"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
Vanessa’s eyes burned with intensity as she took a step forward. "I will not, under any circumstance, invest in a school where results can be tampered with so easily. This is very disgraceful."Her words seemed to make the director's chest tighten even more."You’ve allowed corruption to thrive in this institution," Vanessa continued. "And for what? To protect a spoiled child who doesn’t even deserve the position you’ve given him? This is beyond unacceptable."Erica still stood there with her arms crossed, refusing to acknowledge how serious what she had done was.Nathan, who had been quiet for a moment, stepped forward, his icy gaze boring into the director and then into Erica. "Ethan will no longer attend this school, and the first position will be taken from your son immediately," he said, his voice calm but resolute. "I will have him transferred to one of the best schools in the country."Ethan, who had been silently standing in the corner, looked up at Nathan, wide-eyed.Just li
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
Nathan’s eyes narrowed. "Protect you? By taking away what another student struggled to achieve? No, Brian. That's very wrong, and if you follow her path, you will meet the same end."The boy remained silent, but his jaw clenched in defiance. Brian seemed way more stubborn than even his mother.Brian looked up, his eyes blazing with anger. "She’s my mom," he whispered, his voice shaky but firm.Nathan’s expression hardened, a coldness creeping into his voice again. "Your mother made choices, and she will have to face the consequences.""If you want to succeed in life, you need to work very hard. But if you’re too stubborn to see that… then you’ll end up like her."Nathan’s words hung in the air, and Brian’s eyes remained locked on Nathan’s, a mix of anger and frustration twisting his young features.For a moment, the boy looked as though he might say something more, but no words came. He clenched his fists tightly at his sides, but he couldn’t bring himself to argue further.Vanessa, s