Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Victims were always the innocent ones.
They shouldn’t be stuck living in the past because of someone else’s mistakes.
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Mandy lay in Claude’s arms, her eyes red and puffy from crying. Slowly, they started to brighten. She nodded gently and whispered. “I want to go to school with Quinlyn from now on. Her voice was full of hope.
Claude smiled, tears welling up in his eyes as he looked at Quinlyn. He felt incredibly grateful to her. Giving that house to her had been the best thing he’d ever done.
Quinlyn had saved Mandy and helped him and his daughter step out of the shadows in their hearts.
Later, Eugene was taken away by the ambulance. If everything went as expected, he was looking at more than a decade in jail.
The parents, who’d been hesitant at first, changed their tune after seeing how the kids reacted. They agreed to help with the testing and even promised to testify in court
As for Quinlyn’s actions, they were a bit forceful, but considering her young age, it was decided that she had acted in self- defense.
“Look. I get that you meant well, but you were dealing with an adult. Next time something like this happens, you need to call the
cops, alright?” Bennett said, giving Quinlyn a few warnings.
He knew Quinlyn wouldn’t really listen. She was a kid with her own ideas and principles, and she wasn’t easily swayed.
And when it came to danger, she was way tougher than Eugene.
Luckily, she hadn’t had any deadly weapons at the time, or Eugene would have been more than just injured.
After the police and the ambulance left the school, the teacher led the students from Class 1, Grade 4, out of the grove.
On the way back to the classroom, no one spoke a word.
Among them, Harriet was the one who was hit the hardest.
Back at her seat, Harriet was still in disbelief. She muttered to herself, “No way. Mr. Lambert isn’t like that. He’s so handsome and has such a gentle voice like a prince from a TV drama. He couldn’t do that to Mandy–she’s not even pretty.”
“Enough!” a boy at the next desk couldn’t take it anymore and stood up, shouting. Just because he’s good–looking doesn’t mean he’s not a creep! If he hadn’t done something wrong, why would the cops arrest him? Are you really that brainwashed by TV shows?”
“I…” Harriet’s face turned pale and then red. She retorted indignantly. “You’re just trying to defend Quinlyn. The investigation isn’t even over. How can you say Mr. Lambert is a bad guy?”
Just as the two were about to start arguing, a chubby girl sitting in the back row suddenly stood up.
“Stop it, both of you,” she said. She rarely stood out in class and had no friends, so everyone was a bit stunned when she spoke up.
But with all eyes on her, she nervously twisted the corner of her shirt and said in a shaky voice, “Last semester, Mr. Lambert
came up to me, too.
“He said I was fat and that no one would want to hang out with me. He told me my grades didn’t matter, but if I listened to him, he could make everyone like me.
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Chapter 28
le even tried to touch me under my clothes. I was so scared.”
“He
Then she broke down in tears, her voice trembling with both frustration and self–blame.
In the grove, she hadn’t had the courage to speak up or stand up for Mandy as Quinlyn had. But at least now, she could say something to defend Mandy and stop others from getting the wrong idea about her.
The truth came out, and all the boys cheered for Quinlyn.
“Thereby crown Quinlyn the hero of Class 1, Grade 4–our very own guardian angelf a boy shouted, throwing his hands up
in the air.
The girls who had backed Eugene hung their heads, feeling ashamed and angry at Harriet.
If it hadn’t been for Harriet always praising Eugene, they wouldn’t have gotten so wrapped up in him and almost fallen for a
creep
“Harriet’s a lady from the Anderson family. How could she be this blind?” one of the girls muttered, shaking her head.
Sitting in the front row, Harriet heard the comment, and it hit her like a punch to the gut.
Her fists clenched as she angrily scribbled “Quinlyn” in her notebook. She made a vow right then and there–to be more popular and likable than Quinlyn, so everyone would forget she was just an adopted child
Quinlyn didn’t go back to her last class.
Joseph took her shopping for new clothes to replace the ones ruined by bloodstains. Afterward, they went to a restaurant to meet Claude and Mandy.
They’d barely started eating when Joseph’s phone rang. The moment Joseph answered, Stanley’s voice came through loud and angry.
Joseph you idiot! You let my sister act as a spy without telling me? What the hell were you thinking? And where the hell are you now?” Stanley shouted.
Quinlyn could hear Stanley’s furious voice blasting from the phone
Joseph didn’t even try to argue. He knew he’d messed up. Instead, he sighed and gave Stanley the address of the restaurant. glancing over at Quinlyn. She was calmly sipping her soup. “You’re so tough sometimes. I forget you’re still just a kid,” Joseph said.
Quinlyn looked up from her bowl, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Are you calling me short?” she asked with a playful smirk.
At her words, everyone at the table burst into laughter.
Even Joseph couldn’t hold back. He laughed so hard that he had to pause, taking a few deep breaths before he could speak again. “Sorry. That’s not what I meant. I just want to remind you that sometimes, you have to lean on the adults.”
Quinlyn didn’t fully agree with that.
She poked at the fish in her bowl with her spoon, saying softly, “But sometimes, adults can’t even protect themselves.”
Joseph fell silent. He didn’t have a comeback for that. His mind wandered to Quinlyn’s past, and he realized how naive he’d
been.
Reaching over, he gently patted her head and said in a soft voice, “I know I’m not perfect… but if you ever need anything. you can count on me. Okay?”
“And me,” Claude said with a grin, who was sitting across the table. “Today, I’m claiming you as my goddaughter. From now
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on, I’ll treat you like I do Mandy.
Whatever you need, just come to me, alright?”
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He studied Quinlyn for a moment. It was obvious that she had a lot going on. Whatever the Anderson family had found out, it must’ve been complicated.
But with Quinlyn, Claude didn’t need any pretenses. She was real. He liked her exactly as she was.
“If you’re okay with it,” he added with a soft chuckle, “you can think of me as your godfather.”
The word “godfather hit Quinlyn unexpectedly.
She had never known a mother or a father. Orphaned since birth, she had learned to get by on her own.
She often wondered what her parents might’ve been like. Through the windows of the orphanage, she imagined their faces, but they always seemed blurry.
Now, sitting across from her, was a man with an ordinary, average face. But he’d stood up for her when others tried to push her around. He’d even patted her head in a gentle, fatherly way.
She remembered how his hands had felt when he did that—big, warm, and comforting.
If this was what a father was like, maybe she could live with it.
“Sure, you are my godfather now,” Quinlyn whispered, letting the word settle in her mind.
Just then. Stanley threw open the door to the private room. His eyes locked on Quinlyn, who had just acknowledged Claude as her “godfather. He froze in place, his breath catching in his throat. “What… What’s going on here?” Stanley asked.
Has Quinlyn’s true identity been revealed?’ he wondered.
Claude quickly jumped into action, explaining the situation. Thinking about Horizon Properties, Stanley’s expression softened, though a hint of jealousy still lingered in his eyes.
As soon as he sat down, he couldn’t wait to announce, “By the way, I’m the leader for this year’s camping trip for Grade 12.”
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