He stepped forward to protect Cecilia, turning back with a cold glare. “Barbara, have you lost your mind?”

He immediately ordered the bodyguards to hold me down.

“You just hit Cecilia. Now I want you to pay back tenfold.”

I was pinned against the wall by the bodyguards, who restrained my hands as slaps rained down on me.

Aaron counted loudly, “One, two, three... nine, ten. Ten slaps are done.”

The bodyguards roughly pushed me away. My face was swollen and covered in blood and tears. I collapsed into the dirt on the floor.

Aaron's voice echoed down from above.

“All the tens of thousands you spend daily on your mother's medical bills—those are on me, Barbara. Don't you dare be ungrateful.”

“I don't want to hear a single word that could tarnish Cecilia's reputation.”

He crouched down, forcefully grabbed my chin and coldly threatened.

“Barbara, I'm making this clear today. Even if you offer more money, no one will dare to take your case.”

As the heir of the MacBricc Family, his connections were extensive everywhere. With him having made arrangements, no matter how high the price I offered, no one dared to take the case.

Even the lawyer who was close to me frowned and advised me, “Miss Barbara, when the MacBricc Family woos you like this, anyone defending your mother will find themselves blacklisted in the legal world. I'm sorry, I can't help you this time.”

I nodded. “Thank you.”

That afternoon, I packed my bags and headed to the airport.

I bought a ticket and left the country. Since no lawyers here dared take my case, there must be someone abroad who would.

Someone would definitely take it.

Seeing that I hadn't made a move for several days, Aaron casually asked his assistant, “How's it going? Has Barbara dropped the charges?”

The assistant shook his head. “Mr. Aaron, as per your instructions, we've already made arrangements with the legal community. No one dares to take Miss Barbara's case.”

Aaron nodded satisfactorily. “She must be heartbroken. Go buy her some luxury items to cheer her up.”

“But Mr. Aaron, there's one more thing—”

The assistant frowned and interrupted him, hesitating to speak.

“I looked into it. Miss Barbara wasn't lying. Her mother truly did pass away in the hospital a week ago.”