Nathan had heard enough. His hands clenched into fists. Who were this kid's parents? Did they not teach him some manners? How could he bully his fellow student? Nathan strode forward, ready to teach the brat some manners.But before he could intervene, Ethan, still pinned under Brian’s foot, looked up with fierce determination in his eyes."I’m not staying down," Ethan growled, pushing against Brian’s weight. "I’ll never be like you."Brian’s face twisted with anger at the defiance. "You little..." He raised his hand as if to strike Ethan, but before he could deliver the blow, Nathan’s commanding voice stopped him."That’s enough."Brian froze, his hand suspended in mid-air. Slowly, he turned his head to see Nathan standing just a few feet away, with a cold stare. For a brief moment, the playground fell into silence.Nathan’s gaze was locked on Brian, and he glared at the little kid.Brian, clearly thrown off by Nathan’s sudden appearance, hesitated, but his foot was still pressed
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
Mr. Harrison’s smile faltered for just a split second before he quickly recovered. "Oh, we take discipline very seriously.""Dalton Academy has a zero-tolerance policy for bullying or any form of mistreatment.""Our students are held to the highest standards, and we encourage an environment of mutual respect. Anyone caught in any misconduct is immediately punished, ma’am."Vanessa raised an eyebrow, sensing a slight nervousness in his voice. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, Vanessa could still sense it. They arrived at Mr. Harrison’s office, where he opened the door for Vanessa to step inside. The office was very nice-looking, with leather chairs, a large desk, and walls adorned with certificates and framed photos of smiling students. Mr. Harrison gestured for Vanessa to take a seat as he settled into his own chair behind the desk.Meanwhile, outside on the playground, the drama between Nathan, Ethan, and Brian was still ongoing.The director was not even aware of it, as he
"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
Ethan's heart began beating fast as soon as he heard Erica's threat.His hands began trembling. He wanted justice for the unjust scores he received, but not at the expense of losing his place entirely in the school.He wanted to apologize immediately; he could not afford to be expelled. He knew that Brian's mother had the connections to do that.The sharp, accusing glares of Brian and his mother felt like daggers, piercing his small body.Slowly, he took a step forward, his lips trembling as he opened his mouth to speak. "I—"But before he could utter another word, Nathan placed a firm hand on his shoulder, stopping him from saying anything."Ethan," Nathan said softly, his voice steady and filled with authority, "you have nothing to apologize for."Ethan looked up at him, his eyes wide with confusion and fear.All Ethan wanted to do at that moment was to make peace... to make things right, even if it meant sacrificing his pride."But... if I don’t... she’ll..." Ethan said, his voice
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.
The Director stood still for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he listened to what his wife was saying.His gaze then went from Brian, who was standing confidently, especially now that his father was here, to Ethan, who looked terrified, his hands clutching the edge of his shirt, and then...Nathan.Mr. Grant’s expression shifted as he observed the man standing beside Ethan. There was something disturbingly familiar about the man, something that tugged at the edges of his memory. Where had he seen him before?"Richard?" Erica pressed, misinterpreting his silence for hesitation. "Are you going to stand there and do nothing while this bully, this janitor, ruins our son’s life?"But Mr. Grant didn’t answer immediately. His gaze was still fixed on Nathan, his mind racing. Nathan did not seem like an ordinary man.His posture, the way he held himself, his unshakable confidence and demeanor.That face...it was too familiar, too composed. Where had he seen him?Erica was growing impatient, and
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