“You ungrateful brat! Let me down!”
Chapter 70
Daph was shaking with anger. “You–what did you just call me?!”
Dames screamed right back, “Grandma was right, we’ve wasted our kindness on you! We’re not family anymore! You and that phony woman are nothing but rats crawling out of the gutter! We don’t want to share a classroom with rats!”
The kids trailing behind Dames all pinched their noses in exaggerated disgust.
“Daphne! Let Young Master Vaughn go!” one of them shouted.
“Daphne, you smell awful! Gross!” another chimed in.
“My mom says I shouldn’t talk to Daphne. She’s not fit to study with us anymore!”
Teeth clenched, Daph raised her other hand, the threat clear. Dames, catching on, shrieked for backup:
“Come on, help me! Somebody!”
But none of his little cronies dared step forward.
Leaning against her motorbike, Felicity raised her phone and recorded everything as Daph yanked Dames up by his collar. She caught the moment Daph’s hand shot up, ready to strike, and her lips curled into a wide, delighted grin.
Do it–hit him! she thought gleefully. I’ll send the video straight to Harrison and
Gemma!
But just as Dames braced for impact, the grip on his shirt vanished. He crashed to the ground with a yelp, scrambling back, wide–eyed.
He looked up at Daph–tall, imposing, her shadow looming over him like a dark cloud.
Dames was trembling so hard his teeth chattered. His followers shrank back, terrified by this new side of Daph.
She raised her fist again.
Dames whimpered. He knew his friends wouldn’t come to his rescue. Resigned, he screwed his eyes shut and turned his face away, bracing for the blow.
But the pain never came.
17:40
“I don’t hit people who can’t fight back,” Daph said, lowering her fist.
Beating up someone who’s already helpless? What’s the point?
“Daph, what’s going on here?” Selene strode over. Dames immediately pointed at Daph, wailing to Selene:
“She hit me!”
Daph’s voice shook with outrage. “Dames told the others not to play with me! He said anyone who does is the enemy of the whole school!”
Selene’s icy gaze landed on Dames. “I’ll ask your teacher to have your father come to the school.”
Before she’d finished, Dames was already protesting, “My dad’s on the board! I’ll have him expel Daph!”
But when he realized Selene wasn’t going to defend him–that she only cared about Daph–his anger boiled over.
“Ms. Thompson!”
Ms. Hughes hurried over, saw Dames sitting on the ground but clearly unhurt, and breathed a small sigh of relief.
She composed herself. “Children, don’t loiter at the school gate. Everyone, inside!“.
Selene turned to Ms. Hughes. “About the incident with Damien bringing dangerous objects to school–what disciplinary action was taken?”
Ms. Hughes smiled, a little too brightly. “Oh? Damien’s a model student. He’d never bring anything dangerous to school. There’s no such incident.”
Selene frowned. Ms. Hughes leaned in and nudged her arm.
“Ms. Thompson, please–don’t stir things up about Damien. Your daughter’s already lost the Vaughn family’s protection. Do you really want to see her expelled?”
Her warning was barely above a whisper, but before Selene could respond, someone nearby called out:
“The principal’s coming!“,
The head of Charteris Academy marched over with several school administrators in tow, exuding authority.
At the sight, Dames burst into tears.
2/3
17:40
Chapter 70
“Daph hit me!”
The principal, close friends with Gemma–who had repeatedly reminded him to protect Dames at all costs–fixed Selene with a cold stare and made his decision for all to hear.
“Ms. Thompson, your daughter assaulted a fellow student at the school gates. I’m afraid I have no choice but to expel her to set an example for the rest!”
Felicity hurried up to help Dames to his feet.
Dames grinned, his smile wide and triumphant.
་
