Dean clung to that hope. He and Finley were in this mess together. If he got arrested or turned himself in, Finley would go down with him. And Arthur? He barely had any real connection to the Lovaris family. He had only been at Governance University for a short time, and as far as Dean knew, he and Mia weren’t even that close. They weren’t even friends. There was no way Mia—or the powerhouse Lovaris Group legal team—would risk going to war with one of Evergrand City’s most influential families over someone she barely knew. Dean shot Finley a desperate look, practically begging for help. The moment Mia spoke, Finley had already stopped walking. He was watching Dean just as intently. For a brief moment, when Dean met Finley’s gaze, he thought he saw something chilling—a flicker of pure, ruthless intent. But when he blinked, Finley’s expression was back to its usual composed and refined state. Dean hesitated for a second. When he looked at Finley again, Finley gave him a subtle nod. His gaze was steady, his message unmistakable. I saw your plea. I’ll handle this. Dean exhaled slowly, forcing himself to let go of his earlier doubts. With Finley’s silent assurance, the suffocating fear in his chest finally loosened. If Finley was backing him, he had nothing to worry about. Steeling himself, Dean turned to face Mia. He squared his shoulders and spoke in a cold, unwavering tone. "Ms. Mia, I only took action because Arthur’s behavior seemed suspicious at the time. I had no ulterior motives." His voice carried so much confidence that to an outsider, Mia might have seemed like an unreasonable civilian interfering with law enforcement. Mia’s eyes narrowed. She shot a glance at Finley before speaking in an icy tone. "Then we’ll see you in court." Her words were aimed at Dean, but her cold gaze remained fixed on Finley. Even though Dean knew Finley was protecting him, Mia’s words still sent a chill down his spine. Not far away, Ryder stood watching the exchange. The moment Dean’s eyes met his, a wave of pure, paralyzing fear crashed over him. That gaze was sharp, assessing, and carried an unmistakable air of dominance. Ryder Lovaris. The man who led the Lovaris family. His stare was like that of a predator, locking onto its prey. Dean couldn’t bear to look any longer. Just one glance had his legs shaking. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand firm. If he hadn’t, he might have lost control and stumbled right where he stood. Mia didn’t say anything else. She turned to Arthur, her expression softening. "Arthur, don’t worry. The Lovaris family won’t let this go. We’ll make sure you get the justice you deserve." Arthur had been watching quietly, doubt flickering in his eyes. He parted his lips slightly, as if to ask something, but in the end, he chose to stay silent. As the crowd finally dispersed, Taylor walked alongside Arthur, escorting him back to the dorms. Arthur’s thoughts remained tangled with Mia and Ryder. To be honest, he and Mia weren’t that close. They had only met after he arrived at Governance University and became Hugo’s student. Since then, he had spent most of his time studying in isolation, focused entirely on his work. Mia had never once visited. It was only a few days ago that they had spoken at all, and even then, it was just a few casual words—not nearly enough to form any meaningful relationship. Yes, there was a natural sense of solidarity among them.But was that really enough to justify the Lovaris family taking on the Tremo family head-on? That seemed almost unthinkable. The Tremo family was one of the most dominant forces in Evergrand City, with wealth and influence that carried real power. Even though the Lovaris family was just as formidable, a direct confrontation between the two wouldn’t come without serious consequences. Arthur couldn’t make sense of it no matter how hard he tried. Taylor had been watching Arthur’s silence and quickly guessed what was on his mind—it had to be the Lovaris family. Out of nowhere, Taylor asked, "You’re wondering why the Lovaris family is so set on going against the Tremo family, aren’t you?" Arthur nodded without thinking. "Yeah… I mean, it doesn’t really add up for them to do all this just for me." Before he could finish, Taylor flicked him on the forehead. "Quit overthinking." Arthur gave him a bewildered look, but Taylor just kept talking. "From what I’ve heard, the Lovaris family and the Tremo family have had bad blood for a long time. No one knows exactly why."