Chapter 129

Rilla was at her wit's end.

She couldn't take it anymore. Could they just stop talking?

Was this really the main issue?

Wasn't the main issue at Hugh's factory?

After Zoey finished explaining the technical details to Rilla, she smoothly shifted the topic back. "Alright, back to the point. You're a college student, don't you know you should go to the cops when something happens?"

"Go to the cops? If it were that simple, don't you think I would have done that a long time ago? Have you ever looked into Hugh's factory? Do you know how many people he has working for him? And they're so secretive, you wouldn't find anything even if you tried. You wouldn't be able to take them all down at once. Do you know what would happen to me and my family if you failed? Besides, I don't really trust your so-called cops. Every cop who comes here just goes through the motions. They always visit Hugh's house first, listen to the village chief, and never consider our voices. Even if they did, no one wants to make enemies or get involved in our business."

Rilla thought about their attitude towards her earlier, and their indifference to Janet, Faye, and Sadie's deaths. It made her heart ache. "Honestly, I don't trust you guys at all right now."

Zoey chuckled lightly, "Is that so? We don't need you to trust us."

Rilla thought that Zoey was really annoying.

Robert, after processing all this information, felt sympathy for Rilla's situation.

Sympathy aside, Rilla still had to face the consequences of inciting others to commit suicide.

Zoey stopped discussing whether Rilla trusted the police and knocked on the table. "Let's talk about you. How did you manipulate them?"

Rilla huffed and turned her head away. "I don't know!"

Seeing the tension between the two women, Robert stepped in to mediate. "Rilla, you need to watch your attitude. You're different from the other villagers in Willowbrook. You're a college graduate. Cooperating with the justice system is a civic duty. Do I need to remind you again? No, right? You can't escape the charge of inciting suicide, but do you really want Hugh to continue getting away with everything? If you cooperate with us, I promise you, Hugh will be punished!"

Rilla listened to his words, as if debating with another voice in her head.

One voice said that she needed to save them.

Another voice said that Hugh must go to jail.

She resigned herself, closed her eyes for a few seconds, then slowly opened them again. "How will you punish him?"

Robert answered seriously, "We'll contact the relevant local authorities to intervene and rectify the situation in your village. First, we'll thoroughly investigate Hugh's entire operation. We'll also address community issues, like ensuring all children receive an education, providing subsidies to impoverished families, and helping more young adults find jobs outside the village."

These were all things Rilla had dreamed of changing.

She was somewhat convinced and slowly nodded.

Zoey, thinking this wasn't enough, added, "I'll also get the media involved, and expose Willowbrook Village's scandals online. It'll definitely cause a stir, and the whole state of Veridian will wake up to it!"

Rilla was speechless.

Even though she found Zoey annoying, she couldn't help but feel a bit satisfied with what she said.

"Actually, I have another idea," Zoey continued. "I could contact the development bureau and have Willowbrook Village designated as the most backward village in the country. We could turn it into a tourist spot for city folks to visit. If done right, it might even create a new industry and lead to prosperity."

Rilla felt more speechless.

Robert almost laughed at Zoey's suggestion but kept a serious expression as he looked at Rilla, waiting for her response. "So, Rilla, do you still not trust us?"

Rilla wasn't sure if they could keep their promises.

They had evidence against her. If they couldn't or didn't intend to follow through, they wouldn't have said all this.

As Rilla struggled to find the right words, Zoey interjected, "If you cooperate, I'll also tell you the real cause of Haven's death."

Rilla snapped to attention at the mention of Haven. "So you were lying earlier? What else are you hiding from me?"

Zoey said, "Well, at least I can guarantee that what I'm saying now is the truth."

Despite her doubts, Rilla agreed.

For the sake of justice, for the sake of waking up everyone in Willowbrook Village.

She lowered her head and began to speak, "It's a long story. Among Janet, Faye, and Sadie, I knew Janet the longest. I was twenty-three, and she was only sixteen. I had just graduated from college and wanted to work outside. The interviews went well, but when I started working, I found out my salary was $1,500 less than my colleagues who joined at the same time."

"HR told us on the first day that discussing salaries was forbidden. I overheard it by chance and had no proof, so I didn't dare confront my superiors. After a few days, I met someone who told me to leave the company quickly. She said they made female employees do things outside of work, like drinking with clients or even sleeping with them."

"A girl who was in a higher position than me got pregnant and was forced to resign. I thought these things were far from me, a newcomer, but I was wrong. After she left, they assigned the drinking duties to me. I refused, and they started to bully me at work. It wasn't long before the holidays, so I quit and went home, planning to find another job after the new year."

"But I was wrong. I thought I'd be safe at home, but the first day I got back, my parents pressured me to stay in Willowbrook Village. They threatened me, saying they had been good to me by letting me go to college, and I couldn't leave them. I had to stay and take care of them, and they wanted me to marry someone from the village so I could be close by."

"Of course, I didn't want to stay. I went to college to escape Willowbrook Village... But in this village, women, including my mother, have no status. To the men here, women are like livestock, only good for having children. If there's a second purpose, it's to serve them day and night!"