Chapter 797
Penelope was right in the middle of a meeting when she received the call from the school. The teacher explained that Theodore was unreachable, forcing them to contact her and request she come to the campus immediately.
At first, Penelope assumed Hubert had caused trouble again. But the teacher clarified it was Julian. He had gotten into a physical altercation and struck a female classmate. The girl's parents had already arrived and were absolutely furious.
She hastily adjourned the meeting and sped toward the school. On the way, she tried calling Theodore herself, but it went straight to voicemail.
Approaching the teacher's office, Penelope heard the sound of a young girl crying and a parent's enraged shouting before she even stepped through the door.
"How exactly did your parents raise you? You're just a kid and you're already smashing your classmates in the head with a brick! What are you going to do when you grow up, murder someone?"
Penelope frowned as she walked in. Julian stood there, his small face taut with defiance, glaring fiercely at the adult berating him. The man was in his forties, built like a linebacker, and looked positively unhinged.
"You little punk, you dare glare at me? I'll smack that look right off your face!"
As the teacher rushed forward to intervene, Penelope moved faster, striding across the room and placing herself firmly between the man and Julian.
"If there's an issue, we can discuss it adult to adult. Don't use your size to intimidate a child."
The man took one look at Penelope and immediately dismissed her.
"Intimidate?" The man scoffed, giving Penelope a harsh shove. "So what if I did? What are you going to do about it?"
Penelope stumbled back a step. Once she regained her balance, her eyes darkened. She lunged forward. The man, completely underestimating her, reached out to push her again. In a flash, Penelope seized his wrist and twisted it backward in a swift, sharp motion.
"Argh! Ow, ow, ow!" the man howled in pain.
The teacher panicked and rushed over to plead with Penelope. With a cold scoff, Penelope finally shoved the man away.
He furiously rubbed his throbbing wrist. His anger had reached a boiling point, but he kept his mouth shut, no longer daring to act out physically.
"You... you're this kid's mother?"
Penelope ignored him, turning her attention to the little girl standing behind him. There was a massive, swollen lump on her forehead. The skin was broken, and traces of blood seeped through.
It clearly hurt. The little girl's eyes were brimming with tears. Seeing Penelope look her way, she stubbornly wiped them away.
"Look at what your son did to my daughter! You tell me, as a father, shouldn't I be furious?"
Penelope took a slow, steadying breath. "My son does not hit people without a reason."
The man was incensed. He pulled his daughter forward and pointed aggressively at her head. "Then tell me, where did this injury come from?"
Penelope pressed her lips together in a tight line. If it were her child standing there bruised and bleeding, she would be just as livid. But she also knew Julian. He would never resort to random violence, especially not against a girl.
"Sweetheart, tell her. Who hit you?"
The little girl sniffled and pointed a shaky finger at Julian, who was standing behind Penelope. "It was him! He hit me!"
"I did not!" Julian roared, his voice thick with frustration.
Penelope glanced back at her son. Seeing his eyes red with suppressed anger she quickly took his hand and gave it a firm, reassuring Squeeze
"I believe you," she said softly.
Hearing those words, Julian took a few deep breaths, forcing his turbulent emotions back under control.
"Mom, I didn't touch her. I have no idea how she got hurt."
Penelope nodded, making it clear she trusted his word. She then turned her sharp.gaze back to the little girl. You said Julian hit you. What did he use?"
Without hesitation, the girl answered, "A brick."
"A brick?" Penelope's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "There are bricks at the school?"
"They're on the back field."
"And where is this brick now?"