Chapter 229 The Real Mr. Booth

Chapter 229 The Real Mr. Booth
Diana POV

I gave Parker a quick glance. To his credit, he didn't miss a beat, maintaining a neutral expression as she fawned over him.

"Is that so?" Parker replied noncommittally, accepting her handshake but quickly withdrawing his hand.

"Yes, nothing serious," Amy said with a dismissive wave. "Just a bit of rough-housing among the children. Your wife tends to be quite protective."

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from responding.

Amy turned to me with a condescending smile. "Mrs. Booth, you really shouldn't put all your energy into the children. Women in your... situation... should focus on self-improvement, too. Perhaps some education or vocational training?"

The implication was clear. Now that she realized we were wealthy, she was trying to ingratiate herself while subtly suggesting I was nothing more than a trophy wife who needed "improvement."

Amy turned back to Parker, stepping closer to him. "I've prepared some literature about our educational approach that I'd love to share with you." Her hand reached out to touch his arm, but Parker smoothly sidestepped.

Suzanne immediately stepped between them with a smile. "Why don't we continue this conversation inside? It would be more comfortable for everyone."

"Of course," Amy replied, clearly disappointed at being interrupted. She followed us inside the house, her eyes darting around to take in the luxurious surroundings.

Once we were settled in the living room, Amy turned to me with a practiced, concerned expression.

"How is Jacob feeling today?" she asked, her voice suddenly dripping with artificial concern.

"He's resting," I replied simply. "The doctor says he needs to stay in bed."

"Oh, you poor dear," Amy said, though her eyes lingered on Parker before sliding back to me. "Perhaps you should be with him right now? A mother's touch is so important when children are ill." She then leaned forward, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "I'm sure Mr. Booth and I can come to an understanding about what's best for the children."

After saying that, Amy moved closer to Parker beside her. Her hand drifted to touch Parker's knee, and her eyelashes fluttered in a way that was painfully obvious. Behind them, Suzanne's face was a study in controlled fury.

I knew the affection between Parker and Suzanne had been growing evident. Now, watching another woman so blatantly fawn over Parker was clearly testing Suzanne's professional restraint to its limits.

Seeing no one responded, Amy continued anyway, "Mr. Booth, I'd love to exchange contact information so we can discuss the children's progress directly." She pulled out her phone, batting her eyelashes. "Just in case there are any concerns in the future."

Parker's expression remained impassive, but I could see the discomfort in his eyes as Amy moved uncomfortably close, practically pressing her phone into his hand. Suddenly, Suzanne stepped between them and knocked the phone away from Parker.

"I believe Mr. Booth has an assistant who handles his appointments and communications," she said, her voice icy but controlled.

"How dare you!" Amy gasped, scrambling to retrieve her phone from the floor. "That was completely inappropriate!"

"As is your persistent attempt to obtain personal contact information," Suzanne replied evenly, positioning herself slightly in front of Parker. "If you have concerns about the children, the school has proper channels for communication, I believe."

Amy clutched her phone protectively to her chest, her face flushing with anger and embarrassment. "I was simply doing my job! As their teacher, I need to be able to reach their father directly."

Their father? "Ms. Hayek," I said, unable to contain myself any longer, "your job is to educate my children, not to pursue their father. Based on your treatment of Jacob and Joanne and your behavior today, I don't believe you're fit to continue as their teacher. I'll be contacting the school administration immediately."

Amy's face flushed. "You can't do that! Mr. Booth," she turned to Parker, her voice taking on a pleading quality, "surely you understand the importance of consistency in education. The children would be so upset if I were suddenly removed."

Before Parker could respond, the front door opened. Standing in the doorway was Bradley, immaculately dressed in a tailored suit, with the school principal beside him. Parker and Suzanne immediately straightened, their posture becoming more formal.

"Mr. Booth," they both said respectfully, inclining their heads.

Amy's mouth fell open as she looked between Parker and the newcomer, her face draining of color.

"I... I don't understand," she stammered.

Parker cleared his throat. "I never said I was Mr. Booth. I'm Mr. Booth's executive assistant."

Amy's face cycled through shock, confusion, and horror in rapid succession. Meanwhile, I calmly sipped my tea, watching the scene unfold like a particularly satisfying play.

Bradley stepped forward, extending his hand to the shell-shocked teacher. "Bradley Booth, CEO of Booth Tech. You must be Ms. Hayek. I understand you've been speaking with my wife about our children."

"I... yes... I didn't realize..." Amy stammered, her voice faint.

The principal stepped forward, wringing his hands nervously. "Mr. Booth, Mrs. Booth, I can't apologize enough for this misunderstanding. Ms. Hayek is relatively new to our faculty and clearly wasn't properly briefed on..."

Bradley held up a hand, silencing him. "Actually, I believe Ms. Hayek was well aware of who our children are, but chose to treat them differently when she mistakenly believed their parents worked in waste management." He removed a folder from his briefcase and handed it to the principal. "These are the details of our company's latest environmental recycling initiative."

He turned to Amy, his expression neutral but his eyes cold. "I believe my children drew pictures of this facility after visiting it last weekend. It's part of our commitment to sustainable development. The workers wear green because it's our company color, not because they're sanitation workers—though that would be an honorable profession as well."

Amy's face had gone from pale to ashen. "I didn't... I never meant..."

The principal looked through the folder, his expression growing increasingly alarmed. "Ms. Hayek, is this true? Did you discriminate against the Booth children based on your perception of their parents' occupations?"

Amy opened her mouth, but no words came out.

"I think," Bradley said calmly, "that you might want to reconsider your educational philosophy. True elite education isn't about catering to wealthy families or teaching children to value material status. It's about fostering a sense of social responsibility and ethical awareness in the next generation."

The principal nodded vigorously. "Absolutely right, Mr. Booth. Ms. Hayek," he turned to her, his expression hardened, "please gather your things from the school. We'll be terminating your employment immediately."

"No, please!" Amy begged, suddenly finding her voice. "It was just a misunderstanding! I would never deliberately—"

"Enough, Ms. Hayek," the principal interrupted firmly. "I'll escort you out now."

As the principal escorted a flustered Amy toward the door, Bradley added casually, "By the way, Ms. Hayek, I'll be sending documentation of your conduct today to every school in the district. You might want to consider a different profession."