Chapter 88. Got You Cornered

Chapter 88: Chapter 88. Got You Cornered

Chapter 88. Got You Cornered

Rosa looked perplexed, shaking her head as her eyes darted across the document laid out on the table before her.

"I’m afraid, Mrs. Lee, what I’m looking at right now is completely confusing to me—especially your involvement," Rosa said, her voice strained. "I don’t understand what this is supposed to be. Do you care to explain?"

Mrs. Lee stared back at her, her eyes narrowed into sharp slits for a long, agonizing minute. Then, a slow, condescending smile spread across her face as she leaned forward against the edge of the table.

"I suppose that’s fair," Mrs. Lee replied smoothly. "There is no point in beating around the bush. I might as well get straight to the point. Due to your illicit attitude and the sheer nastiness you committed last semester against my son—all the humiliation and harassment—"

Rosa’s jaw dropped. Are you freaking kidding me right now? she thought, her expression faltering as utter disbelief surged through her.

"There has been a heavy backlash against the Lee family," Mrs. Lee continued, her tone dropping into something far colder. "Against our company, our stocks... literally everything revolving around our name. We expected this situation to stay within the school premises and not cross the threshold, but, well, news sure travels terrifyingly fast these days. It erupted rapidly and spread like wildfire far beyond the school forum, leaking off campus and all over the city."

She smoothed down her skirt, her gaze locking onto Rosa with disdain. "Of course, you wouldn’t be aware of any of this because you are focused on school and have nothing to do with the business world. But there has been a lot of backlash against us. People are dragging the Lee family name through the mud, branding us as rubbish and accusing us of doing something wrong to a supposed innocent girl when it was obviously you who committed this devious act against my son."

Rosa scoffed in utter disbelief. She shoved the paper back onto the table and clenched her hands together so tightly her knuckles turned white. So this is what this whole meeting was about, she thought, turning her head away. They really couldn’t accept the reality that their precious son was the villain here. The moment the public organically spoke out and saw right through him, the Lee family couldn’t stomach it because it was affecting them where it hurt most.

She clenched her fists tighter, forcing herself to look back up at Mrs. Lee.

Mrs. Lee remained comfortably leaned against the table. "We just want you to accept the truth, Rosa."

Rosa scoffed again, rolling her eyes in disgusted disbelief.

"Don’t give me that look," Mrs. Lee snapped sharply, her composure slipping into outright hostility. "I am serious. Need I remind you that your school fees are on the line?"

Rosa gritted her teeth tightly. Way to go, Mrs. Lee. Who’s the childish one now? she thought, biting down hard against her bottom lip to keep from shouting.

"I’m not doing whatever it is you want me to do," she said firmly.

Mrs. Lee scoffed, a dark chuckle escaping her lips. "You speak as if you actually have any authority here."

Rosa felt a sharp, suffocating tightness lock around her chest.

Mrs. Lee exhaled a long sigh. "Well, of course, you can decide not to do it, and I can decide not to pay your tuition. But let me assure you, losing your school fees is not the only bad thing waiting for you if you refuse this offer."

Rosa bit her lip harder. "This is ridiculous," she muttered, pointing aggressively at the document. "What do you mean, ’a contract binding a relationship between the Lin family and the Lee family’? What is that supposed to mean, Mrs. Lee?"

"Because that is the only way you can clean up the mess you created!" Mrs. Lee snapped back.

"I didn’t create any mess!" Rosa fired back.

"Oh, yes, you did," Mrs. Lee argued, her voice dropping into a harsh, accusatory tone. "You did when you shamelessly threw yourself at my son and tried to brand him as some kind of bad boy who takes advantage of girls. You think I haven’t seen how desperate you’ve been for him all these years? How you kept clinging to him? How you kept getting jealous whenever he flirted with other girls? How many times did you try to make a move on him, trying to sneak into his room, only for him to reject you over and over again? Do you think I’ve been blind to all of that?"

Rosa’s face faltered, a cold feeling washing over her. She clenched her teeth together. Oh my God, she thought, panic flickering through her mind. Your past self was so stupid, Rosa. All these years...

She blinked, staring down at her fingers, which were tightly intertwined on her lap.

