Alyssa and Jasper were shocked. They exclaimed in unison, "What did you say, Taty?"
After her deliberation, Tatiana's expression was calm and resolute. "It doesn't matter if I have to give
my statement at the police station or testify against David in court. I will take the witness stand. I'm
willing to do it.
"I just want David to be brought to justice, and to ensure that justice is served on behalf of those
women. No matter how immense the pressure, I can handle it."
At this moment, it was as if the air around them had frozen.
At first, Tatiana thought that they would strongly support her idea. To her surprise, both Alyssa's and
Jasper's faces turned glum. They didn't say a word.
"Even though David didn't get his way with me, it was still an assault attempt. Moreover, I'm sure that I
will be able to garner the people's attention when I step forward to accuse him, especially with a status
like mine.
"Then, the Schmidts wouldn't be able to shut people up even if they wanted to. When that time comes,
we must bring justice to David for the sake of the women he defiled. In the face of pressure, the
Schmidts wouldn't be able to cover for him even if they wanted to!"
"But have you thought of the horrifying risks you'd have to go through if you were to do this?"
Alyssa's brows were knitted tightly. She spoke in a stern tone; one that was stricter than a parent's.
"You want to expose the incident when David tried to harm you. Contrary to what you expect, people
with bad intentions will end up getting a hold of you. They may take the chance to distort the truth and
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtmake groundless accusations. They might even stir things up!
"If so, both you and Lyla will be pushed to the edge of the cliff. Even if you were able to handle the
colossal pressure, do you think that Lyla would be able to?
"Furthermore, David can only be charged with attempted assault if you were to step up and give your
testimony. He'll then get three to five years of jail time. He'd be released and then continue to harm
others!
"If we don't get to the bottom of things, Josh will surely think of another way to denigrate you. How are
you going to respond then? How should Sean help and protect you? Do you both really wish to spend
the rest of your lives being entangled with the assholes from the Schmidt family?"
Tatiana's heart wrenched at the thought of her mother and Sean.
That being said, her heart ached even more for the women who fell victim to David.
She was Winston's daughter. She also had the support of such powerful individuals as Alyssa and
Jasper. Even so, she barely even got back at him.
Those other women were the ones who were really at the mercy of others. They were basically in a
living hell.
Alyssa took a deep breath. She then spoke up with a hint of emotionless intimidation, "There's another
thing. Even if you were to testify against David, it wouldn't be easy to take him down.
"Your idea could probably be useful if we were going against someone who wants to uphold their
reputation. For example, someone like Josh, who is a self-righteous rat.
"But David is shameless! He has no human decency. Do you think you can inflict any real pain on him?
He would continue leeching onto the Schmidt family as long as they weren't brought down.
"The uproar you bring about will eventually be forgotten by people as time passes. As for those
women, your courage and sacrifice might not necessarily change their minds. They may choose to
remain silent all the way.
"However, that's not their fault. You have us as your way out. They've got no way out once they speak
up."
Alyssa's words were spoken calmly and rationally. Her straightforward statements were so cold and
straight to the point that even Jasper couldn't help but gasp.
He was reminded of the few times in the past when he arm wrestled with her. He had lost in
embarrassment each time.
He didn't let her win on purpose. It was Alyssa who had remarkable skills. She was logical, detailed,
and decisive. There weren't many who could be a match for her. He admitted defeat from the bottom of
his heart.
The heartfelt words that she had uttered to Tatiana hit close to home. Although part of it did cross
Jasper's mind, he wasn't as thorough as she was.
"Lyse... I understand what you mean. But how can we turn things around if we don't take a gamble?"
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmTatiana questioned. Her eyes were filled with anxiousness.
"I am not going to let my own sister be a gambler who puts all her eggs in one basket!"
Alyssa shot to her feet. In a strict manner, she continued, "It's not just me. Jasper, Lyla, and Sean are
certainly not going to allow you to do so.
"Speaking of Sean, no man would allow their beloved woman to be embroiled in a quagmire. He was
just recently ambushed by the Schmidts. It's only been a few days since. Don't you want to get through
your days peacefully?
"This matter is not up for discussion. You can stay for dinner if you don't bring this up again. Otherwise,
I will get Xavier to send you back this instant."
"Lyse!"
"What you were thinking is really too risky, Taty. Lyse is afraid that you'd end up being hurt." Jasper was
worried that Alyssa and Tatiana would get upset at one another. So, he tried to mediate between them.
"Her tone may have been harsher than usual. However, you should know how much she cares for
you."
Tears welled up in Tatiana's eyes as she watched Alyssa, who was standing tall. Her stance was
clearly graceful, but she looked intimidating from the back. She was standing in front of her like an
immovable mountain.
If it were in the past, she would have agreed apprehensively.
Yet, a wave of fearlessness came over her this time. She couldn't stop herself and blurted, "Lyse, if... if
I wasn't your sister, would you still stand in my way like this?"