No More Yielding Chapter 02
Arthur didn’t come home all night.
The next morning, he sent me text message.
“I have already withdrawn Lily’s early decision admission slot.
“I’m bringing Margaret and Isla over this afternoon to pick up Lily’s study materials, so don’t give us any attitude.”
Looking at this self-righteous command, I didn’t even have the energy to sneer.
I calmly replied, “Okay.”
Turning around, I turned on my computer and logged into a hidden overseas email account.
During her high school, Lily’s blueprints had won the gold medal at the International Youth Grand Prix.
A top-tier architecture school in the American Ivy League had sent an invitation with a full scholarship for a combined bachelor’s and master’s program.
It was only because Lily couldn’t bear to leave Arthur, her perpetually absent father, that she fought so hard for the early decision admission slot at the University of Toronto.
Now, there was no need to hold on anymore.
I immediately replied to the email, applying to restart the admission process.
At three in the afternoon, the door lock clicked.
Arthur walked in with Margaret and Isla.
Margaret was carrying some cheap fruit, her face full of apology.
“Adhara, I’m so sorry. Isla insisted on coming to see Lily, and I couldn’t stop her.”
Isla’s face was rosy; she didn’t look like someone with severe depression at all.
She pushed open the door to Lily’s room without hesitation.
The torn scraps of paper on the floor hadn’t been swept up yet.
Isla feigned surprise, but her foot accurately stepped on the core section of Lily’s torn design blueprints, grinding down hard twice.
“Oh my, why did Lily tear up such precious blueprints?”
She looked at Lily by the bed with a beaming smile.
“Makes sense. You’re going to study nursing anyway, so keeping them just takes up space.
“When I get sick in the future, I’ll be counting on you to take care of me.”
Lily didn’t even bat an eyelid, her voice cold and clear.
“Get out.”
Isla’s expression shifted, her eyes instantly turning red as she looked aggrievedly toward the door.
“Uncle Arthur, did I make Lily upset…”
Arthur strode over, pulling Isla behind him protectively, and glared at Lily with a face full of anger.
“Who did you learn this temper from?
“Isla came to see you out of the goodness of her heart, and what kind of attitude is this?
“Don’t you know Isla can’t handle being provoked?
“Apologize!”
I watched coldly as he shielded someone else’s daughter like a fiercely protective parent.
The deepest corner of my heart that used to ache had completely turned to dead ashes.
I stepped forward and shielded Lily behind me.
“She did nothing wrong, so why should she apologize? Get out!”
“Adhara!”
Arthur was enraged, his chest heaving.
“The slot is already finalized. This bitter and mean attitude of yours will only be a bad influence on Lily!”
Margaret quickly grabbed his arm.
“Arthur, it’s normal for Adhara to feel upset. We shouldn’t have come.”
Saying that, she pulled Isla toward the door, acting as if they had suffered some massive injustice.
Arthur grabbed Margaret’s hand in return and stared at me coldly.
“They are the ones who should leave! Lily must apologize to Isla today!”
The air froze.
Lily suddenly stood up.
She bypassed me and walked right up to Arthur.
There was no grievance in her eyes; she just looked at him with the gaze of a stranger.
“Fine, I apologize.”
She bowed slightly, her voice like mist that could dissipate at any moment.
“Isla, I’m sorry.”
Arthur froze.
He hadn’t expected Lily to give in so easily.
Lily straightened up and looked him in the eye.
“Daddy, this is the last time I will ever listen to you.
“From now on, I won’t ever make you angry again.”
She turned and shut the door, blocking all lines of sight.
Staring at the tightly closed door, Arthur’s fingers curled abruptly.