Chapter 800

Queena hadn't expected Mia to fold under pressure so quickly. She stomped her foot in outrage. "What are you talking about? I didn't force you to lie! You're the one who said you hated Julian!"

"You're the one who told me to lie and frame him!"

"I did not!"

"Yes, you did! Waaah, and now you won't even admit it!"

Mr. Yates grabbed his daughter's arm, his face flushed with embarrassment as he yelled at her, "I asked you multiple times earlier, and you swore that boy hit you! Now you're saying he didn't? Where does that leave me? How am I supposed to show my face?"

"Waaah..."

"Tell me right now, why did you frame him?"

Seeing that her father was genuinely furious, Mia didn't dare hold anything back. "The teacher... the teacher made Julian my desk-mate. But he... he stood up in front of the whole class and said he didn't want to sit next to me. When the teacher asked him why, he said it was because my grades were bad and he didn't want to sit next to an idiot. I felt so humiliated and so angry. That's why I listened to Queena!"

"Even so, you don't go around framing people! And you!" Mr. Yates suddenly directed his wrath at Queena. "How can a kid be so devious at your age?"

Queena remained stubbornly unrepentant. "I was just trying to help her get revenge!"

Penelope let out a long, exhausted breath. "Teacher, do you still need me to apologize to them?"

The teacher looked absolutely mortified. "I am entirely to blame for not investigating thoroughly. Mrs. Stapleton, I am so incredibly sorry."

Mr. Yates, to his credit, was somewhat reasonable. "Uh, I should also apologize. I'm sorry my daughter falsely accused your son."

Penelope gave a single, curt nod. She would leave the disciplinary fallout entirely in the teacher's hands.

She led Julian out of the office, saying nothing for the moment, and simply sent him back to class.

Since school was almost over anyway, Penelope waited near the entrance. Once the bell rang, she picked up both boys and walked them home.

"Julian, did you really stand up in front of the entire class and call Mia an idiot?" Penelope asked her son.

Julian scoffed dismissively. "I was just stating a fact."

"Speaking to a classmate like that is incredibly disrespectful."

"The fact is that she is stupid, and that's why I refuse to sit next to her." Julian's attitude made it crystal clear he didn't believe he had done anything wrong.

"Oh, you think you're so amazing just because you're smart? Getting bad grades doesn't mean she committed a crime. What gives you the right to look down on her Hubert countered, rolling his eyes.

"I'm not looking down on anyone. I simply stated the truth. If you don't like hearing it, it's because you're an idiot too!"

"I might not get perfect grades, but I'm not stupid!"

"If you aren't stupid, why are your grades bad?"

"You—you're just cruel! You don't respect anyone. You treat me like this, and you treat your classmates like this. That's exactly why nobody wants to play with you!" "I'm at school to learn, not to play. I don't care if anyone likes me!"

"You don't have a single friend!"

"Why would I want friends? To play those childish games? Hah, what a waste of time!"

Hubert crossed his arms defensively. "Well, I'm never playing with you again!"

"Who cares!"

Watching the two boys bicker gave

netwo

Penelope a massive headache.

Hubert's main issue was that he

focused entirely on playing and Having fun. However, he got along brilliantly with his peers. Despite having transferred schools less than six months ago, he had already made several close friends.

Julian's issue was the exact opposite. He poured one hundred percent of his energy into

academics, viewing absolutely everything else as a trivial waste of time. He had zero desire to socialize,

spoke with brutal, unfiltered honesty, and possessed zero empathy for others.

Both boys desperately needed guidance. Penelope decided she needed to sit down and have a serious conversation with Theodore as soon as they got home.

The thought abruptly reminded her that Theodore had failed to show up to pick the

kids up after school. Frowning, she dialed his number again, but once more, the call failed to connect.