Chapter 3

Bessie came home seething in resentment.

“Don’t look so pleased with yourself! I just had a bad day, that’s all. Next time, I’ll prove that even without your tutoring, I can make the top ten in class!”

I had no interest in listening to her grand declarations, so I merely gave her a cool nod.

“You…”

The front door opened. A man followed Meera inside.

It was Sam.

“Since you refuse to parent Bessie, I’ve found someone who will. This is the live-in tutor I’ve hired for her.”

Meera fixed me with an icy stare. She was waiting for me to lash out.

However, I merely smiled.

“Oh? Sounds good!”

Bessie’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Then, she threw herself into Sam’s arms.

“Sam, it’s been so long! This is awesome! If you’re the one teaching me, I’ll be an absolute angel and study my heart out!”

Sam gave her a warm, affectionate smile.

“That’s my girl! I know you will.”

He looked at me, unable to hide his smug smile.

“Ron, I hope you don’t mind. Bessie and I haven’t seen each other in a long time. It’s only natural that she’d be excited to see me.”

I poured myself a glass of water.

“Not at all! She’s free to be close to whomever she wants.”

Meera frowned. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but I just picked up the glass of water and walked away.

Over the next few days, Bessie played the perfect little angel whenever Sam was around.

Every day when she came home, she hugged him and brought him a drink. She even told him to attend her parent-teacher conference.

“Sam, you are so much better-looking than my dad. Just pretend you are my dad and come with me!”

Sam smiled, then glanced at me.

“Ron, I…”

Bessie grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the door.

“Just ignore him! One look at that beer belly, and I feel sick!”

The moment the door closed behind them, I clenched my jaw and let out a long breath.

I would be lying if I said it did not hurt.

That evening, Bessie excitedly grabbed Meera’s hand.

“Mom, I ranked third in my entire grade this time!”

She turned to me with a smug look.

“See? Without your twisted study regimen, I only do better! If you hadn’t held me back for the past three years, I would’ve been at the top of my class a long time ago!”

Then, she linked her arm through Sam’s.

“It’s all thanks to Sam’s tutoring. From now on, you’re my dad, Sam!”

“Don’t talk like that!”

Meera half-heartedly rebuked her, making a show of disapproval.

Then, she turned to me with a smug, triumphant look.

“Ron, looks like your parenting wasn’t all that impressive after all. I should’ve brought Sam home much sooner.”

She slipped her arm through Sam’s and smiled.

“From now on, Sam is the one this family can count on.”

I looked at them and smiled as well.

Bessie’s grades were fake.

I had once confiscated one of her old phones. When I checked it, I saw that her gaming account had been active almost around the clock.

The messages in her gaming chats also revealed that she had cheated on several of her last exams.

I could not be bothered to expose her.

“Congratulations! Good for you.”

The smug look on Bessie’s face stiffened.

“You must be dying of jealousy right now. Even without you, I’m still a top student, so stop giving yourself so much credit for my success!”