"I see everything, Rosa," Mrs. Lee continued, sneering. "So I wasn’t surprised when that news broke. Nor was I surprised by the comments about you on the school forum. What surprises me is that the community is seeing it in an entirely different way. I suspect our family’s rivals have some grudge against the Lee family and are using this petty drama to turn against us, seeing it as an opportunity. I cannot just stand by and let that happen. So yes—you are the one to clean up this mess, and this contract is the only way you can do it."

Rosa gritted her teeth, slowly looking up to meet Mrs. Lee’s piercing gaze. "So... what do you want me to do? Marry your son?"

Mrs. Lee smiled, a victorious, cold expression filling her eyes. "It’s very good to see that you’re such a smart girl."

Rosa scoffed, her head snapping to the side as she folded her arms tightly across her chest. "There is no way in hell that’s happening," she murmured under her breath.

Mrs. Lee raised both of her eyebrows in mock surprise. She chuckled softly, shaking her head. "It is so clear you do not understand your current position right now, Rosa."

Rosa blinked, forced to divert her focus back to Mrs. Lee.

Mrs. Lee relaxed back against her chair, lifting her manicured hands in a waving gesture, exuding complete confidence that she held all the winning cards.

"I’m not going to say much, and I don’t really need to say too much, so keep making that stupid decision of yours. Let’s see how this turns out for you," Mrs. Lee said coolly. "Don’t be surprised when you receive a call within the next five days about the termination of your scholarship and your immediate eviction from the school."

She paused, letting the silence heavy with threat hang in the air.

"Of course, you know how hard it is to get a new scholarship these days, and how impossible it is for people who can’t quite afford it to get into top schools and universities. You really had this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, sponsored by none other than our family. And for what? Because of your pride and your naivety, you just want to throw it all away because you don’t want to accept the wrong you have done? After everything we have done for you..."

Rosa clenched her teeth so hard her jaw ached, feeling raw rage boiling deep down inside her. There were so many things she wanted to scream at this woman, but her throat felt entirely tongue-tied. She closed her eyes and breathed out a trembling gust of air.

In a way, Mrs. Lee was actually right. Her past self had faulted in so many ways—she had been so remarkably stupid.

She pressed her palm firmly against her forehead, feeling a heavy, tremendous headache building behind her eyes. What the hell did you do, Rosa? Couldn’t you have just focused on life, minded your own business, fought whatever stupid, silly feelings you had for her son, and just fucking moved on? Now this is the exact weapon they are using against you.

It was painfully obvious that Mac had simply taken advantage of those desperate feelings and used her. God, I shouldn’t have been so stupid, she thought to herself, pressing her palm harder into her forehead.

"Well, the clock is ticking, Rosa," Mrs. Lee continued, her tone sharp and uncompromising. "Of course, you know the deadline is tomorrow. This contract will have to be signed tomorrow so we can go ahead with the preparations and organize your marriage with my son—which, of course, is mostly for public opinion. Not that I actually want my son getting married to a filthy, drinking brat like you. You will be taken over to the Lee Foundation office, where you will take a few staged pictures with my son in a wedding dress. Everything will be stipulated so that public opinion turns around and no one looks at us as bad people. Do you understand?"

Rosa bit down hard against her bottom lip, keeping her gaze locked to the side. She had nothing left to say. Neither did she reply. She felt completely, irrevocably trapped.

Yeah, this is the point where I need you right now, Mia, Rosa thought frantically, her heart hammering in her chest. I can’t think. You’re the only one who seems to be able to think fast in these kinds of situations. What the hell am I supposed to do?

It was ironic. Earlier, the idea of getting married to Mac would have sounded like the most delicious dream she could ever chase in her entire life. Now, the thought sounded and tasted like cold ash in her mouth.

Underneath the table, she kept clenching and unclenching her trembling hands into fists.

Mrs. Lee didn’t say another word. She relaxed against her leather chair, staring at Rosa with a wicked, malicious smirk—predatory eyes that silently declared, I’ve got you cornered, you little rat. Knowing she held all the power, knowing there was literally no way out for Rosa, she casually gave her all the time in the world to suffer in thought.

Rosa closed her eyes, shaking her head quickly in desperate refusal.

Lord, she prayed silently, her stomach twisting into knots. What do I do?