CHAPTER 112: ONLY CHOICES

When Yeri stepped out of her father’s study, her mind buzzed like a swarm of bees. Thoughts collided and tangled until she could hardly breathe.

She had expected her father to scold her, or at least forbid her from seeing Shin Keir again. But instead, his words had been steady, measured, and terrifyingly logical.

At the door, Father Zhi had spoken, his tone heavier than usual.

"Princess," he had said, his voice lined with weariness, "it’s not that I fear offending the Nafplions. The true danger lies in the people standing behind them... the Song family."

The name alone made Yeri stiffen.

So that was it. The Nafplions had climbed too high, too fast, and it wasn’t their own power lifting them.

It was the Songs, the one family out of the four noble clans whose empire wasn’t built on businesses or wealth, but on politics.

Yeri knew little about them. She only remembered snippets she had overheard at banquets: whispers of their ties to ministers, their invisible strings in lawmaking, the way doors opened with a single phone call from them. Their fortune wasn’t measured in gold but in influence. And influence was far harder to shatter.

Her father didn’t need to explain more. She understood at once.

This wasn’t just about her finding a "suitable" marriage partner. Even if there were respectable families who matched her in prestige, none of them could protect her from the Songs. With their backing, the Nafplions had become untouchable.

The only choices left were cruelly narrow: either flee the country like a fugitive, leaving behind her family and inheritance, or anchor herself to someone the Songs would hesitate to provoke.

Someone like Shin Keir.

Her throat closed up. Suddenly, everything made sense. No wonder her father hadn’t been furious when he discovered she was entangled with Shin Keir. No wonder he hadn’t tried to separate them.

There were times when pride and ego meant nothing. You could live quietly, seek no quarrel, and still find trouble crashing through your doors.

In their circle, survival wasn’t about right or wrong, it was about who you stood beside.

"Does Young Master Keir know about Leo Nafplion?" Yeri asked after a long silence.

Father Zhi gave a grim nod. "I had to tell him."

The weight of his expression was almost unbearable. Even for him, this wasn’t easy. What if Shin Keir wasn’t the man they believed him to be? What if he turned out even more dangerous? If he ever hurt Yeri, how could anyone save her from someone like that?

So, instead of commands, her father gave her only advice. "Think carefully. I won’t force you to marry. There are still other families I can turn to, other ways. You’re not trapped, not unless you allow yourself to be."

The words should have been comforting, but Yeri returned to her room more dazed than ever.

Shin Keir. The name repeated endlessly in her mind.

Why had he suddenly proposed marriage? Was it because of that terrifying night with the mercenaries? Did he feel guilty and want to "repay" her? Or had she stumbled upon something she wasn’t supposed to know? Something so dangerous that the only way to silence her was to bind her to his side?

The questions kept her awake until dawn.

---

The next morning, Yeri looked as though she had fought a battle with shadows. Dark smudges framed her eyes, her hair sticking out in messy strands. Her bed remained untouched.

Carpet, her golden retriever, stretched beside her bed with a long, lazy yawn, utterly oblivious.

"Must be nice being you," she muttered, glaring at him.

Carpet wagged his tail once, then promptly rolled onto his back, paws in the air, declaring his loyalty to sleep.

Yeri groaned and grabbed her phone. If she couldn’t rest, at least she could distract herself. But scrolling through social media only made her blood run cold.

The issue with Lucia Hera hadn’t faded. If anything, it had multiplied like wildfire.

"So Yeri goes to SC University? No surprise. That school’s crawling with bullies."

"Zhi Corporation can keep sending legal threats. Won’t change the truth. Why don’t they sue the livestreamer instead?"

"Pretty, rich, and spoiled. She thinks she’s untouchable."

And then the one that broke her composure:

"I got news that Yeri was friends with Tiffany, the bully. Birds of the same feather! Lucia, don’t stay quiet, expose them together!"

Yeri sat bolt upright, clutching her phone.

Friends? With Tiffany? Everyone at school knew they could barely stand to be in the same room together.

Whoever wrote this wasn’t misinformed, they were deliberately twisting the truth.

This wasn’t about Lucia’s apology anymore. Some people are just venting their hatred against the rich and she was the unlucky recipient.

It could also be an attack. A smear campaign to drag her down at any cost.

And bullying accusations weren’t harmless gossip. They could stain reputations, affect her studies, even follow her into her career.

When she finally dragged herself downstairs, her parents were already seated at the breakfast table. Jj arrived soon after, dressed neatly for school, though his face was grim.

