Chapter 98

Tristan totally got what Megan meant. Since she offered him a way out, he took it without hesitation.

He called Linus Blake, told him to drop the lawsuit.

Then he asked Cameron to get in touch with the top psychiatric hospital in the Capital and arrange for their most trusted expert to do a mental assessment for Natalie Banks-on behalf of the Lewis family.

That small move was a huge favor to the Lewis family.

At the same time, it sent a clear message: she might've dodged jail, but there was no way Tristan was letting her off lightly.

That was his bottom line.

Watching the big shots leave, Ryan let out a silent sigh.He figured Natalie would've been better off in prison.

At least serving time had an end date. But once you're in a psychiatric hospital? That's a whole new level of misery. Even if she got out someday, her reputation would already be in the trash.

Capitol City Airport.

Two figures emerged from the VIP security exit. The man wore a sharp suit, with a tall, imposing figure.His features were striking-deep-set eyes, straight nose, no real emotion on his face, but he gave off that classic mature-man charisma.

His arm was around a petite, stunning socialite. Her fox-like eyes sparkled with calm intensity, like still autumn water.

Oliver, Jason, and Samuel stepped up and respectfully greeted, "Dad, Mom."

Zachary Lewis gave a short nod. "Mm. Your mom's a bit motion-sick. We'll head straight home."

"Honey," Stella rubbed her temple, looking exhausted,"I'm planning to bail out my distant cousin's daughter."

"She stabbed Jason. Forget letting her off, and now you want to go pick her up yourself? You're not in shape for that. Go home and rest."

Zachary's tone made it clear. Stella didn't reply.

If her last name isn't Banks, she wouldn't have bothered in the first place. Especially when her own son was the one who got stabbed.

She finally nodded. "Fine, I'll listen to you. Let Oliver handle it."

Oliver responded with a nod.

"Where's Amelia? Why isn't she here?"

Samuel let out a laugh. "After all the embarrassment she brought to the family, you think she deserves to show up?” Stella sighed. "She might not be your real sister, but she's called you 'brother' all these years. Cut her some slack."

She turned to Jason. "No work today?"

Jason chuckled a little. "Nothing's more important than welcoming you guys home."

Stella smiled at him, her gentle warmth obvious. "My second son always knows just what to say. Samuel,you should learn a thing or two from your brothers."

With a light smile, Zachary wrapped an arm around her slender waist and started walking.

Samuel pouted. "Am I really that out of favor with Mom and Dad?"

Oliver shot him a look but said nothing, following behind.

Jason gave him a friendly pat. "Don't sell yourself short, man."Samuel was a little moved. "Jason, you're really the only one who-"

He didn't even get to finish when Jason let out a laugh."You? No one in the family likes you."

Samuel was speechless. "Seriously? That's what you go with?"

At the airport entrance, Oliver watched the family van drive off, then headed straight to the detention center.

When he got there, Ryan was leaning on the back of a police car, smoking. Two cigarette butts lay on the ground.

Seeing Oliver approach, Ryan stubbed out his cigarette and came over. "Mr. Lewis."

Oliver nodded slightly. "Thanks for the trouble."

Ryan made a call, and the gate buzzed open. Soon,Natalie was led out.

The moment she saw Oliver, her eyes flickered with disbelief. She knew his mother, Stella, was distantly related to her father, Richard-but they were barely even family.

She'd always tried to cozy up to Amelia, hoping to get closer to the Lewis family, but Amelia kept brushing her off, never letting her get too near.

Now that something had finally happened, she didn't expect the Lewis family would actually step in to bail her out.

She was nervous. After all, she did stab Jason. But this move. could it mean Stella still cared about blood ties?

Her eyes lit up with hope. Maybe this was her way back in-maybe she could even use the Lewises to take down Megan.

But Ryan's next words crushed every bit of that fantasy.

