Chapter 104: Lynch on the Verge of Tears from Frustration

In the afternoon, Lynch met with two members of the Women’s Rights Protection Association at an outdoor café—one man in his thirties, and a woman around the same age.

“Lynch…” he introduced himself while shaking their hands. The two showed no overt hostility; on the contrary, they greeted him politely and sat down at the table.

Due to the poor economy, the caWomen’s Rights Protection Associationfé had far fewer patrons than before. It used to be bustling, but now only two tables were occupied in the entire garden area: theirs, and one with a young couple who didn’t look like they came from an ordinary background.

“I heard from other sources that there might be a misunderstanding between us…” Lynch trailed off, setting the tone for the conversation. What followed would be discussion and clarification.

The two across from him exchanged a glance. The man nodded. “That’s possible. Mr. Lynch, do you know a woman named Julie?”

They didn’t beat around the bush and brought up the core issue directly.

Julie was once a moderately influential member of the Sabin City chapter of the Women’s Rights Association. Back when the Sabin football club was popular, Julie leveraged its fame to share her views, sometimes with players, and people listened.

But in recent years, her influence waned, and her status in the association declined. Still, out of respect for her past contributions, many continued to value her.

After being dismissed yesterday, Julie went to the association and shared her situation with some friends. A short closed-door meeting followed, and the association decided to stand up for her.

But in truth, what justice was there to reclaim?

With the economic downturn, the association itself was struggling—dues were hard to collect, grants weren’t getting approved, and private sponsorships were drying up. If they didn’t stir something up soon, the Sabin chapter might be shut down.

Whether it was pressuring Lynch or reminding companies with large female workforces of the association’s value—or prompting the higher-ups to allocate some emergency funds—it all required one thing: creating noise.

And why Lynch? Because he gave them an opening.

Lynch didn’t avoid the issue. He nodded. “Julie and I had professional disagreements. We couldn’t find common ground, so I let her go…” He gave a faint, ambiguous smile. “I recall paying her an extra month’s salary. Did I break any laws?”

According to Baylor Federation labor law, an employer only needed to provide one month’s severance without prior notice—meant as a buffer period for the dismissed party. Lynch had done nothing illegal. Even if this went to the Supreme Court, he’d be in the clear.

The woman beside the man, who had introduced herself as Taylor, now showed a more serious expression. Something in her demeanor suggested she held significant status in the association—what some would call the air of authority.

“Mr. Lynch, Ms. Julie told us about the reason behind your disagreement. She said you were launching a sports program centered on female athletes, but it included elements that catered to the male gaze. When she advocated for women’s rights, you fired her. Is that accurate?”

The man glanced at Taylor, thinking she was being too hasty in trying to conclude this matter. But he said nothing—Taylor was the vice president of the association and had power.

Their goal was to stir public sentiment, pressure Lynch, and demonstrate their strength.

“If a sport having male viewers is automatically degrading to women, Ms. Taylor, do you feel I’m degrading you right now?” Lynch asked.

Taylor froze, her mind catching on the first half of his statement before being forced to process the second. A strong woman shouldn’t be caught off guard, but her expression shifted slightly before she gave a subtle shake of her head. She said nothing—allowing herself room to maneuver based on what Lynch might say next.

A headshake could mean agreement or denial—it was up to her how to spin it.

Lynch laughed, a few times, each laced with a touch of sarcasm. “No, Ms. Taylor. I’ve been degrading you this whole time. Brutally.”

“Mr. Lynch—” the man beside her tried to cut in, sensing Taylor had walked into a trap. But Lynch wasn’t going to let him interrupt.

He turned the question around. “As Ms. Taylor’s colleague, do you think I’m degrading her?”

The man was cornered. If he said yes, it would be absurd—plainly untrue, and laughable if it ever got out. People love laughing at others, but only those being laughed at know how painful it truly is.

If he said no, then he’d be contradicting Taylor and effectively siding with Lynch. In under five minutes, Lynch had fractured their unity.

Taylor seemed to realize her evasion earlier had been a mistake. Her expression darkened. She cut Lynch off. “You’re avoiding the issue!”

“Avoiding the issue?” Lynch exaggerated his surprise. “You mean me?”

“No, I’m not avoiding the issue. I’m resolving it. If you think my appreciative gaze is an insult, then there’s nothing left to discuss.”

Lynch figured that if Taylor represented the caliber of the Women’s Rights Protection Association, they posed little threat.

Taylor stared at him. Maybe Lynch’s appreciative gaze struck her as genuine. After about ten seconds, she nodded. “Fine, let’s say it’s not an insult. Then what?”

Lynch softened slightly. “One more question, Ms. Taylor. Do you think I’m handsome?”

Taylor clearly wanted to say no, but Lynch did have a naturally attractive face. She begrudgingly nodded. “You’re handsome. So?”

Lynch beamed. “See, that’s the core of my disagreement with Ms. Julie. She believes any male appreciation is degrading. I deeply respect women—women are an essential part of society.”

His stance immediately stabilized Taylor’s mood and softened her attitude.

“I’ve seen girls admiring handsome or well-built men. Those men never felt degraded by it.”

“Sports are the same. If a female-centered sport can only be viewed by women, that’s real degradation.”

“In my view, Ms. Julie’s ideology is flawed. She tries to assert women’s rights by manufacturing division and radical views. That damages the association’s reputation.”

“Because of people like her, others will think that is your association’s identity.”

“Worse still, the sports program I was preparing could have created at least 2,000 jobs for women in this state. But due to our disagreements, I’ve decided to put it on hold.”

Lynch’s tone turned stern. “I’ll also hold a press conference to explain the situation. I’ve never discriminated against or degraded anyone. Ms. Julie has placed an unjust burden on me, and public opinion will deliver a fair judgment.”

Taylor and the man exchanged a glance. They now realized they were the ones in trouble.

Taylor fell silent. The man cleared his throat and said seriously, “Mr. Lynch, perhaps you should delay the press conference. We don’t fully understand the situation yet. There may have been a serious misunderstanding. Shouldn’t we resolve that first?”

“If there are issues with Ms. Julie, we will take appropriate action and assist you in getting this female-centered sports initiative approved at the state level—and possibly even federally—as soon as possible.”

Facing these two reasonable association members, Lynch reluctantly agreed to their request.

“You have three days.”

“I want to see your decision within three days.”