Nathan’s eyes locked onto Brian, who was still looking as stubborn as ever."I don't care who your father is, you need to apologize, Brian," Nathan said firmly. "You're just a child; you shouldn't say mean things to other people. Didn't your parents teach you that?""If you don’t learn to respect others, life will teach you the hard way."But Brian refused to listen to what Nathan was saying; to him, he was just some janitor. His face reddened, and he crossed his arms defiantly, glaring up at Nathan. "Apologize? To him? No way! He deserves everything I said!" Brian spat, turning his gaze to Ethan. "He’s nothing! Just like his mom. My dad always says not to mingle with people like him."Ethan’s face flushed with anger, his hands trembling at his sides as he clenched his fists. He wanted nothing more than to hit Brian, to make him take back those words. But Nathan’s steady hand on his shoulder kept him rooted in place.Nathan let out a slow, measured breath. "Ethan," he said softly, h

"How dare you put your hands on him! I’ll make sure your useless mother knows exactly what kind of trouble you’ve caused today.""Erica," Nathan interjected, his voice calm but firm. "Ethan didn’t push Brian. Your son is lying to you."But Erica was beyond reason. She raised her hand, her face twisted with rage as she reached out to strike Ethan. "You little brat!!!"Before her hand could make contact, Nathan’s hand shot out, gripping her wrist in midair. His grip on her hand was firm, stopping her just inches away from Ethan’s face. The sudden movement shocked her and even her own son, and for a moment, there was stunned silence.Erica gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief as she stared at Nathan, who still held her wrist. "How dare you lay your hands on me!" she barked, yanking her arm back from his grasp.Nathan released her wrist, his voice low and deadly calm. "You have no right to lay a hand on this boy, especially when he is not at fault."Erica’s face twisted with anger. She

Erica’s face twisted in rage, her eyes wild as she took a step closer, her finger jabbing at Nathan’s chest. "Don’t you dare talk to me like that! I swear I will have you erased, Steven. Do you hear me? Erased."Nathan’s eyes darkened, his voice even calmer as he spoke, "You can try, Erica. Let's see who gets erased."Ethan watched, breathless, as Erica’s fury reached a boiling point. She looked ready to explode, her body trembling with rage as she glared at Nathan."You’re going to regret this," she seethed, her voice barely above a whisper but laced with venom. "You have no idea the mistake you’ve made."Nathan held her gaze, his expression never faltering. "The only mistake would be letting you continue to bully people and using your power to oppress other students.""So go ahead. Call your husband. We’ll see who regrets it."Erica’s eyes blazed with fury as she reached for her phone in her pocket. Enough talk—it was time to show this janitor what she was made of."You’re finished.

Her hand flew to her cheek, now throbbing from the sting of Vanessa’s hand, and for a few seconds, she just stood there, her mouth wide open as she was utterly stunned. As the ringing in her ears subsided, she heard Vanessa’s cold voice."Are you tired of living?""Don't you ever in your miserable life speak to my husband like that!"Erica blinked, still disoriented, her mind racing to catch up. She glanced at Nathan again, who was standing there, calm and composed.Husband?Her thoughts scrambled, trying to make sense of the situation."H-Husband?" she stammered, her voice unsteady. "What... what are you talking about?" Her gaze darted wildly between Vanessa and Nathan. "This… this janitor works for your company! How can you tell me this low-life cleaner is your husband?"She scoffed arrogantly."That’s impossible. You can’t be serious."The director stood frozen, his face pale as the pieces of the puzzle suddenly fell into place. His eyes widened. He knew he had recognized Nathan

Nathan’s face was expressionless as he watched her struggle. His eyes then shifted to his security detail."Surely, you still have some manners to learn," he said coldly. "And after her week is done, she’s finished with Cloud Corporation. If she ever sets foot in my company again, that will be her last day."Erica’s eyes widened in shock. "What? No! You can’t fire me!" Her voice was frantic now, on the verge of panic. "I’ve given everything to this company! You can’t just throw me away like this!""You have contributed nothing to Cloud Corporation but lies and corruption.""You’ve poisoned this institution, and I can't wait to get rid of others like you."Erica’s legs buckled, and her face twisted in anguish. For the first time, genuine fear flashed in her eyes. "No… please," she whimpered, her earlier defiance crumbling to pieces. "Please, Lord Cloud. I—I was just trying to protect my son. Don’t… don’t do this."Vanessa’s eyes narrowed as she watched Erica’s pitiful display. "She do