C388 Different Opinions

The room had suddenly become strangely quiet. Only the faint sound of music from the rest of the club could be heard in the background. Everyone at the table looked toward us, waiting for someone to explain why they had been brought together. Alicia slowly looked around the table. She could see the confusion in everyone's eyes. These families had been invited here under the assumption that something important needed to be discussed. They were right. But none of them were prepared for what they were about to hear.

Alicia took a deep breath. "There is something we need to tell all of you." Her voice was calm, but I could tell she was nervous. Sarah and Samantha exchanged glances. Laura lowered her eyes. Faith nervously played with her fingers beneath the table. Amanda sat quietly beside her parents. Chris leaned back slightly and looked toward me. I knew what he was thinking. This wasn't going to be easy. Alicia finally continued. "Because of recent attack, the coaches have come up with a plan to protect us." Faith's mother immediately frowned. "Protect you from what?" Alicia hesitated. "Harris family."

The name alone changed the atmosphere. Everyone saw the news about the recent attack. A security guard had been killed. The Mooney residence had been attacked. Police had become involved. Alicia continued. "The coaches believe that the safest thing for us is to disappear for three months." "What?" Several voices came at once. Bright immediately shook his head. "Disappear?" Alicia nodded. "We will leave our families, our jobs, and everything else behind. During those three months, we will train at the Gupta family's military base." Bright leaned forward. "Absolutely not." Everyone looked at him. Laura's eyes widened. "Bright..." Bright raised his hand. "No, Laura. I understand that you care about these people, but this has gone too far."

He looked directly at Alicia. "You were already attacked. Your family is involved in a dangerous conflict. Now you want my wife to disappear for three months and become involved in it?" Laura lowered her head. "Bright you know I'm already involved." Bright replied. "That doesn't mean I have to approve of it." Godness remained silent, but her expression showed that she agreed with her son. Prince looked thoughtful. He didn't say anything. Across the table, Amanda's father also frowned. "Why should our daughter disappear because of problems involving the Mooney family?" Amanda looked at him. "Dad..." He turned toward her. "No, Amanda. Let me ask the question."

He looked at Alicia. "What exactly does my daughter have to do with this?" Alicia opened her mouth, but before she could answer, I spoke. "They're our friends." Everyone looked at me. I continued calmly. "That is exactly why they're involved. We didn't choose these people because they are strangers. We chose them because they are our friends. The people we care about." I looked around the table. "And the danger isn't limited to Alicia and me. Sarah has already been kidnapped. The Harris family has shown that they are willing to target anyone connected to us." Sarah lowered her eyes.

I continued. "If something happens to Alicia, Sarah, Samantha, Laura, Faith, Amanda, Chris, or me, the others could become targets as well." Faith's father shook his head. "Mike, I understand what you're saying, but friendship doesn't mean my daughter has to put her life on the line." Faith looked at him. "Father, I made my choice." "And I am still your father," he replied. Faith fell silent. The Stokes family was just as firm. Amanda's mother looked at her daughter. "You want to leave us for three months?" Amanda swallowed. "Yes." Alicia interrupted. "I have to emphasize that there is a possibility that we could be hurt?" "Or killed." Her mother looked at her in disbelief. "Then why would you agree to this?"

Amanda couldn't answer immediately. Chris glanced at her. She finally said quietly, "Because they are my friends." Her mother still shook her head. "No." Amanda froze. Her father also shook his head. "We cannot agree to this." Faith's parents were equally firm. Faith looked at them nervously. "Mom..." Her mother shook her head. "Faith, you're our only daughter." Faith's father leaned forward. "You expect us to sit here and agree to our daughter disappearing for three months because some people believe it is necessary?" Faith remained silent. Her father continued. "What happens if something goes wrong?" Nobody answered. He looked toward Alicia. "What happens if she gets injured?" Still no answer. "And what happens if she doesn't come back?" The room became completely silent.

I could see that everyone was beginning to understand how serious the decision really was. These weren't just people deciding whether to take a vacation. They were parents deciding whether to allow their children to walk directly into danger. Godness pushed her chair back slightly. "I cannot support this." Faith's mother nodded. "Neither can I." Laura looked heartbroken. "Mother..." Godness reached for her hand. "My child, this isn't because we don't trust you. We are afraid of losing you." Laura didn't answer.

Faith's father looked at Alicia. "Miss Mooney, I respect your intentions. But you are asking us to accept something that could cost our daughter her life." Alicia nodded. "I understand." Her father stood up. "Then perhaps it is better if we leave." Several parents began standing. I looked around the table. The meeting was falling apart. Chris sighed. Sarah looked nervous. Samantha's face had gone pale. Faith looked as though she already knew how her parents would decide. Amanda was staring at the floor. Laura was trying not to cry. Mark looked at Alicia. She nodded slightly. Then he said, "Everyone, please." The parents stopped. "If you cannot agree, we understand. But You have to let us know and not just leave."

