Chapter 4 The Parents' Fury

We had planned to wait until Ethan's surgery was over before leaving, but his mother shoved us out. No sooner had we reached the hospital gates than a pack of reporters swarmed toward us with cameras and microphones. Brian immediately yanked off his jacket and covered Yvonne's head.

"You're teachers who responded quickly with first aid, right? Otherwise, the child would have died—we'd like to interview your school about teacher training as an example."

Hearing that it was an interview, Yvonne instantly revealed her face and announced to the cameras, proud and confident, "You've got the wrong person—I'm the teacher who gave the child the medicine and saved him."

All the lenses trained on her as she spoke like a model of composure. "As teachers, we must spot a child's abnormal signs right away and perform the appropriate emergency aid…"

I slipped out of the crowd; I couldn't stand to listen to her fabricated lies. The most important thing now was to get back to school and calm the students.

The moment I stepped through the school gate, a colleague came running over with worry. "Jasmine, the principal asked to see you."

I blinked. The principal had already retired. Why would he suddenly be at school?

My colleague looked embarrassed and lowered their voice. "A number of parents are in the principal's office complaining. They want you to explain things."

I felt bewildered. Why would parents come to complain about me?

I had just pushed the office door open when someone slapped me hard across the face; my head slammed into the wall behind me. The principal bowed to the parents with a face full of wrinkles and fury, then pulled me forward. "Jasmine, compose your words and give the parents an explanation—or resign. Don't be a teacher anymore."

Before I could react, those fervent parents started echoing his words.

"People like you shouldn't be teachers. My son locks himself in his room and won't answer anyone. When we took him to the doctor, he finally revealed that the teacher had hit him."

"My daughter was covered in bruises yesterday. Her head needed stitches just now."

The principal sighed helplessly. "I never thought you'd do this."

I protested. I had never done any of the things they accused me of, and as a senior teacher, I would never break the law.

The principal slammed his fist on the desk, and the office fell into a hush. "The other teachers were sent to a state meeting yesterday. Only you and Yvonne were at school. Yvonne is gentle, well-mannered, and studious—she doesn't look like the sort of person who would do this. You must have beaten the students and threatened them into silence to cover up that you killed Ethan. Yvonne's health is poor enough already; stop slandering her."

He nailed me to his words as if they were facts, and the parents surged forward, tearing at my clothes and pulling my hair. Before he left, the principal shut the door and stared at me amid the chaos. "Let them vent. Once they've had their say, it won't be taken further up."

My head had been struck so hard that I blacked out. In a haze, I felt someone kicking me repeatedly.

I didn't know how long I had been out, but cold water splashed over me and woke me. Brian stood before me, holding Yvonne by the arm. "Don't think playing dead will fix anything. Resign quickly—don't force me to make things ugly."

Yvonne rushed forward and clutched my head. "Brian, how can you treat Jasmine like this? She's your fiancee. Besides, this has to be some misunderstanding—that's why the parents are demanding Jasmine resign. We'll clear it up."

I pressed my head into her shoulder; the scab on my forehead split open and bled freely, soaking her clothes. She looked disgusted but didn't push me away until Brian pulled her back into his arms.

"Don't push it," I snapped. "Have you forgotten how you got where you are, Brian Chapman? Clearly, you've enjoyed life far too long. Am I your fiancee or is she? Are your loyalties upside down?"

A flicker of guilt crossed Brian's face, but he quickly straightened as if righteous. "You did something wrong, so you must face the consequences. Even as your fiance, I won't cover for you. Parents have complained that you gave students physical punishments; how could I protect you? Be sensible, Jasmine, and stop making trouble."

Physical punishments? On the students? I treated each child like my own. He lied so brazenly through his teeth to protect Yvonne.

Brian shoved his phone at me—the screen filled with photos parents had sent showing injuries on their children's bodies. "Concrete evidence. What else do you have to say?"

I burst into the classroom and interrupted the lesson. Kneeling beside the quiet, withdrawn girl in the corner, I softened my voice. "Annie, I need your help. Some bad people are trying to hurt me. If you can give me the camera on your chest, the bad people will be defeated."

Annie obediently unfastened the small camera on her chest and handed it to me, her hand in mine. "Miss Solano, you must beat the bad guys."