Chapter 3

My dad had barely slept in three days.

I walked over and sat down beside him.

"Dad, stop dwelling on it. The truth will come out in court."

My dad sighed.

"If I hadn't stepped in back then..."

"None of this would've happened, right?"

I froze.

Ever since I was little, my dad had always told me:

"Do good, and don't fret over what comes of it."

But now, he'd ended up like this.

In that moment, I really wanted to charge down to the river.

And shove that whole extorting Norris family under the water.

I looked at my dad.

"Dad, what you did was a good thing."

"No matter what kind of person she is, you ran over and saved her, and that's why she's still alive."

"That was a human life."

"The ones in the wrong are the people spreading lies, the ones who took a photo out of context."

"Not you."

My dad stared at me, his eyes going red.

Finally, he nodded.

That night my mom came to me again.

"Sonia, the plaintiff's lawyer says..."

"They don't want this to blow up either, but public opinion has already turned against us."

"If we're willing to settle quickly and give a little, just pay four hundred thousand and it's done."

"Once we pay, they'll drop the lawsuit and even help clear your dad's name!"

"Your dad's reputation and his job would be saved! It's a good deal!"

A good deal? On what grounds?

I got worked up right away.

"Mom, we can't settle out of court!"

"If we settle, then the charge against my dad is basically confirmed!"

But my mom wouldn't hear a word of it. All that was left in her eyes was anxiety, as if the opposing lawyer had brainwashed her.

"Just let me finish."

"At first they wanted six hundred thousand, and we really can't come up with that."

"Four hundred thousand—we cash out the fixed deposit, and whatever's short we borrow from your uncle and scrape it together..."

"Mom."

I cut her off.

"On what grounds?"

"He's lived his whole life honest and clean!"

"And in the end he has to pay four hundred thousand out of his own pocket to buy a crime he never committed?"

Mom looked at me, then slammed her hand down and flipped the table.

"Then what do you want to do? What do we do?!"

"If this lawsuit drags on, your dad will be a laughingstock every single day!"

"His reputation ruined for life, and he might not even get his pension!"

"You make it sound simple, but what if we lose the case?"

"Then we'll have nothing left!"

"How is he supposed to live? How am I supposed to live?!"

My mom's words made my head buzz with anger.

"My dad did a kind thing saving someone, he did nothing wrong at all!"

"The one in the wrong is Clara Norris."

"It's those people who spread the videos and photos. They're the ones who dragged my dad into this."

"They misunderstood my dad, and I don't hate them for that, but if we go along and admit to this filth too, then my dad really will lose everything!"

"You can't be so short-sighted!"

My mom couldn't take it.

"But things have already come to this..."

"Mom, money can be earned back, a house can be rented."

"But if my dad swallows this, he'll never be able to stand tall again as long as he lives."

My mom hesitated, and then the phone rang again.

"I'm the attorney representing the plaintiff. My name is Lawrence."

"Have you two thought over settling privately?"

"Four hundred thousand, paid today, and we'll withdraw the lawsuit immediately."

"My clients are a kind-hearted mother and daughter, and taking into account the real hardship you defendants are facing—"

"This is our biggest concession."

No wonder my mom seemed brainwashed. It turned out they'd been pressuring her into it.

I grabbed the phone.

"Pass a message along to Clara Norris for me."

"...Go ahead."

"See you in court."

There was a pause on the other end.

I went on.

"By then, we'll see who's begging whom to drop the case."

A soft laugh came from the other side.

"Miss Head, are you sure?"

"Your father doesn't have any evidence to prove his innocence."

I said:

"You'd better worry more about your own client."

My evidence was already in order. I knew where I stood.

Now, I was just waiting for our day in court.

We would not back down from this.