Chapter 778


    Mrs. Ritter''s face turned extremely gloomy in an instant.


    Her well-kept face visibly trembled, as if she was trying hard to restrain herself from losing control.


    The journalists, fans and audience members who were watching were also shocked.


    "Are there still bets on this?"


    "Isn''t this just a friendly match?"


    "I thought it was over after the game, but apparently there''s more to it?"


    Not only these people were shocked, even Brayden and Cody were shocked too.


    They couldn''t help but stare at Mrs. Ritter and Franklin.


    Only Sylvia had no expression on her face. Her pretty face showed no emotion whatsoever.


    Jasper held a bottle of mineral water in his hand and took several sips before wiping the water off his


    lips. "Miss Andrews, do you know anything about this?"


    Sylvia shook her head. "I''m not sure what the bet is about either. But judging by Mrs. Ritter''s


    expression, the stakes must be..."


    "Mrs. Ritter, does Ritter Group want to break their promise?" Franklin''s oppressive voice rang out.


    His handsome yet young face looked cold as ice.


    Although Mrs. Ritter was already middle-aged and had seen many things in life as president of Urgford


    Piano Association and had met many important figures before.


    But now she seemed to be sweating slightly behind her back when faced with Franklin who was much


    younger than her.


    After a while, she clenched her fists tightly and said with obvious trembling in her voice, "Since Mr.


    Maskelyne has spoken up, the Ritter Group will naturally keep our word."


    Almost everyone present became curious upon hearing what she said, especially wanting to know what


    exactly would happen after Ritter Group lost.


    Just then Ashlyn rushed over from the audience seats and grabbed Mrs. Ritters'' hand, "Mom, don''t!"


    However, Mrs. Ritters took a deep breath, broke free from Ashlyn''s grip, and spoke slowly, "A wager


    must be honored. Ashlyn, you need to apologize on Twitter right now."


    Ashlyn''s eyes reddened with tears. She looked at Mrs. Ritters with grievance, "Mom, I don''t want to. I


    am clearly the victim here. Why should I apologize?"


    "Miss Ritter knows whether or not she is a victim. I''m afraid an apology alone won''t suffice. Mrs. Ritters,


    the terms of our wager... apology is only part of it." Franklin sneered.


    Mrs. Ritter''s eyes were filled with anger, and she seemed to be seething with resentment. "Mr.


    Maskelyne, don''t push your luck too far."


    "Is the Ritter Group going to be a coward?" Franklin sneered disdainfully. "My brother Brayden is here,


    and his sister Jenna is here too. If you sincerely apologize, why go on Twitter? Miss Ritter, I suggest


    you go over there now and apologize in person to show sincerity."


    Ashlyn looked pale as she stared at Franklin before scanning the crowd of people who hadn''t left even


    though thepetition was over. Their curious gazes made her feel almost unbearable.


    "I... I..." She struggled to speak but couldn''t find any words.


    Everyone was shocked by their exchange.


    Brayden found it unbelievable when Mrs. Ritter ordered Ashlyn to apologize.


    Apologize? To him and Jenna?


    "Miss Ritter, there''s evidence that you pushed Jenna that day," Sylvia stood up and said while looking


    at Ashlyn''s unpleasant face from afar. "Not only is there video evidence but also many witnesses. Do


    you want to deny it?"


    Ashlyn no longer had any trace of her spoiled arrogance at this point.


    She felt like a clown forced into standing under the sun for judgment.


    It wasn''t just her; Mrs. Ritter was almost fainting from anger too!


    The Ritter family had never suffered such a huge loss in Urgford before!


    But now she felt rooted where she stood as if all of the Ritters'' faces were being thrown away!


    She hated Franklin so much! It was this young man who dared treat her like this! Treat her daughter


    like this! One day he would regret it!


    "Apologize! Apologize!" Someone suddenly shouted from within the crowd.


    Then those spectators began stirring up one after another shouting "apologize!" repeatedly until their


    voices became louder and more organized than ever before...


    Ashlyn couldn''t help but let tears roll down her cheeks; She had never been so humiliated before...


    "You have no right to demand an apology from me," Ashlyn red at Franklin. "I am... I am the victim."


    "Miss Ritter, do you need us to open the video so you can review what you''ve done?" Sylvia sneered,


    her cold voice echoing across the basketball court. "What''s wrong? Are you so forgetful at such a


    young age?"


