Chapter 103 Molly Tricked Naomi Out
The homeroom teacher and principal quickly expressed their support. "Of course, calling the police is the right thing to do. Don't worry—the school will fully cooperate."
Arabella took out her phone to call the police. After briefly explaining the situation, she waited for them to arrive.
The principal had someone bring over a chair. As Arabella sat down, the homeroom teacher talked with her about Naomi's situation. Naomi was an exceptionally good child—well-behaved, polite, and among the top students. Not only did teachers love her, but her classmates did too.
When Arabella had previously dealt with Naomi's bullying incident, she'd had contact with the homeroom teacher. She knew the teacher was very responsible, so she didn't blame the school for Naomi's disappearance.
As the homeroom teacher said, Naomi was a sensible child who wouldn't skip school for no reason. Who had taken her away? Were their intentions... malicious?
Thinking about Naomi's previous bullying and her mother's sudden disappearance, Arabella didn't dare think too deeply. She could only pray that nothing would happen to Naomi.
Anthony kept watching her.
He didn't know why either. He'd originally stayed to build connections with Timothy, but now he had no interest in talking to Timothy at all.
She sat there so quietly, her features still the same as before. Only the gaze that had once looked at him with deep affection was now filled with indifference.
What was her relationship with that child called Naomi?
Anthony hesitated, then stepped forward. "If you need help..."
Before he could finish, Arabella shook her head in refusal. "No need. I've already called the police—they'll help me."
Anything Anthony could do, the police could do as well. In fact, the police had even greater authority. She didn't need to ask Anthony for favors.
To her, Anthony was no different from a stranger now. Though he was someone she'd once loved, that bit of past affection had long since disappeared amid his boundless tolerance for Cassidy.
Anthony's good intentions were rejected, making him lose face somewhat. Molly said unhappily, "Ms. Bourbon, Mr. Watson was being kind. If you're not grateful, fine, but you're actually refusing him."
Arabella glanced at her. The current Molly had changed a lot. From the day Molly had personally said she wanted to stay with the Watson family, there was nothing left to discuss between them.
Arabella didn't argue with her, just casually replied, "This is my own business."
Unexpectedly, this remark drew Molly's cold mockery. "Fine, you say it's your business, so it's your business. Just don't come begging us when you can't find her."
Both Timothy and the principal frowned simultaneously.
This child was somewhat too spoiled and arrogant.
Anthony spoke up. "Molly, be quiet. Come here and properly reflect on your mistakes."
Molly was somewhat defiant, but she was still a bit afraid of Anthony, so she didn't say more.
Timothy smiled meaningfully. "Mr. Watson, your child has quite a personality."
Anthony replied politely, "She's been spoiled. She's not as well-behaved as your son."
Timothy smiled and said no more.
The principal's expression changed several times. Timothy's words seemed directed more at him than at Anthony.
This was Majestic City's most elite school, where everything about the children was built on extremely high standards. No parent would want their child to be classmates with someone like Molly.
Honestly speaking, if Anthony hadn't intervened, he never would have accepted a willful and unreasonable student like Molly.
And now, Timothy had clearly indicated his position...
He was in a difficult spot. Both sides weren't people to offend lightly, but if he had to choose one, he'd choose to offend Mr. Watson.
If only there were a better reason...
Just then, the police arrived.
The police first understood the specific situation from the homeroom teacher and Arabella, then reviewed the surveillance footage. After watching, they said, "We'll need to trouble you both to come to the station to give statements. We'll do everything we can to track down the child's whereabouts."
Arabella felt anxious but still cooperated with the police work. Just as they were about to leave, the chubby boy who had been silent in the corner suddenly stood up.
"I saw Naomi this morning."
Arabella stopped abruptly and turned to look at him, asking urgently, "You saw her? Where?"
The chubby boy hesitantly glanced at Molly, then pointed at her. "In the hallway. I saw her give Naomi a lollipop and say something. Naomi was about to enter the classroom, but after hearing what she said, she didn't go in and left the school instead."
Arabella was stunned and quickly looked at Molly. "Molly, is what he said true? What did you say to Naomi?"
