The foreign language competition arrived sooner than expected.To everyone's surprise, Uriah showed up as well, looking more spirited than ever."I'm an old man now," he chuckled, "but I've always loved watching kids. Now that I'm retired, any time the kindergarten has an event like this, I'm coming along for the fun."The moment Matty saw him, his face lit up. He darted straight into Uriah's arms."Mr. Malcolm! You came too!"Uriah grinned, ruffling Matty's hair. "Of course. I wouldn't miss your competition for anything. I'm here to cheer you on."There was something childlike in the old man's nature that matched Matty's energy perfectly. The two of them, despite their vast age difference, always seemed to get along effortlessly, like old friends who could play together all day.Standing nearby, Xavier watched the scene unfold. His gaze softened, a subtle wave of something unreadable flickering in his eyes.As if sensing his look, Uriah glanced back at him. Their eyes met brief
Ever since Nate went head-to-head with Sharon, things had only gone downhill for him.If not for the fact that he was the heir of the Hendricks family—and for Carter's help—he would've been done for a long time ago.It wasn't until Carter pointed it out that Nate finally snapped back to reality. Compared to those so-called "brothers" of his, Carter mattered far more.He was just bitter that Sharon had openly threatened, right in front of them last night, to expose his little clique. And the worst part? She really did it. By the next morning, it was all over the internet.Still, no matter how pissed he was, he didn't want this to affect Carter or the company. Nate wasn't that stupid. He knew how to weigh the pros and cons."I'm sorry, Carter," Nate admitted, lowering his voice. "I wasn't thinking straight. I just didn't want their mess dragging you into it. That's why I asked you to take it off the trending list."Carter's voice was ice. "If you don't want their mess tied to us, t
Theo had rushed to tell his grandmother everything.But instead of standing up for his mom, Grandma scolded his mom. Said she'd embarrassed the Biggs family at the banquet. When his dad found out, he barely said a word to Nate. Just brushed it off, like it was nothing.He remembered the way Mom bit her lip, holding back tears—humiliated, helpless.In that moment, she looked so… small and pitiful.He wanted to comfort her. But the stares from the people around them—those mocking eyes—were like needles stabbing into his skin. He stood there, frozen, not knowing what to do.No one told him what he should do.It was Madeline's cold, disdainful voice that snapped him back to reality."So what if it was intentional or not? What, you gonna stand up for Sharon now? Those are Nate's friends. You think they'd dare mess with her if you really cared that much about her? Every time Nate shows up, he mocks Sharon right to her face."Even now, kids in a kindergarten are mocking her. Whose f
Xavier turned to Sharon. "Sharon… how do you plan to deal with those guys? If you'd like, I can cause some trouble for their families. Block a few major orders… Even if you want them bankrupt, that's not exactly hard."Nate scoffed, his tone dripping with mockery. "Hah. And here I thought Sharon was something special. Turns out you're just waiting for a man to fight your battles."Sharon glanced at him, her eyes cool. "Relax. Even if I didn't rely on anyone, I'd still make sure justice is served."Then, she turned to Xavier. "I have everything I need. Evidence of their DUIs, hit-and-runs, assault, fights… even forcing girls against their will. What I need from you is simple. Just make sure no one shuts it down when it goes public. That's enough."She'd swallowed her humiliation at Theo's birthday party. But forgiveness? No. That was never part of the plan.For a long time, she'd quietly been gathering evidence against those spoiled, arrogant heirs.And now… the timing was perfect
Mr. Cosgrove froze for a moment, then quickly adjusted, bowing his head toward Sharon."Sharon… I sincerely apologize. This was entirely our fault. We shouldn't have bullied your son… and we definitely shouldn't have laid a hand on Matty."By now, it was clear to him—Xavier and his son weren't actually that angry over Bob's behavior. What they were truly furious about… was the humiliation Sharon had suffered.But… wasn't this woman supposed to be Carter's wife? Why would Xavier and his son stand up for her?Questions burned in his mind, but Mr. Cosgrove wasn't foolish enough to ask them out loud.His gaze slid toward his wife, who still stood frozen in place. Rage surged in his chest. Without warning, he slapped her again."What are you waiting for? Get on your knees and apologize to Sharon!" he barked.If it hadn't been for this useless wife of his failing to manage their son and flaunting her arrogance right in Sharon's face, how the hell would they have ended up offending bot
"What… what is going on here?" Mr. Cosgrove finally broke his silence, voice tight with confusion.It was Sharon who answered. "Your son, Bob, was the ringleader in isolating and bullying my son, Theo, back at the previous kindergarten. Today, he got into a fight with Matty after another argument."She handed her phone to Mr. Cosgrove. "Here's the surveillance footage. Why don't you take a look for yourself?"Mr. Cosgrove accepted the phone, forcing an awkward, ingratiating smile. "Thank you, Mrs. Biggs."He'd attended Theo's birthday party before—he'd been there, had seen that scene, that moment when Sharon had been utterly humiliated.But unlike his wife, Mrs. Cosgrove, who was arrogant and shortsighted, Mr. Cosgrove was a seasoned player in the business world. He was slick and calculating. He knew exactly when to grovel.So now, in front of Sharon, he showed not the slightest hint of disrespect. Quite the opposite—his spine practically folded in half, nodding, smiling, flatter