    Mrs. Ritter closed her eyes andmanded, "Ashlyn! Apologize!"


    Ashlyn looked humiliated as she nced at her mother and said, "Mom..."


    "Go!" Mrs. Ritter barely looked at her daughter again and instead focused on Franklin.


    Finally, Ashlyn moved slowly towards Brayden and Jenna. It only took a few minutes for her to cover


    the short distance between them.


    She stood in front of them with eyes fixed on the ground as she muttered reluctantly, "I''m sorry."


    Jenna gave Ashlyn an expressionless nce before saying, "Miss Ritter, if your apology is going to be


    half-hearted like this, then it''s better if you don''te over here."


    "You!" Ashlyn red furiously at Jenna''s beautiful face. "You have no shame!"


    Jenna smiled gently and said," Miss Ritter, are you apologizing or continuing to insult me? Everyone


    heard everything loud and clear."


    Ashlyn turned even paler with anger but didn''t dare make any more scenes in front of everyone.


    However, unknown to Ashlyn was that all those reporters'' cameras were still crazily capturing every


    moment of this scene especially those short videos that were being live-streamed online which had


    viewers glued to their screens.


    The barrage ofments kept refreshing continuously, "Is Ashlynn crazy? This is how she


    apologizes?"


    "She clearly insulted Jenna again!"


    "She just likes bullying Jenna."


    Taking a deep breath while trying hard not to show how humiliated she felt inside, Ashlynn spoke up


    once more in a calm voice, "Miss Shepherd, Master Brayden I am sorry." Her tone sounded less hostile


    than before but there was still some resentment lingering beneath it all .


    Brayden remained indifferent as he warned, "Miss Ritter, it would be best if you never touch my sore


    spot again, otherwise... I don''t know what I might do."


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    A huge ball of fire seemed to burn within Ashlynn''s chest as she wished nothing more than throwing


    something right into Brayden''s face to smash his handsome features into pieces .


    But she held back.


    She couldn''t lose her temper anymore.


    The Ritter Group had embarrassed themselves enough today.


    "Mr. Maskelyne, my daughter has apologized," Mrs. Ritter''s voice was cold, "and the bet is in effect,


    so..."


    Get out of here!


    Everyone could tell she was urging MI6 to leave quickly.


    But Franklin still stood there unmoved, his handsome face exuding an irresistible aura of oppression.


    "Mrs. Ritter, Brayden and Jenna have been subjected to cyberbullying byizens for several days now


    and the mental and reputational damage should be borne by the Ritter Group," he said firmly.


    Mrs. Ritter red at Franklin with anger in her eyes. "The bet only involves an apology, not


    Franklin smirked slightly and spoke a famous saying, "But... if apologies were effective, what would we


    need police for?"


    "Franklin, don''t push me!" Mrs. Ritter was filled with anger all over her body.


    Today was definitely the most embarrassing day of her life.


    But Franklin wouldn''t let up; it was simply too much bullying on their part!


    Did they think that the Ritter family could be easily taken advantage of?


    And now he even wanted to extort money from her!


    "Compensation is only fair ording to Article 356 of H Rovirsa Civil Code..." Franklin threw out a legal


    basis directly before looking at a shocked Mrs. Ritter again."If you don''t want Miss Riter to face legal


    sanctions, I suggest you...pensate."


    Was this Franklin some kind of monster?


    After a brief moment of shock, Mrs. Ritter suddenly seemed extremely dejected. Her voice also carried


    a hint of weakness. "How muchpensation?"


    "Eight thousand."


    "Eight thousand?"


    "I thought he''d ask for at least eighty thousand, eight hundred thousand or eight million dors."


    "Yeah... just eight thousand dors?"


    It was highly insulting!


    Mrs. Ritter, like everyone else, thought that Franklin would ask for tens or hundreds of thousands of


    dors. But he only asked for eight thousand? It was clear that he was rubbing the Ritter family''s face


    in the dirt once again.


    Sure enough, the winds had changed once more.


    "The Ritter family is really something. They can''t even bear to give eight thousand dors. After all,


    they were the ones who hurt others first."


    "Yeah, it''s outrageous! When Mr. Maskelyne asked her forpensation earlier and saw her attitude, it


    was clear she didn''t want to pay a cent."


    "The richer they are, the stingier and more shameless they be."


    Mrs. Ritter wished she could disappear right then and there. Franklin... you''re just ying games step


    by step; this is all calcted by you! You did it on purpose to make me lose face!