A flash of panic quickly crossed Molly's eyes, soon replaced by anger. "I didn't! He's lying. I don't even know who this Naomi is. This is my first day at school—how could I possibly give her candy?"
But the chubby boy was very insistent, maintaining that it was Molly who had tricked Naomi into leaving school.
The homeroom teacher and principal said nothing. Officially, they should defend their students, but privately, Molly was really too annoying. With parents and police present, they didn't intervene.
Timothy crouched down and looked at the chubby boy. "Son, tell Dad the truth. Is everything you just said really true? Looking for a child is a very serious matter—you can't joke around."
The chubby boy was almost in tears. "I'm telling the truth! Why won't you believe me?"
He'd finally worked up the courage to tell the truth!
After hearing his son's words, Timothy's expression became much more serious. He looked at the police. "My child has never lied."
Molly immediately retorted, "If he's not lying, does that mean I am? We just had a conflict—who knows if he's taking this chance to get revenge on me!"
Anthony hadn't wanted to get involved in this matter, but since Timothy had spoken up, he could only say, "How about this—the school has surveillance cameras. We can check the relevant footage to see if Molly actually had contact with Naomi."
Upon hearing this, Molly's eyes flickered.
The homeroom teacher said hesitantly, "I took Molly away from the principal's office. Logically, she shouldn't have had the opportunity..."
Arabella looked at Molly for a long time, then finally said, "I also agree to check the surveillance."
The surveillance footage was quickly brought over. After the police reviewed and compared it several times, they said, "We can't confirm that Molly contacted Naomi."
In the video, Molly was taken from the principal's office by the homeroom teacher, who then returned to her own office while Molly waited outside.
While waiting, Molly did run into the campus and stopped at a corner before running back.
That corner happened to be a surveillance blind spot. They could only see Molly stop there, but couldn't determine if there was anyone in front of her.
Arabella and the police watched it several times but found no suspicious points. Yet Molly running over there was itself the biggest suspicious point.
The police pointed to that corner and asked Molly, "What were you doing stopping here?"
Molly said huffily, "What, I can't appreciate the nice environment of the playground?"
The homeroom teacher said, "From that angle, you can indeed see the playground."
The chubby boy said grievously, "But I really saw her talk to Naomi for a few words, and then Naomi turned and left."
The two police officers exchanged glances. One of them walked up to Molly with a kind smile. "Molly, is today your first day at this school?"
Molly pouted and hummed in agreement.
The police officer asked again, "So where did you go to school before?"
Molly's expression became somewhat uncomfortable. "Mind your own business."
She'd never had the opportunity to attend school before.
The police officer smiled. "Just caring about you. You performed very well today—knowing your mistakes and correcting them makes you a good child."
Molly proudly lifted her head and glared at the chubby boy.
The chubby boy pursed his lips, looking heartbroken.
The police officer asked Molly again, "The playground at this school really is beautiful. What do you like most about it?"
Molly said, "Flowers. I like flowers the most—they're very pretty."
She actually had no idea what was on the playground. She'd just been shocked by the flowers visible everywhere when entering the school gates. The most impressive thing about this school to her was the flowers.
Hearing this answer, the police officer inconspicuously exchanged glances with his partner, then asked, "So were you looking at flowers then? Can you describe the flowers you saw? Where on the playground were they?"
Molly said matter-of-factly, "Of course. The flowers I saw were pink and purple, in large patches. They were especially beautiful, planted right in the middle of the playground."
The police officer looked at her. "Are you sure?"
Molly was somewhat unhappy. "What do you mean? You asked me, I answered, and now you don't believe me? Go see for yourself!"
She actually didn't know what a playground was either. She'd just heard the term before and thought that with so many flowers at the school, the playground must have them too.
Weren't flowers always planted in the very center? Such beautiful flowers would naturally be planted in the most prominent place. That's how it was at the orphanage.
Meanwhile, the principal and homeroom teacher's expressions had already changed.
"Molly, our school's playground doesn't have flowers planted on it," the homeroom teacher said with an ugly expression. "To protect students, the playground doesn't allow ornamental plants to be planted. That's the rule."