"The school dean called," Father Zhi said immediately. "He wants you to report as soon as possible. I’ll come with you."

Yeri’s heart sank. His tone told her he had seen the online chaos too.

"Don’t worry," Jj said quickly, trying to comfort her. "Dad will handle it."

But Yeri wasn’t reassured. The matter about Shin Keir pestered her thoughts relentlessly.

After breakfast, they left together. She wore an oversized denim shirt and plain black pants, not bothering to dress up.

Jj was dropped off at the college department. As their car rolled toward the high school entrance, Yeri was momentarily stunned.

From a distance, she saw the crowd.

Parents, students, and strangers filled the gate, some holding banners and posters demanding justice, others shouting slogans. Reporters hovered with cameras, waiting to snatch headlines.

Her chest tightened. This wasn’t just a school scandal anymore, it had become a public spectacle.

Inside the dean’s office, the atmosphere was no better. The dean looked pale, his shoulders slumped as though the weight of the entire school rested on him. His eyes were rimmed red; clearly he hadn’t slept either.

Not long after, Tiffany arrived with her mother and a lawyer. Even behind her sunglasses, it was obvious she had cried all night.

Nathaniel Armour entered shortly after, brisk as always, checking his watch as if juggling multiple crises.

The meeting began, each word heavy with tension.

The dean explained the accusations, then laid out the school’s stance. Tiffany, through her lawyer, insisted she didn’t want to escalate matters. But Yeri knew she couldn’t let Tiffany wriggle free with no accountability.

Nathaniel’s voice cut through the room like a blade. "For the damages my client has endured both emotional and mental, Miss Rhian should issue a public apology and admit her mistake."

Tiffany’s mother bristled immediately, while Tiffany shook her head furiously, whispering behind her lawyer.

The arguments dragged on. CCTV footage was replayed. Compensation discussed. Tiffany’s side pushed for a financial settlement, but money meant nothing to the Zhi family.

What Yeri wanted was simple: accountability.

In the end, they reached a compromise. Tiffany would write a formal apology, pay a settlement, and sign an agreement that if she repeated her actions, the case would go directly to court.

It wasn’t everything Yeri hoped for, but it was enough.

Then Madam Rhian leaned forward, her voice syrupy. "Yeri, you and Tiffany were once dormmates and classmates for years, apart from this incident. I know my daughter made a mistake, but she truly regrets it now. Besides, many of these accusations are exaggerated and circumstantial. I don’t believe my daughter has done those things... We are from the same circle, and you should understand how this affects the entire family."

Madam Rhian paused, her expression gentle yet weighed with sorrow for her daughter.

Turning to Father Zhi, she spoke in a pleading tone. "As a parent, nothing is more painful than watching your own flesh and blood subjected to torment and false accusations. My Tiffany is very young, how could she bear all of this? Some people are cruel enough to drive others to despair. For the sake of my daughter’s future, can you please speak on her behalf? The Rhian family will owe you a lifetime of gratitude, and we will also assist you with your case."

Her words dripped with desperation, but Yeri heard the veiled coercion.

"I understand that Miss Rhian is facing a pressing matter," Nathaniel said, his voice firm and unyielding. "But my client will, under no circumstances, involve herself in this. I must reiterate: these two cases are separate. My client will not aid, nor become an accessory, in Miss Rhian’s bullying case. Any attempt at moral coercion, veiled threats, or implications, whether in person or online, will be considered unlawful."

Madam Rhian’s pleading expression froze in place.

Father Zhi remained impassive, though he gave a slight nod.

"Madam Rhian is correct, nothing is more painful than knowing your child was tormented and bullied. That is precisely why I will not force my daughter to defend the very person who repeatedly insulted her and nearly caused her physical harm, simply for the sake of convenience and interest. Do not contradict your own words, Madam Rhian. What you are asking is for my daughter to share in your daughter’s crime, when she herself was one of the victims of bullying."

Madam Rhian’s composure cracked. She had come expecting to buy her way out with money. Instead, she was denied twice, her pride bruised beyond measure.

Her lawyer tried to argue, but Nathaniel cut him down swiftly.

At first, Madam Rhian had been confident about the settlement. With the right sum of money, she assumed the Zhi family would accept her request.

What she did not expect was Klaus Zhi’s unyielding stance, siding with his daughter without hesitation. She had heard rumors that he was fiercely protective, but now she saw it was the undeniable truth.

In the end, Madam Rhian did not press further. In her eyes, the Zhi family was merely of lower standing, there was no reason for her to lower herself any more than she already had. Since they had refused to give her face, they could not blame her for what she would do next.