Chapter 71
Whenever he made a mistake before, his mother would gently point it out and tell him to do better next time.
She never scolded him, let alone raised a hand against him.
The more Healy thought about it, the more upset he became. Exhausted from his fit, he plopped down on the floor and burst into tears.
He just wanted his mother to come and comfort him.
“Does anyone have any objections to expelling this girl?” Blanche couldn’t be bothered to look at his theatrics as she addressed the group.
“No objections,” came the unanimous reply.
The principal and teachers could only shrug helplessly.
“I object!”
A sharp, commanding voice rang out from the entrance. Supported by a housekeeper, Jeannette strode into the preschool. “No one is expelling Lara.”
Lara, hearing Jeannette’s voice, ran out and flung herself into her arms, sobbing miserably.
Every child attending this elite preschool came from a wealthy or powerful family. The parents present couldn’t quite place which high society matron Jeannette was, but wary of revealing their own ignorance, they all watched in silence.
Hedwig recognized Jeannette. The last time they’d spoken had been over the phone, when Hedwig had given her some money and directed her to the funeral home to find her brother. Jeannette had gone at once.
Hedwig had kept her own identity secret.
Jeannette had no idea it was Hedwig who’d orchestrated the whole affair
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with Eddy at the funeral home.
Could this child really be her brother’s and Jeannette’s daughter?
The girl was already so big!
Shock rippled through Hedwig. Had her brother been cheating on her sister-in-law for years?
And now, the child of the other woman dared to bully her precious Tia?
Without hesitation, Hedwig strode forward and slapped Jeannette across the face. “Where did this trashy woman come from? Your kid hits someone and you have the nerve to make a scene here!”
A collective gasp swept through the room. Jeannette clutched her stinging cheek and demanded, “How dare you hit me?”
Just last night, Jeannette had argued with Blanche. She’d expected Eddy to be furious with her, but to her surprise, he’d come home in the middle of the night, said nothing about it, and had even been tender with her until
morning.
The encounter only strengthened Jeannette’s belief that she was becoming more important to Eddy-soon she’d eclipse Blanche entirely.
So how dare Hedwig, a cast-off little sister-in-law forced to move back home with her child, lay a hand on her, the soon-to-be Mrs. Simmons?
Jeannette was livid.
“I meant every word!” Hedwig spat. “When a child misbehaves, it’s because the parent failed to teach them right!” She raised her hand to slap Jeannette again, and Jeannette backed away, panic-stricken.
Healy suddenly leapt up, shoved Hedwig aside, and spread his arms protectively in front of Jeannette and Lara. “Auntie, you can’t hit Miss Jean.”
“You ungrateful brat!” Hedwig snapped, jabbing a finger at Healy.
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Blanche’s eyes clouded with sorrow at those words.
“Not only do you take the side of an outsider against your own sister, but you help this awful woman push your own aunt away!”
“I’ll never spoil you again!”
“Lara is my sister too, and I won’t let you hurt them.” Healy stood his ground, meeting Blanche’s disappointed gaze without a hint of remorse. “Tia wouldn’t share her candy with Lara. The teacher said we’re supposed
to be kind to each other.”
“Kind? Is calling Tia a criminal’s daughter your idea of kindness?” Hedwig, now furious, grabbed Healy and gave him a few hard smacks on the backside. “This is what you get for siding with a stranger’s child! This is what you get for being ‘kind’!”
Healy howled, looking to Blanche for help. “Mom, please, it hurts!”
Blanche only watched coldly. Healy kept insisting Lara was his sister-clearly, he knew everything. A son like this wasn’t worth her pleading with Hedwig.
Besides, it was just a few smacks; Hedwig wouldn’t really hurt him.
“Healy, why don’t you ask your beloved Miss Jean and the sister you’re so eager to protect to save you?”
She spoke without emotion. Healy turned to Jeannette and Lara, crying out, “Miss Jean, Lara, help-!”
Hedwig was on a rampage; anyone who tried to intervene would be hit.
Jeannette didn’t even try to help Healy. Instead, she shielded her own stomach and pulled Lara away a few steps.
Healy saw this and his expression turned complicated.
Blanche scoffed inwardly and said coolly to the principal, “She hurt someone over a piece of candy. If you don’t expel her, I’ll have to
withdraw Healy, and The Simmons Group’s funding will be gone too.”
Other parents quickly chimed in, threatening to pull their support as well.
The principal felt the sky was falling. “Fine, Lara is expelled immediately.” Jeannette was seething but dared not protest.
Both mother and daughter shot venomous glares at Blanche.
Just then, a regal-looking woman entered from outside. The moment Lara saw her, she called out sweetly, “Grandma!”