Molly was stunned. Her face immediately went white, and she stepped back, looking at the police in panic. "INO, no flowers—I said it wrong!"
The police had laid all that groundwork precisely to trick her into telling the truth. How could they be fooled? He looked at Molly seriously. "You weren't looking at flowers then. What exactly were you looking at?"
Molly still wanted to argue. "I was looking at flowers, but not flowers on the playground. I was looking at flowers in the flower bed nearby..."
"Molly," the police officer became somewhat stern, "lying about this kind of matter carries legal responsibility. You need to be responsible for everything you say and do."
Molly's lips went pale and trembled twice.
With this reaction, what didn't the others understand?
Anthony looked at her with a heavy gaze. "Molly, tell the truth!"
This was no small matter, especially in front of the police and Timothy.
His words became the last straw that broke Molly's psychological defenses. Molly cried, "Someone just asked me to give her a lollipop and tell her that her mom was waiting for her outside. I don't know anything else—this has nothing to do with me!"
The police pressed further. "Who asked you to do this?"
Molly stammered and refused to say.
This definitely needed investigation. The police separated Molly and Anthony for individual questioning, then also questioned the chubby boy.
After a while, the police returned with Molly and told Arabella, "She assisted someone else in tricking student Naomi out of the school gates. After that, she personally witnessed student Naomi being taken into a van, but she doesn't know the other party and has no information about their movements."
Arabella looked at Molly in disbelief. "Why would you do such a thing?"
Molly shouted with red eyes, "How was I supposed to know she was your adopted daughter? Someone asked me for help—is it wrong to help others?"
"You!" Arabella was furious with her but didn't want to argue with a child. Moreover, the most important thing now was Naomi's whereabouts.
She said to the police, "Thank you for your trouble. If there's any news about the child, please contact me as soon as possible."
The police nodded. "Don't worry, we'll investigate as quickly as possible."
Because Molly was young and they really couldn't get more information from her, the police just gave her a few words of education before leaving.
Arabella had no reason to stay longer either. She greeted the homeroom teacher and prepared to leave.
Anthony watched her retreating figure and suddenly spoke up. "Arabella, Molly didn't mean it. Don't blame her."
Arabella stopped and laughed upon hearing this. "Anthony, I'm sick of hearing such words."
She left without hesitation.
Anthony frowned and wanted to chase after her but was stopped by the principal.
The principal coughed and said with difficulty, "Mr. Watson, you know our school has high requirements for students. Molly... might not be quite suitable for our school."
Anthony was stunned. "Molly's just..."
He'd originally wanted to say a few words in Molly's defense. This school was something he'd put considerable effort into arranging—it wasn't an easily obtained educational resource.
However, he then saw Timothy nearby.
Timothy's gaze was gentle, with a smile at the corners of his mouth, his expression unreadable.
He suddenly realized that the principal's words might not be without Timothy's influence.
He said no more, only, "Molly has been spoiled and has caused trouble for the school. I'll find her a new school."
The principal breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as he didn't insist on keeping Molly, that was fine.
Molly's eyes flickered. She now realized she'd caused a big disaster and couldn't stay at this school anymore.
She felt somewhat uncomfortable, but thinking that with the Watson family's power and influence, she could attend any school she wanted, she didn't care much.
Having caused such an incident, Anthony was too embarrassed to continue building connections with Timothy. He said goodbye and left with Molly.
Once they reached downstairs, Molly said somewhat unhappily, "Mr. Watson, they all ganged up to bully me. I can't even study anymore. And they claim to be educators—this crappy school isn't worth staying at anyway."
Anthony gave her a heavy look but didn't respond, walking straight ahead.
Molly was stunned and followed somewhat anxiously.
After getting in the car, Leo started the engine and Anthony finally spoke. "Tell me, what really happened?"
Molly's eyes darted away. "What do you mean what happened?"
"You and that Naomi," Anthony looked at her with sharp eyes, "it's your first day at school and you've never met her before. Whose favor were you doing?"