?Chapter 501:


    Christina’s lips curled into a taunting smile. “That’s barely a whisper. Let’s hear it loud and clear,” she remarked, arms crossed. “Or is your voice as empty as your backbone?”


    Fury nearly choked Katie, but Dn’s presence kept her in check. Pushing back would risk everything—her family’s future was on the line. Recklessness wasn’t an option. Surrendering her pride, she did what was necessary.


    Forced into humiliation, Katie clenched her jaw and bellowed, “I’m a tramp!” Eyes on the ground, she crawled onward, her voice ringing out. “I’m a tramp! I’m a tramp!”


    Turning away from the scene, Christina said to Dn with gentle warmth, “Don’t you have work waiting for you? You should get going.”


    “Okay,” Dn replied. “And you should get some rest. No need to watch her—she wouldn’t dare stop halfway.”


    “I know.” Christina nodded. Tipping her head with yful grace, she waved. “Thank you for stepping in, Mr. Scott. See you soon!”


    Dn couldn’t help but smile at her cuteness, the corners of his lips curling up without him realizing. His heart brimmed with so much warmth that it felt like sweetness was pouring out of him, lifting the air around him until it seemed almost weightless. That lingering sweetness made even the prospect of office drudgery seem easier to bear.


    Upstairs, inside a private hospital room, Ynda’s face turned pale as she stood on the balcony, pointing at the figure crawling on the ground below. “Brendon, look! Isn’t that Katie?”


    A ss of water in hand, Brendon stepped forward, trying to get a clearer view. The figure crawling on the ground of the parking lot bore an unmistakable resemnce to his own sister. Shock shed in his eyes. “It’s Katie! Who the hell dared bully my sister?” His grip tightened around the ss, fury surging.


    Ynda’s face clouded with fake concern. “We should head downstairs and see what’s going on.”


    Brendon agreed, and they quickly headed down together.


    Once downstairs, Brendon’s first instinct was to rush to Katie’s side to help her up. She crawled there, her head bowed low, not daring to meet anyone’s gaze. Before he could move, Ynda caught his arm, holding him back.


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    Confusion twisted across Brendon’s face. “Why are you stopping me, Ynda?” A moment of hesitation passed before Ynda tightened her hold, unwilling to let go.


    Frustration leaked into Brendon’s voice. “Just say the word, for God’s sake!” In that moment, the sight of his sister crawling forward and calling herself a tramp tore at him. It felt like watching the Dawson family’s name being dragged straight through the dirt.


    Ynda flinched, hurt by his tone, tears brimming in her eyes.


    Seeing her distress, Brendon quickly softened. “I’m sorry, Ynda. I didn’t mean to snap. I was just too worried.”


    Ynda’s voice trembled. “I get it. It’s just… I realized something all of a sudden.”


    Brendon’s puzzlement grew. “What are you trying to say? Shouldn’t we go help Katie now?”


    A serious look crossed Ynda’s face as she met his eyes. “To think even Katie was forced to bend the knee. Whoever is behind this is probably way more powerful than you.”


    Instantly, Brendon’s thoughts shifted to Katie’s pride. For her to go through such humiliation, someone with real power must have left her no choice. Ynda’s words hit home, forcing him to pause and think. Earlier, in his rush, he hadn’t thought it through.


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