Mark looked around and continued. "All of you leave us. Let us the parents discuss this in private ?" I stood up. Alicia stood as well. Chris followed. Sarah and Samantha slowly rose from their chairs. Laura, Faith, and Amanda did the same. One by one, we left the table. Nobody said anything as we walked toward the exit. The moment we stepped outside, the cool evening air hit us. Nobody spoke. We simply stood there. Faith whispered. "I knew it." Sarah looked at her. "What?" "My parents won't agree." Amanda sighed. "My mother might." Laura looked at her. "But it did not seem like that inside?" Amanda smiled awkwardly. "Because she loves money." Chris laughed. Sarah immediately glared at him. "Don't laugh."

Chris raised his hands. "I'm not laughing at her. I'm just..." Sarah interrupted him. "Big Head." Chris immediately stopped talking. I looked at everyone. "So what happens if they don't agree?" Faith looked at me. "I already submitted my resignation." Everyone looked at her. She smiled faintly. "So even if my parents say no, I am still disappearing." Alicia looked surprised. "Faith..." Faith shrugged. "They might be angry with me. They might even refuse to speak to me for a while. But I can deal with that." She took a breath. "When I return after three months, they can punish me then." Samanth smiled faintly. "You are so stubborn." Faith laughed. We all smiled. Then I looked toward Amanda. "And you, little girl?"

Laura suddenly laughed. "Finally! I'm not the only little girl anymore." Chris grinned. "Who said that?" He looked at Amanda. "She's taller than you." Laura's mouth dropped open. "Big Head!" Chris immediately stepped away. "I was just stating a fact." Everyone laughed. For a moment, the tension disappeared. Then Amanda became serious. "My name is Amanda Stokes." She looked toward the club. "If my parents agree, I'll come with you." She paused. "But if they don't..." Amanda swallowed. "I don't know." Sarah walked closer to her. "You don't have to decide right now." Amanda nodded. "I know." Sarah looked at Chris. He narrowed his eyes. "Don't." Sarah smiled innocently. "What?" "You were about to say something." "I wasn't." Chris laughed. "Chipmunk, come on. I didn't know she would be caught in the middle like this. She came willingly."

Sarah shook her head. "You always have an excuse." I smiled. Despite the seriousness of everything, seeing them argue helped ease the tension. But none of us could ignore what was happening inside. Our parents were making a decision that could determine whether the Lions would disappear together or whether our entire plan would collapse before it even began. Inside the club, the parents remained seated around the large table. The younger generation had left. Except Bright, Laura's husband. Mark leaned back. "So?" Nobody answered. Amanda's mother finally spoke. "What exactly are you offering us?" Mark looked at her. She continued. "If Amanda disappears for three months, what does her family receive in return?"

Mark remained calm. "There is no price for a person's life." Amanda's mother nodded. "Then what happens if she is injured?" Mark took a breath. "Everyone who supports my daughter will be treated as a Lucia Goods employee. They will receive their monthly salaries during the entire period." He paused. "And if anything happens to them, their families will be financially supported for the next ten years." Amanda's parents exchanged a look. Her mother looked surprised. "Ten years?" Mark nodded. "Yes." Amanda's father remained quiet. Mark continued. "They won't have to worry about rent, food, education, or basic family expenses during that period." Amanda's mother looked at her husband. For several seconds, neither spoke.

Finally, she sighed. "I don't like it." Mark nodded. "I don't expect you to." "But..." She looked down. "If Amanda has already made her decision, I would rather know that her family will not be abandoned if something goes wrong." Amanda's father slowly nodded. "Then we agree." Mark gave a small nod. "Thank you." Across the table, Faith's parents were still unmoved. Faith's mother shook her head. "Mr. Mooney, you understand that money cannot buy everything, right?" Mark looked at her. "We do." "We are talking about our only daughter." Her voice trembled. "You are telling us that if danger comes, her family will be paid. But will that payment make our daughter return?"

Mark had no answer. Faith's father leaned back. "No amount of money can replace her." Peter exchanged a glance with Mark. They both understood. The Capsey family did not lack money. Money was not what they were worried about. They were worried about losing their daughter. Faith's father finally shook his head. "I'm sorry." Peter nodded. "We understand." Then everyone's attention turned toward David Chambers. David had remained quiet throughout the discussion. He slowly removed his glasses. "I know the brotherhood between Mike and Chris." Everyone looked at him. "I have watched them grow up for a long time." He glanced toward the door. "I know those two understand the danger they are walking into."

He paused. "And despite knowing that danger, they have still decided to go." David looked at Valeria. Then back at the others. "So who am I to stand in their way?" Valeria remained silent. David nodded. "I agree." Finally, the Gomez family remained. Bright was still hesitant. Godness looked at Laura's empty chair. Prince sat quietly for several moments. Then, to everyone's surprise, he spoke. "I agree." Bright immediately turned toward him. "Dad, What?" Prince looked at his son. "Our family doesn't lack money." He looked toward Laura's empty chair. "And she already has a permanent position." Prince continued. "The reason I am agreeing is simple." He smiled faintly. "Laura has been happy since she met Alicia and Sarah."

Godness looked at him. Prince continued. "I have watched my daughter-in-law change." He paused. "For the first time, she has found people she genuinely wants to stand beside." Bright slowly lowered his head. Prince looked toward him. "We cannot protect our children from every danger." Bright sighed. "I know." "But we can trust them." For a long moment, Bright said nothing. Finally, he nodded. "Alright." The decision had been made. Not everyone had agreed. But enough had. And outside the club, the Lions were still waiting anxiously for the answer.