How Death Became My Rebirth by Evelyn Florence

Chapter 23

Jonathan's questioning caused a stir in the courtroom.

Everyone found the Yates family’s threatening the plaintiff's lawyer ridiculous. They started to discuss.

Someone said, “This was so bold. What was the Yates family thinking to threaten the lawyer?”

“| don’t know what's on the Yates family’s mind. Cas sandra sued my child. There must be an explanation. There are only one and a half months left before the SAT. | demand an explanation for such a commotion to happen before the test, a mother said. Awoman beside her claimed, “That’s right. My child is also among the defendants. | absolutely don’t believe that my child would bully his classmate.”

“There must be a reason. Even if my child bullied his classmate, what’s the cause?” a father echoed.

“Troubles target those who have flaws. Perhaps, Cas sandra is not so much of a good student herself. Someone raised his doubt.

Leonardo's face wore a gloomy expression. He thought, D amn it! How could Jonathan say that in court?! | could be charged with obstruction of justice.”

“Oh, he turned to you?” Cas sandra glanced at Jonathan with interest.

“Yes, but | would only withdraw the lawsuit if the client requests it in person. | wouldn’t consider messages conveyed by others. Since you've never called me, | ignored his request,” Jonathan stated calmly.

“Mr. Yates, why did you do that? Is it because of Yulissa? You kidnapped me because of Yulissa. | have to say that you are quite qualified to be an outsider’s brother.” Everyone present recognized the sarcasm laced in Cas sandra’s tone.

Leonardo sensed it too, but he remained indifferent.

He wondered how Cas sandra, who had been cautiously flattering everyone in the Yates. family since her return, had turned out this way.

“She’s my sister. Shouldn’t | help her and her classmates? Do you want her to have a bad relationship with her classmates like you do?” Leonardo accused Cas sandra of being thoughtless and improper, thinking she brought trouble to her family at such a young

and wasn't concerned about the Yates family at all.

age

“Do you know what your good sister and her classmates have done?” Cas sandra asked.

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“Isn't it you who are playing the victim after bullying them at school?” Leonardo said confidently.

Leonardo believed a person who always bullied Yulissa at home must have bullied her a lot in school, too. He couldn’t fathom how Cas sandra had the audacity to bring the

matter up.

It was simply outrageous.

“It seems that Mr. Yates and others in the Yates family didn’t even bother to read the content of the civil complaint and lawyer's letter. Therefore, they assume here that | was the source of the problem,” remarked Cas sandra.

“If that’s the opinion of the defendant's family, then | would like to kindly request Your Honor to play our evidence,” Jonathan cut to the chase and continued after Cas sandra.

“Grant the plaintiff's request to play video evidence,” Hayden signaled the staff member to project the video on the screen.

It was a 10-minute video of Cas sandra being bullied.

Since Cas sandra’s first day at the new school, her classmates had treated her harshly. Over time, the severity of the mistreatment escalated, encompassing almost every form of bullying except physical harm.

They splashed water on her, tore her books, and even threw her table.

They locked her in the restroom and stuffed dead rats and centipedes under her desk.

All of these were done by the students in this class.

It was the first time that Edward had seen this complete video. Only now did he realize the torments Cas s andra had been through over these two months...

‘Isn’t she good at fighting? Why was she being bullied? Who did all this?” he thought.

He felt ashamed of his students.

Once the video concluded, everyone fell silent. They didn’t expect that their children. were one of the perpetrators. When they saw the wicked smiles on the familiar faces, the

parents felt ashamed.

After watching the video, Léonardo didn’t know what to say. No one ever told him the truth.

But then he recalled that every time Yulissa went back home, she was covering up for Cas sandra’s mistakes.

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‘So what’s this? And what does what Lisa said in the video mean?’ he thought.

It seemed like Yulissa was feigning innocence while deliberately provoking the other classmates to bully Ca s sandra.

‘No, Lisa wouldn’t behave in such a manner. That certainly can’t be her intent. She must have genuinely been attempting to help Cas sandra.’ Leonardo refuted his initial thought.

On the dock, as the students stood aside and watched the incidents replayed again, a sense of remorse crept in, making them realize the extent of their cruelty.

“Your Honor, | would ask for mediation on behalf of my child,” a mother said.

“Me, too. Someone followed her.

They didn’t know the truth previously and thought that they were the righteous party. However, it now became apparent that they were not.

“What is the plaintiffs opinion?” asked Hayden.

“What do you mean? Are you going to punish me like your children, or are you going to lecture me?” Cas sandra asked. Apparently, Cas sandra was reluctant to mediate.

But that was her right, and no one could deprive her of it.

“No, no. We have known the truth and really want to mediate with you,” said a mother, standing up.

She felt genuinely ashamed. After dedicating so many years to nurturing and educating. her child, she never anticipated that her child would bully a classmate.

“Your Honor, for those who sincerely wish to mediate, | agree to it. However, | don’t agree to mediate with the Yates family.” “Cas sandra, you brat! What right do you have to disagree? Why did | give birth to someone like you?” Miranda stood up angrily and scolded Cas sandra.novelbin

“Your Honor, look...”

There was no need to elaborate further on this scene.

Members of the Yates family were aggressive.

Leonardo, on the other hand, hadn't said anything. It was uncertain whether he felt disqualified or didn’t want to voice his opinion.

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“Then, as per the plaintiff's request, the court will adjourn today, and a mediator will follow up on this matter.”

With a bang of the gavel, the matter was tentatively settled.

“Mom, I’m sorry. | didn’t know Cas sandra hated me so much, and she even sued Leo. If | had known it, | would have apologized. It was my fault that | didn’t protect her well at school. Yulissa cried ‘regretfully.”

Everyone thought that she really wanted to help Cas sandra and she just didn’t know how to deal with these things because she had always been protected.

“Don't cry, Lisa. It has nothing to do with you. That bi tch deserves it. Don’t blame yourself.” Miranda held Yulissa in her arms, feeling sorry for her daughter.

Yulissa had never suffered such a great grievance in her life before.

‘It is all because of Cas sandra. | will surely teach her a lesson when | get the chance!! Miranda thought..

In the largest mediation room, Cas sandra and Jonathan sat on one side and the rest sat on the other. The Yates family had to wait outside.

“Cas sandra, I’m sorry. We only learned the truth today. | believed the one-sided story. and misunderstood you. How about this? | will ask my daughter to write a self- reflection report and apologize to you publicly. As for other compensations, | will discuss them with you later, okay?”

One of the parents’ attitude was very sincere and she offered a heartfelt apology.

“Madam, who are you?” Cas sandra asked.

“I'm Yvette Zinke’s mother,” the lady answered.

“Okay, | agree,” Cas sandra answered.

That girl was forgivable because she had only bullied Cas sandra once.

“Okay, thank you. Cas sandra, don’t worry. | will definitely ask her to hand over the self- reflection report to you on Monday.” The lady thanked Cas sandra profusely.

Cas sandra nodded in response.

‘Look, what | want is simple. However, no one gave it to me, so | had to get what | want. in my own way, she mused.