ounce of willpower to restrain his rage, but Shani showed him zero mercy. Every single word that spilled from her mouth felt custom-crafted to humiliate him.

Dominic glanced at the Headmaster, hoping this leader of Feline Tower would at least tell Shani to hold her tongue, but the Headmaster was staring back at him with a wary, watchful gaze instead.

Dominic could only swallow his fury.

Somehow, in just a month and a half, Shani had managed to rally powerful figures to her side. A sense of crisis gripped Dominic.

He had to ensure Shani fell into his hands and cut off her interactions with these influential figures. At the very least, he would force her to drop out of the academy.

Dominic stopped trading barbs with Shani and turned back to the Headmaster. "Headmaster, my lawyer will forward Shani’s updated file so that—"

"Where’s the proof?" Shani interrupted, locking her flat gaze onto him.

Dominic’s brow furrowed. "What proof?"

"Proof that I am legally a member of House Ashbourne, of course," Shani replied, assuming a relaxed posture.

Dominic suppressed a smug grin. He signaled the lawyer behind him, who promptly displayed an application form for a family registry certificate.

"Since your parents have passed away, you will be joining House Ashbourne under my branch," Dominic added confidently, as if he had anticipated this question.

Shani admitted inwardly that Dominic wasn’t blundering quite as badly as before. Yet instead of panicking or showing concern, a playful smile spread across her face.

"This is just an application form, not an official certificate. Has House Ashbourne downgraded so severely that even the Family Head doesn’t know what ’legally’ means?"

...