Chapter 177: No Need To Sully Your Hands
Lola didn’t plan to visit the chairman today, but he had called for her. The chairman was already old, and to be fair, she wanted to see him as much as possible, even if it was only once a week. Letting him know she was around, or giving him some proof of life, would surely lessen the burden he carried.
Skipping along the driveway toward the front door of the residence, Lola suddenly halted.
HONK! HONK!
"Huh?" She looked back, only to see a car racing straight toward her.
Her breath hitched as her face paled in an instant, an old memory flashing through her mind. Before she could even think, her body moved on its own. She leapt aside just in time as the car drifted and screeched to a stop.
"What in the..." she trailed off, snapping out of her shock, her wide eyes shifting to the car.
The backseat door opened, and Derek stepped out. Lola’s face immediately scrunched up bitterly.
"Are you trying to kill me?" she scoffed, only to be met with his glare.
"That’s what I should be asking you—are you trying to kill me?!" he barked from behind the open door, sticking his leg out, a bulky short cast strapped around his shin. "Look what your children did to me! Your son broke my shin!"
"Hah!" Lola jeered, running her tongue along her inner cheek. "A kid broke your shin?"
Derek slammed the door shut and limped toward her with the aid of a crutch. When he stopped in front of her, he jabbed a finger at his injury.
"Take a look! Do you think this isn’t serious? See?! How could they assault someone like this? Is this what you’ve been teaching your children—hah!"
Lola’s face darkened, her chin lifting. "That’s right, Derek. That’s exactly what I’m teaching my children—to fight back against bullies like you."
"Bully—hah! Wow! I’m speechless!" Derek laughed in disbelief. Lola had been the biggest bully in his life, yet here she was, flipping the accusation. He was so angry that he couldn’t even bring himself to throw his usual insults at her face. "Lola Young, don’t think I don’t know you’ve been living in that place—"
"Derek."
Travis’s voice rang from the front door, cutting him off. Both Lola and Derek turned to look.
Travis huffed faintly but sharply, his expression solemn and displeased. Striding toward them, his sharp eyes locked on Derek. He glanced at the injured shin, then met Derek’s gaze.
"Derek, the chairman has been waiting," he said flatly. "Go now. He’s already in a terrible mood."
"Tch. Do you think you’re my dad?" Derek hissed, then threw Lola one last glare. "Lola, I’m telling you—raise your kids however you want, but you’d better fix what you did to Melissa. Otherwise, you’ll regret ever messing with her again."
Lola’s hand curled into a fist as she stepped forward. "How about I teach you a lesson right now—" She raised her foot, but Travis quickly stepped between them.
"Lola." He shook his head, looking her in the eye. "Just let him go."
She clicked her tongue, eyes flashing daggers at Derek. Derek, smug, sneered. "See? Tch." With a roll of his eyes, he limped off toward the residence.
When he was gone, Lola jerked her arm free from Travis.
"That fool... how can he be so backward?" she muttered sourly. "Now he’s even blaming children for his injury."
Even though Second had admitted to kicking Derek’s shin, she couldn’t believe that alone had caused the fracture. Her son wasn’t that strong. He was just a kid!
Meanwhile, Travis studied her. Normally, Lola wouldn’t have bothered engaging with Derek’s nonsense, but as a mother, Derek’s way of dragging her children into things was different.
"I’m sorry about him," Travis said, bowing his head slightly.
Lola raised her brows at him. "Travis, there’s no reason for you to apologize. That guy should."
"I know. But we both know he never apologizes, even when he knows he’s wrong."
"That’s why he’s like that." Lola puffed, pinching the bridge of her nose to reset her mood. Once she was calmer, she looked up at him. "By the way, where’s Grandpa? Is he busy?"
"He did mention he invited you today, but something came up," Travis replied, glancing back at the residence. Then, his gaze shifted back to her. "He might see you after giving him an earful."
"... fine."
"Lola."
"What?"
"Derek might not apologize to you, but karma is always around."
Her brows rose slightly, curiosity flickering in her eyes. A subtle smile appeared on Travis’s face as he nodded.
"I don’t want to sound like I’m celebrating, but if it’ll make you feel better... there’s trouble with the Summit Partners," he said carefully. He shouldn’t have shared this with an outsider, but he considered Lola a friend, even family.
Travis might not be able to stop Derek’s petty clashes with her, but at least he could give her this.
"The Summit Partners want him out of the project," he said calmly. "The chairman’s going to kill him for this, so you don’t need to sully your hands."
"Oh..." Lola’s mouth formed a small O as she tilted her head.
Right. Atlas did tell me he would remove him from the project.
She pursed her lips, then snapped her brows together when Travis ruffled her hair. Lola frowned and shot him a sharp look.
"Travis, I’m not a kid anymore," she muttered, brushing his hand away. "Anyway, I’m not here for whatever family drama you guys have. I’m just here for Grandpa."
With that, Lola turned her back and strode off. Travis watched her go, sighing faintly.
"She’s always like that," he whispered to himself, thinking of her lack of reaction. "I guess that didn’t comfort her at all."
Yet, the corner of his mouth lifted before he followed after her. Because he knew—Lola would never celebrate another person’s downfall, even if that person had always wronged her.
That was the same reason Travis and Caullen never believed Melissa’s stories, even if Derek did. If only Derek knew, but the guy was just too blind in his own selfish world.
She’s better off without him, anyway.