Chapter 243
Sarah was speechless. She could only look at George with grievance. "George, say something! Jack's been bullied! When has he ever been treated like this?"
As she spoke, her eyes reddened, as if I were the one who had bullied her.
I sneered inwardly, staring coldly at George.
This time, even if he still favored Sarah and her son, I would fight to the end for Milly.
My Milly was also a child I had carefully nurtured. She had never been wronged like this either. Why should she be bullied?
George spoke indifferently. "What does the principal say?"
Hearing George's words, the principal's expression immediately became respectful with a hint of caution.
She forced a smile, trying to ease the tension. "Mr. Smith, Ms. Wilson, this is really just a small misunderstanding between the kids, just some roughhousing, nothing serious..."
"Roughhousing?" Sarah interrupted her, her voice rising with sharp dissatisfaction.
She pointed at the scratches on Jack's face and his dirty clothes, "Principal, look at Jack's face, his clothes. Isn't this a bit too rough? You call this roughhousing?"
Her gaze swept toward me meaningfully, her eyes filled with clear hatred.
Hearing Sarah say this, Jack seemed to find his strongest backing. The timidity from earlier vanished instantly.
He broke free from the teacher's embrace, pointed at Milly, and cried out, "It's her, Milly! She hit me on purpose and broke the remote control car my dad just bought me! She did it on purpose!"
He cried with snot and tears streaming down, and with the wounds on his face, he did look rather pitiful.
George's face showed no expression. He walked up to Jack, looked down at him from above, his voice cold, "What exactly happened? Explain clearly."
Jack was frightened by George's gaze and tone. His crying caught in his throat, and he started to stutter, "It... it was Milly... she... she hit first! She's crazy! Just went crazy!"
George looked at him silently. After a few seconds, he spoke emotionlessly, "If that's really what happened, I'll get justice for you."
This sentence was like a shot in the arm. Sarah immediately followed up, her tone even more righteous. She looked at George, her eyes slightly red, but her voice clear. "George, you know Jack's personality best! He's always been good, well-behaved, never bullies others, and never gets into fights! This incident definitely wasn't his fault!"
As she spoke, she glared at me viciously, "Someone must have instigated it! Or maybe some people have poor character themselves and taught their children to follow their example!"
I couldn't help but laugh bitterly.
In my arms, Milly's body tensed up again, her little hand unconsciously gripping my clothes tighter.
I gently patted Milly's back to comfort her, my gaze coldly sweeping over Sarah's falsely aggrieved face before finally settling on George.
"The thief crying 'stop thief,' turning the tables—I've really learned something today."
"Since both sides have different stories, let's check the surveillance footage. Every classroom in the kindergarten has cameras. If we look at what just happened, won't everything be crystal clear?"
I paused, my tone colder, "I won't let this matter slide easily. Anyone who bullies my child, whoever they are, will pay the price."
"Surveillance?" A flash of embarrassment and panic crossed the principal's face. She rubbed her hands together, smiling apologetically, "Well, Ms. Brown, unfortunately, the camera in that area broke last week and hasn't been repaired yet, so..."
The camera was broken?
I frowned, looking at the principal, "It broke last week? And this only happens today? Isn't that a bit too coincidental?"
The principal's smile froze on her face. She opened her mouth, wanting to explain but not knowing where to start, fine sweat appearing on her forehead.
I was too tired to look at her anymore and turned directly to George, looking straight at him, "George, you should know what kind of child Milly is."
"During those years at the Smith family, how well-behaved and sensible she was—all the servants can testify. She would never hit someone without reason."
My voice trembled slightly, from anger and from feeling wronged for Milly, "As for Jack, you know even better whether he's a spoiled child."
"I won't let today's matter rest. Even if I have to take it to the old lady, I must have an explanation. My daughter cannot be bullied for nothing..."
"Ms. Brown!" Sarah shrilly interrupted me.
The gentle facade on her face completely fell away, leaving only sharp aggression, "How can you say that about Jack? You raised him yourself! How can you be so biased, so quick to decide that Jack bullied Milly?"
"You keep demanding explanations and evidence—then show me the evidence! Do you think you can slander Jack with just empty words?"
She was fearless.
Because the surveillance happened to be broken, I had no direct evidence.
And standing beside her was George, the man she believed would unconditionally favor her and Jack.
Seeing the atmosphere getting more tense, the principal quickly tried to mediate again, "Both parents, please calm down. It's normal for children to have conflicts. Milly and Jack used to be good friends, right? How about having the two children apologize to each other, shake hands, and be friends again, okay?"
"No!"
"We're not!"
Milly and Jack rejected in unison, one voice clear with anger, the other shrill with willfulness.
Milly hugged me tightly and said loudly, "I don't want to be friends with him! He insulted my mom! Tore up my drawing! He's a bad person!"
Jack also hid behind Sarah, craning his neck and shouting, "I don't want to be friends with her! She's a wild child! Her mom is a bad woman!"
The smile completely disappeared from the principal's face as she stood there awkwardly.
I laughed coldly, "Principal, did you hear that? They're not friends, so this matter isn't over."
I looked at Sarah and George, "Jack must apologize to Milly for his words and actions, and compensate for Milly's torn drawing, plus emotional damages."
"Why should he?" Sarah sounded like she'd heard the biggest joke, her voice sharp. "Grace, don't go too far. Your daughter clearly hit first and beat Jack up like this."
"If anyone should apologize, it should be your daughter apologizing to Jack. Compensation? I think you should compensate Jack for medical expenses and clothes!"
"Are you blind?" I retorted. "Who's hurt worse? Who provoked and insulted first, who destroyed someone else's property? Sarah, if your eyes are useless, you can donate them."
"You!" Sarah's face went pale with anger. She turned to George, her voice taking on a crying tone full of dependence and grievance, "George, look at her! How can she be so unreasonable? Jack's been bullied like this, and she's still trying to turn it around!"
"You're Jack's father. You must stand up for Jack. We can't let Jack be wronged like this!"
Everyone's eyes in the office focused on George.
The principal held her breath.
The teacher nervously clenched her hands.
Sarah looked at him eagerly, waiting for him to speak, waiting for him to stand on her and Jack's side as usual and humiliate Milly and me.
George hadn't said much since entering. His face maintained that unfathomable indifference.
He listened to Sarah's tearful complaints, looked at my cold yet stubborn face, then at Jack hiding behind Sarah with a smug look in his eyes.
Finally, his gaze fell on Milly, timidly nestled in my arms.
Silence for a few seconds.
Just as Sarah thought he had tacitly agreed and the corner of her mouth was about to curve into a victorious smile—
George suddenly reached out his hand, not to hold Sarah's hand, nor to comfort Jack.
He directly gripped Jack's shoulder, not lightly, pulled him out from behind Sarah, then pushed him forward.
Jack staggered two steps, nearly falling, and looked up at George, confused and terrified.
George's face still showed no expression, only those deep eyes, cold as if tempered with ice.
He looked at Jack, his thin lips parting slightly, uttering clear and cold words, "Apologize."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a huge stone suddenly thrown into a previously noisy pond.
Jack was completely stunned, his eyes wide, staring blankly at George, as if unable to understand the words.
Sarah's expression instantly froze. The triumphant smile about to bloom at the corner of her mouth stiffened, then shattered bit by bit, turning into incredulous shock and panic.
She looked at George, then at Jack who had been pushed out, as if unable to comprehend what was happening before her eyes.
"George, what did you say?" Her voice changed pitch.
George didn't look at her, his gaze still locked on Jack, repeating, "I said, apologize."