Chapter 23
The other parents in the auditorium were glued to their phones, watching the wildfire of gossip spreading online.
“Our school’s trending!”
“Ms. Yates’s background got exposed so fast!”
“The public’s got sharp eyes. They didn’t even know Mr. Vaughn was divorced, but somehow they figured out Felicity is the other woman.”
“I can’t stand Felicity either–she’s always hanging off my husband.”
“Just two nights ago, I picked up my drunk husband and saw Felicity sitting on Mr. Prescott’s lap, and then she took off her bra and dangled it over Mr. Banks’s face. My husband swears they were just messing around.”
The parents buzzed with rumors, while Gemma turned on the local TV station’s director with a furious glare.
“Shut down the livestream now! If the Vaughn family’s reputation takes a hit, I’ll sue you!”
The director was sweating through his suit. “Ms. Yates, I’ve already turned it off.”
The chaos had left him reeling, but by the time he snapped out of it and told the cameraman to cut the feed, Gemma’s threat to fire Selene had already gone out live.
The principal’s phone was ringing off the hook. He hurried forward, trying to smooth things over. “Let’s just put this behind us, everyone. Time to clear out, please!”
He signaled the teachers to usher parents out of the hall.
Gemma scoffed. Daph was her granddaughter, so she’d let the girl off the hook. But as for Selene? She would not let her off so easily.
“Daph, I know you still care about the Vaughn family. I’ll give you one more chance to decide: do you want to stay with your mother or your father?”
Daph’s gaze was steady and clear. “I want to be with my mom.”
The old woman shot Selene an icy look–a silent warning not to manipulate Daph.
“Daph, you just feel sorry for your mother, don’t you? That’s why you’re leaving with her, right?”
1/2
22:271
Chapter 23
When Gemma first heard that Harrison and Selene had signed the divorce papers, she’d gone on a rampage at home, smashing anything she could reach.
She’d come to school today with one purpose: to put Selene in her place.-
“No, that’s not it,” Daph answered without a moment’s hesitation.
“I know you don’t want to upset your mom in front of her,” Gemma said, wearing the look of someone who thought she knew everything.
Daph’s voice rang out, clear and unwavering. “Mom’s always tired at home, always so sad. But I’m leaving with her because I don’t like that house either!”
People were milling around the hall, many pretending to pass by but really straining to catch every word about the Vaughn family’s drama.
Gemma’s face hardened at once. “You’re the Vaughn family’s heiress! You’ve had every privilege since the day you were born–what have we ever denied you?”
Her glare shifted to Selene. Everyone suspected Daph’s attitude was Selene’s doing. Daph turned to her brother. “I’ve never felt things were fair at home.”
“What?!” Gemma let out a sharp laugh. “Have we ever let you go hungry? Ever
refused you anything?”
Daph pressed on. “Dames and I are both Dad’s children–so why is he the only one treated like the heir?”
With a bang of her cane, the old woman snapped, “Because you’re a girl!” As if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Dames gets private tutors every weekend and holiday. The teachers come to our house just for him. But I’m never included. If I try to sit in, Dames kicks me out!”
Before Daph could finish, Dames shouted, “You being there is distracting!”
Gemma’s patience ran out. “If you wanted lessons, we let you join, didn’t we?”
“But in class, the tutors only focus on Dames. When I asked a question, the teacher told me I didn’t need to know that much.”
“You’re a girl! The teacher was just being considerate–you should be grateful!” Gemma’s face twisted in disgust.
Daph grabbed Selene’s hand and called out, “I want to stay with Mom! She can teach me so much–everything those tutors refused to show me!”
2/2
22:27
Chapter 24
Chapter 24
