Meanwhile, in an area far from the river, Hideki was lying on the beach. Next to him was Principal Maya, who hit him with the tip of her heel, causing the Asian boy to wake up.
"Have fun, Hideki?"
Hideki sat up and placed his hands on his head, rearranging his neck in a motion.
"I'll take that as a yes. You started playing again."
"In the end, it was a waste of time. Let's go."
Maya and Hideki walked into a limo and left the place.
-Back with Lincoln and his friends-
When they got there, paramedics took Cristina and Lincoln away.
Despite more pain, his shoulder swelling, and nearly freezing, Lincoln was out of danger. As for Christina, she regained consciousness after a while. Fortunately, she only suffered a broken hand.
The doctors put a splint on her hand and called her parents to come get her. The same was done for Lincoln's parents.
The boys told the story of how they were attacked while leaving school.
Christina's broken hand was caused by falling to the ground, while they explained that Lincoln fell into the sewer through a hole in the floor while struggling with one of the attackers, which was partly true.
It was not surprising that robbery was involved in the situation.
Despite the fact that Royal Woods had become very prosperous three years ago, ironically, it attracted a large number of gangs, thieves, and shady businesses, like bees to honey.
The only thing that prevented this city from being the closest thing to a utopia was the weak police system.
Lincoln reclined on one of the hospital beds, having indulged in a lengthy, invigorating shower. Clad in attire generously loaned by the hospital—consisting of nurses' uniforms—he awaited the arrival of his concerned family, still bereft of his own clothes.
Simultaneously, the Louds entered alongside Christina's parents.
Upon spotting her son in the bed, Rita rushed to him, showering him with kisses and embraces.
"My poor baby. Are you okay?"
"Yes, Mom. I'm fine. Just a bit cold."
Meanwhile, Christina's parents, standing by the adjacent bed, inquired about the assailant.
"Who did this to you, my dear?" Christina's mother asked.
"Doesn't matter. I'll sue that scoundrel, down to the last penny," declared the girl's father, seething with anger.
Mr. Loud empathized, fully understanding the agony of seeing one's child hospitalized.
Attempting to rise, Lincoln faltered. Swiftly, his father steadied him.
"Son, you shouldn't get up. You're still too weak."
Struggling with coordination, Lincoln turned to his mother. "Please... can you give me my cane?"
"Of course, honey. I have it right here." Rita retrieved Lincoln's cane from her bag and unfolded it.
Observing the sight, Christina was taken aback. Unable to contain her astonishment, she stammered, "He… He… He… is blind!!?"
Turning toward the girl, Rita calmly confirmed, "Yes. Three years ago."
"Three years ago?" Christina connected the dots regarding Lincoln's past. She knew what Lincoln had allegedly done three years earlier.
This time, it was Mr. Loud who explained, "There was a gas leak in our house, and it exploded upon contact with a short wire. My son was in the middle of that explosion, losing his sight. But I'm grateful to him; he shielded his sister Lisa with his sled, sacrificing himself." The painful memory brought deep sadness.
"I heard that, thanks to a blind boy, the city started receiving funding from other companies," added Christina's mother, expressing surprise at the connection. "I didn't know this boy was your son, Mr. Loud."
"Yes. His accident triggered a chain reaction, attracting more businesses to the city. Ironically, he couldn't partake in the benefits and was sent to a specialized school abroad. All thanks to the doctor's sister; the one who treated Lincoln that day secured him a scholarship."
As the pieces fell into place for the red-haired girl, the rumors aligned with Mr. Loud's account, at least chronologically.
Since their conditions weren't severe, they were allowed to return home, though Lincoln had to remain in bed for three days to avoid catching a cold.
At Christina's house
Examining her splint, Christina rubbed it as a knock echoed. Opening the door, revealed her three friends.
"Hi Christy. We came to see how you were doing."
"I'm fine. I won't be able to use my right hand for three weeks. But I'm fine."
"I can't believe Lincoln Loud saved you. What happened back there?" Susie asked.
The question was echoed by the newcomer.
"I think I have an answer to that question." Clyde spoke up, standing by the door.
"How did you get into my house?"
"Your mother let me in. I told her I wanted to interview you about school news tomorrow. May I come in?"
"Yes. Come in."
Entering and closing the door, Clyde faced the girls with a serious expression.
"Okay... first question." Clyde's calm demeanor turned to anger. "What the hell do you think you were doing when you attacked my friend like this?" His stern tone conveyed the gravity of the situation.
"We were just defending the new guy from this delinquent," Susie replied.
Clyde's countenance shifted once more, a blend of frustration and the desire to laugh—a reaction familiar in situations teetering between anger and amusement. Finally regaining composure, he responded, "I see. That's because you still believe in these rumors."
"Rumors? What rumors?" Molly inquired.
"I'd better let me from a few days ago explain it to you," Clyde remarked, retrieving his cell phone and tuning into the school news channel on YouTube, specifically the recent report he had submitted.
The girls, now fixated on the screen, witnessed Chandler's admission that everything about Lincoln had been fabricated. The doctor's and mayor's certificates for Lincoln added weight to the revelation.
Their jaws dropped collectively. A profound sense of shame enveloped them as they recalled their actions and words against the albino, especially haunting for Christina.
"I can't believe what that bastard Chandler did," Cici exclaimed.
"I actually sensed something was off," Molly admitted.
"Oh my God. I feel so ashamed now. I hit him on the head. They are going to sue me for assaulting a disabled person."