"Mr. Lewis, Mr. Reid said since Natalie needs a psychiatric evaluation, the Reid family will help too.He's arranged the top specialist at the Third Psychiatric Hospital to examine her." When she heard it was Tristan who'd arranged the doctors, Natalie instantly panicked. She'd escaped one trap only to fall into another-worse.

"I'm not going! I'm not going! Once I go in, I'm never getting out!" she screamed, her voice rising in panic.

Ryan looked at her calmly. "Then it's simple. Either you go in for treatment, or you go to prison."

In other words-pretend to be mentally ill or get locked up for real.

Natalie snapped. "It's all that bitch Megan's fault! If it weren't for her, none of this would've happened! My mom wouldn't be disfigured, my dad wouldn't have ended up in the hospital, and the Banks family wouldn't be in ruins. She ruined everything!"

Oliver frowned.

Why did it bother him so much to hear her dragging Megan's name through the mud?

His voice turned cold. "Captain Mitchell,please take her to the hospital. Just keep me posted on the results."

Seeing him get into the car, Natalie completely lost it.Her eyes widened with tears flooding out. "Oliver! You can't just leave me! Your mom is my aunt!"

Oliver rolled the window down and gave her a chilly glance. "Exactly. And that very distant blood tie is the only reason we bailed you out.

If you don't want the psych evaluation, that's fine-go sit in jail. Up to you.

But don't expect us to ruin our relationship with the Reid family over you."Yeah, those words were tough,but they weren't wronng.

Natalie had sinister intentions-trying to ruin someone's reputation and even going as far as wielding a knife. Just plain brutal.

And her mother? She didn't hesitate to go after someone's looks. In the end, they just got what was coming to them.

Hard to feel sorry for either of them now.

Oliver rolled up the window and shifted his gaze."Let's go."

The driver pulled away.

Natalie stared at the black Rolls-Royce as it disappeared down the road, bawling uncontrollably.

Ryan's tone was sharp: "So, prison or a psych eval?You decide."

After crying herself hoarse, she finally whimpered,"Hospital."

She figured prison meant no way out, but maybe the psych ward would give her a shot to run.

Ryan waved his hand, and two officers moved to escort her into the police car.

Sliding into the front seat, Ryan told the officer next to him, "Third Psychiatric Hospital." Thirty minutes later, the car pulled up outside the hospital.

Cameron was already waiting at the entrance

After a brief talk with Cameron, the officers brought Natalie inside.

The hospital's top specialist ran a full evaluation and concluded she was suffering from severe dissociative identity disorder and manic episodes-needed inpatient care.

The second Natalie heard the diagnosis, she scratched the expert across the face.

It took four orderlies to hold her still while they gave her a sedative.

The expert, pressing a hand over the scratch marks,gave Cameron a wry smile. "We've seen cases like hers before. Don't worry, we'll make sure she doesn't become a danger to others again."

Ryan stayed quiet. After all, this was the path Natalie had chosen.

Do enough bad, and it'll come back to bite you.

Cameron gave a nod. "Thanks, Dr. Neagle. I'll leave her in your hands."

At the Lewis family villa.

Their car pulled up at the entrance, and Zachary helped Stella down.

Amelia spotted them and hurried over with a bright smile. "Dad, Mom, you're finally back! I missed you so much!"

She looped her arm through Stella's affectionately

Samuel let out a cold snicker. "What, think your backup's back so you can go back to playing your little games?"

Amelia blinked, teary-eyed. "No wonder you never like me. I really don't know what I keep doing wrong."

Stella patted her hand. "Your brother's never been the type to spoil girls. Don't let it get to you."

Watching the three of them head inside, Samuel turned to Jason. "Did you see that? Classic fake sweetheart act."

Jason shot him a sideways glance. "Wanna know why you keep falling for it?"

"Why?" Samuel genuinely wanted to know.

Jason chuckled. "Because you run your mouth too much."

Samuel:[You sure you're really my brother? Ugh seriously. Not even human.]