Rewrite Her Thrilling Life (Lillian and Sebastian) novel Chapter 253

Chapter 253: When the Tide Turns

Eda exhaled deeply, a wave of relief washing over her before she found her voice again, though it trembled with pain. “Adeline, how could you possibly set Lillian up like that? We’re classmates—I never imagined you capable of such cruelty. Honestly, I’m so disappointed. I thought you were my best friend.”

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she turned toward Lillian, her tone softening with genuine remorse. “Lillian, I’m truly sorry for all the trouble this has caused you. Adeline doesn’t have a bad heart deep down; she was probably just trying to get a reaction out of you. Please, be the bigger person here and forgive her. I believe she’ll change after this.”

Lillian’s gaze shifted to Eda, a cold spark flashing in her eyes. “Oh, so it was just a joke?” she said quietly, her voice laced with a dangerous edge.

“Let me make it clear,” Lillian continued in a calm, measured tone. “If I hadn’t had this recorder, I would have been labeled a thief. Most of the people here are students from Riverdale High. The moment this story got out, everyone at school would have heard that Lillian is a thief. What then? I’d be dragged through the mud, my reputation shattered. Every time I walked those halls, people would whisper about this. Maybe for the rest of my life. Tell me, Eda—did I get that right?”

Eda’s face darkened, her expression twisting into something bitter and conflicted. Around them, the crowd buzzed with murmurs.

“This is beyond cruel—she was trying to destroy her completely.”

“They say there’s nothing more venomous than a woman’s heart. Seems that’s true.”

“She’s right. This is disgusting. If Lillian hadn’t been smart, she’d be ruined. And she’s a senior this year—she could have even missed her SATs because of this.”

As the whispers grew louder, Mac stepped forward, his voice calm but serious as he addressed Lillian. “Lillian, I understand this happened in my house, and I can’t avoid my responsibility. But you’re all classmates. For my sake, why don’t we just let this go? Consider it me owing you a favor. What do you say?”

His words were smooth, almost impossible to argue against. With just a few sentences, he had taken control of the situation. If Lillian pushed any further now, she would risk appearing petty and ungrateful.

Lillian regarded Mac thoughtfully, recognizing the cunning beneath his composed exterior. A sly old fox, just as I suspected. Then she smiled faintly and said, “Alright. Since Mr. Mac is asking, if I keep pressing, I’ll only look like I don’t know when to quit. But I hope Adeline remembers everything that happened today. If it happens again, don’t expect me to be merciful.” She then deliberately slipped the recorder into her bag, making sure everyone could see it.

“L…” Eda bit her lip, then snapped, “So what if it was me? I just can’t stand her. Why should some orphan from a tiny town get to outshine me at school? Why should everyone revolve around her? Why?”

Her voice cracked, but beneath the bitterness was a defiant edge—as if she’d rather face the consequences head-on than back down now.

Mac’s expression darkened like a brewing storm. He rose abruptly and struck her hard across the face. “How did I end up raising such a disgrace of a daughter? You make a mistake and still refuse to admit it. Instead, you try to shove the blame onto someone else. You’ve disappointed me beyond words.”

He hadn’t expected his daughter to turn out like this—to scheme against a classmate without remorse. The disappointment was crushing. But deeper still was guilt; both he and his wife had been so busy with their own lives that they tried to make up for their absence with material things, never realizing what kind of person they were shaping her into.

The slap stunned Eda into silence. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision as she stared at her father in shock. In all her years, this was the first time he had ever hit her. Without a word, she spun on her heel and fled from the room.

Mac sank heavily into his chair, staring at the closed door where she had disappeared. The weight of helplessness pressed down on him, suffocating and relentless.