Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Harriet was already jumping to Eugene’s defense. “Mr. Lambert? Never. He’s the one who’s always helping students, even when they’re begging for extra tutoring. He doesn’t even charge a dime. He’s the best teacher we’ve got.
Most of the kids in Class I nodded along, while a few others kept quiet.
The situation was serious, and the police acted swiftly. They cordoned off the small grove to maintain privacy and only allowed students from Class I to give their statements.
As soon as Harriet finished speaking, Joseph stepped forward to face the parents, his expression stern.
“You saw the photos yourselves, he said sharply. “If you don’t trust what you saw, why rush over! If appearances matter more than your kids safety, then keep him as their teacher. His words struck a nerve, leaving the parents feeling uneasy.
They’d arrived furious and anxious after seeing the photos on Eugene’s phone just half an hour earlier. But when Quinlyn spoke of the assault on their daughters, their anger turned to shame and panic.
“We’ll transfer her,” one parent said, her voice trembling. She bit her lip, looking pale and frustrated. “Even if it’s not true, we can’t risk it. She’s not staying at Manidon,” she added, shooting Eugene a glare.
They didn’t want to bring their daughter’s situation into the open and deal with the gossip. Instead, they wanted to keep it quiet and pretend like nothing happened.
Joseph stayed silent, his face serious. He knew everyone had their own way of handling things, and he couldn’t force anyone to do what he thought was right.
But if Eugene walked away without consequences today, Quinlyn would be blamed for hurting someone, and she could face serious trouble back at the Anderson residence.
“Joseph” Claude said, walking over after finishing his statement and placing a hand on Joseph’s shoulder to keep him calm.
“Don’t worry. Even if they don’t press charges, I will. This guy isn’t getting off scot–free while I’m around,” he said, glaring at Eugene on the ground with a look that could kill.
The doctor, treating Eugene’s wound, couldn’t believe he’d scolded Quinlyn without knowing the full story. He felt foolish and wished he could somehow make Eugene bleed again. But with a cop nearby, that wasn’t an option.
Claude approached Quinlyn, knelt down on one knee, and tried to smile, though his eyes were red.
“Good girl,” he said softly, his voice thick with emotion as he placed his hand on Quinlyn’s arm. “Thank you for saving Mandy. I was too busy, thinking her reluctance to go to school was just because she was shy. If only I’d realized sooner.”
The thought of how much longer his daughter might have suffered if not for Quinlyn made him want to slap himself.
Quinlyn saw the regret and guilt on his face but couldn’t quite grasp it. She wiped his tears away with her clean hand and said softly. “The bad guys are the ones who did wrong. They should be the ones crying, not you.”
She couldn’t get why the bad people didn’t feel bad while the hurt ones felt guilty. It seemed backward to her.
Her hand, cool and slightly rough, wiped away his tears. It wasn’t soft, but it was steady and reassuring.
Claude stared at her, stunned by her words. After a moment, he smiled through his tears and gently patted her head.
Joseph found a great friend in you,” he said softly. Til bring Mandy over later, so she knows that people who haven’t done anything wrong don’t need to hide.”
Quinlyn nodded, satisfied that Claude understood the point she had made.
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20:32 Tue, 18 Mar
Chapter 27
The investigating officers were quick. They found the tools used in the crime–in the teacher’s office and Eugene’s dorm
го
A lot of the items matched up perfectly with what was in the photos. Once they ran the DNA tests, Eugene’s guilt would be a slam dunk
“I DNA samples are needed, let your child go. We’re not volunteering, one parent said as soon as they heard about the test, stepping in front of their kid. They didn’t want any part of it.
Claude came over with Mandy, stopping right next to Eugene.
The doctor remained tight–lipped about taking Eugene to the hospital–just made sure he was still breathing
At first, Mandy hid behind Claude, too scared to come out. But when she saw Eugene lying there with his eyes closed, her curiosity began to outweigh her fear. She peeked out, both nervous and fascinated.
Claude gave his daughter’s head a gentle pat, trying to hide how much this was hurting him. “Mandy, look–it was Quinlyn who took down the bad guy. She even saved you earlier today, remember?” he said softly,
Mandy glanced at Quinlyn, noticing the bloodstains on her clothes, and gave a shy nod.
Claude kept pushing gently. “Look at Quinlyn. She’s even smaller than you, but she took down the bad guy. He’s not as scary
as he seems.”
Growing up in a small town, Claude never cared much about appearances or status like some upper–class folks did. His biggest fear was that his daughter might be traumatized by this and become too scared to face life.
Claude’s eyes were red, and his hand trembled as he touched Mandy’s head. Noticing that, Quinlyn walked over and handed Mandy the stone.
“I hit him with this, just once,” she said flatly. “A few more times, and he might not have survived
Bennett frowned at her words. ‘Why does she sound like she’s proud of what she did he thought to himself.
At first, Mandy was scared. But as she remembered the pain she had endured in the office, she reached for the stone, feeling its warmth in her small palm. It was the perfect size to hold and gave her a sense of security.
She bit her lip, her face flushing red as tears streamed down her cheeks. She couldn’t hold back any longer. With a cry, she lunged forward and threw the stone at Eugene with all her might.
“Go away! Don’t touch me!” Her voice cracked, echoing with the raw emotion of her tears. All the despair, pain, and misunderstandings she’d been holding in burst out at that moment.
Her cries seemed to break the silence. The other kids, who had been hiding, started to step forward, picking up stones and throwing them at Eugene.
The doctor and nurse scrambled out of the way, shielding Eugene’s head from further injury while ignoring the stones being thrown at him.
To any parent, scum like him deserved nothing less than the most severe punishment imaginable.
Seeing the raw anger and pain in their kids‘ eyes, the parents felt their own tears beginning to flow.
Once Mandy had released all her pent–up frustration, Claude stepped forward and embraced her gently.
“You’re incredibly brave, Mandy,” he murmured softly. “This isn’t your fault. The blame belongs to those who hurt you. When they’re held accountable, we need to find the courage to move forward, okay?”
20:32 Tue, 18 Mar
