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Chapter 79: Send You Home
“Keep the cold compress on for a little longer, okay?”
As the ice bag was being removed, the infirmary door creaked open. Cason and Lindsay walked in, followed by Kaliyah and her parents.
“You ***! Get my daughter back to me! The police took her away! Go to the station and have the police release her now!” Lindsay yelled, pointing at Ainsley, her face twisted in anger.
Cason, looking shocked as he saw Ainsley’s injury, seemed a bit more composed. However, his expression darkened when he noticed Manuel was also there. “Ainsley, have you gone too far? I’m apologizing on behalf of Kaitlin, but you can’t just call the police, right? We’ll compensate you later. Please help get her out of the police station now.”
“Ainsley, I’ve had enough of you!” Lindsay snapped, her voice trembling. “Look at what your ex-husband did, and now you’re punishing my daughter too? This is ridiculous!”
Ainsley calmly reached for her phone, opened the post from earlier, and threw it at Cason.
Lindsay’s face turned pale for a moment when she saw the evidence, but then, her worry over Kaitlin’s detention took over. The Baldry family’s reputation in Seattle was on the line, and Kaitlin’s arrest was a huge blow to it.
“Ainsley, if you have any grievances, come at me, but leave my daughter out of this!” Lindsay’s voice quivered with panic. “Isn’t this because Cason divorced you? You’ve been targeting Kaitlin this whole time. I’m warning you, release my daughter immediately, or I won’t let this go!”
“Mom, why did you post something like this? Divorcing Ainsley is between me and her,” Cason blushed, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. He never expected Kaitlin and Lindsay to go so far.
Kaliyah, stepping closer, gently held Cason’s arm and said, “Cason, it’s not Lindsay and Kaitlin’s fault. They were just trying to protect you from losing out.” She turned to Ainsley, pleading, “Ms. Easton, can’t you forgive them? Everyone lives in Seattle, and if this scandal spreads, it’ll affect all of us.”
Kaliyah’s anxiety was palpable, knowing full well that Kaitlin’s actions could tarnish the Baldry family’s reputation, and she didn’t want to be dragged down with them.
Manuel’s cold gaze swept over the Baldry family, his tone biting. “The Baldry family really has opened my eyes.”
“Mr. Gage, what do you mean by that?” Cason frowned, his patience wearing thin.
“Aisy was hurt by your sister. You didn’t even ask about her condition before you started blaming her. And then, your mother barged in here, cursing. What a great example of how well-bred the Baldry family is!” Manuel’s words were cold, dripping with sarcasm.
“You’re just as bad, Mr. Gage. Always right there whenever Ainsley’s involved!” Cason shot back, his frustration clear.
Manuel barely acknowledged Cason. “I’m flattered. You and Ms. Packer are always inseparable. I almost forgot you haven’t even married yet.”
Kaliyah’s face turned ashen, and she quickly withdrew her hand from Cason’s arm, stepping back as her parents moved away. The Packer family couldn’t afford to offend the Gage family.
“Mr. Gage, this is between the Baldry family and Ainsley,” Cason insisted, trying to steer the conversation back to his sister.
Manuel stood tall, blocking their view of Ainsley. “You’re wrong.”
“What?” Cason didn’t follow.
“Kaitlin attempted to frame Serina, so this involves the Gage family as well.”
Ainsley, who had remained silent up until now, cast a cold glance at Cason. “You shouldn’t have come here for me. This is no longer just about me. Kaitlin stole the test questions, cheated, and framed Serina and me. It’s affected the reputation of the school. This is the school management’s decision now.”
“You’re lying! Mr. Ford wouldn’t make a decision like this without going through the school board! Don’t forget we’re part of the school board!” Lindsay fumed.
Ainsley didn’t even look at her. “Have you forgotten there’s another member of the school board here?”
Lindsay instantly fell silent, realizing she couldn’t argue with Manuel involved.
Kaliyah, sensing the tension, tried once more. She approached Ainsley with a calm voice, “Ms. Easton, this can be resolved easily. There’s no need to escalate things further. The Baldry family won’t give up on Kaitlin. Please, be generous and forgive them.”
Ainsley’s eyes flashed with anger. “Shut up. What does this have to do with you? You’re not even part of the Baldry family. Stay out of it. And you—” Ainsley’s gaze narrowed as she fixed her eyes on Kaliyah. “You were the one who took my phone, weren’t you?”
Kaliyah froze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Ainsley’s voice was icy. “Don’t play dumb. I knew from the start that you took my phone. I suggest you return it to me soon, or just throw it away. Otherwise, I’ll report it to the police as lost property.”
Kaliyah’s father, Bryan Packer, stepped forward, trying to smooth things over. “Ms. Easton, we’re trying to be respectful here. If this escalates, it’ll end poorly for everyone. Let’s talk this through.”
Ainsley didn’t even glance at him. Her lips were a thin line of indifference. She was done with the Baldry and Packer families.
Manuel, showing no interest in diplomacy, responded bluntly. “This is none of your Packer family’s business. If you don’t have anything useful to add, it’s best to keep quiet.”
Bryan, clearly irate, glared at Manuel, but Kaliyah quickly intervened, pulling him back.
At that moment, the school doctor arrived with medicine. Surprised by the crowd, he still handed it to Manuel. “Apply this to the burns in an hour. Don’t wrap it in gauze, and keep it dry for the next few days.”
“Got it. Thanks,” Manuel said, taking the medicine.
Surrounded by so many people, Ainsley felt suffocated in the infirmary. She tried to stand up but faltered, her leg still too painful to bear weight on.
Noticing her struggle, Manuel handed her the medicine. Without a word, he bent down, effortlessly scooped her up, and carried her in his arms, being careful to avoid touching her burns.
“What are you doing?” Ainsley whispered, her voice barely above a breath.
“I’m taking you home,” Manuel replied calmly, his tone unbothered.
As they walked out in front of the Baldry and Packer families, not even sparing them a glance, Cason clenched his fists in frustration. His eyes blazed with a mix of anger and confusion.
Kaliyah seized the moment, whispering, “Cason, look at how protective Mr. Gage is of her. No one can touch her now.”
Cason’s jaw tightened. “What she wants is the influence of the Gage family, isn’t it?” he said bitterly.
Lindsay, still visibly upset, wailed, “What will happen to Kaitlin now? What if she’s being treated unfairly? Ainsley, I swear—!”
“Mom, stop!” Cason couldn’t bear to hear any more of it, especially after seeing those posts. His face flushed with embarrassment, but he knew he couldn’t leave Kaitlin stranded. He had to find a way out of this mess.
