Chapter 103
Kelly’s eyes reddened in an instant. Tears welled up, threatening to spill over.
Just then, Matty’s young, puzzled voice cut through the silence.
“Excuse me, why do you cry so much? Every time I see you, you’re crying… Even when Theo and I got hurt fighting, we didn’t cry. You’re already a grown-up, and you still cry like this-it’s really embarrassing, you know?”
Kelly’s expression froze. She couldn’t cry, but she couldn’t stop either.
The kindergarten teacher, having witnessed enough drama, quickly stepped in to smooth things over.
“Um… maybe we should get back to discussing the children.”
Sharon turned to the teacher. “As for Matty hitting Theo, we’re willing to apologize to Theo. And once Matty’s father returns, he can apologize to Theo’s parents as well. We’ll also make sure nothing like this happens again. We’re prepared to cover all medical expenses and compensation. I’m sorry for the trouble this has caused you and the school.”
Families who could afford to send their children to this kindergarten weren’t short on money. Medical fees and compensation were never the real issue. What mattered more was the attitude of both child and guardian.
And Matty had already apologized. Sharon’s attitude was also sincere and respectful. By any measure, the matter should’ve been
settled.
But the complication lay in the fact that this Sharon wasn’t just any guardian. She was also Theo’s mother, and now acting as
Matty’s.
The teacher wiped the sweat from her forehead and turned to Carter.
“Mr. Biggs, Matty has apologized, and his guardian has already spoken. Do you have any further concerns or requests?”
Theo stepped forward, still aggrieved. “I don’t accept it! That wasn’t the only time he hit me. He always does it. When no one’s looking, he sneaks up and hits me!”
Carter had heard versions of this before-from his own son’s mouth-complaints about Matty picking on him when no one was
around.
His gaze turned cold, settling on Matty with an icy sharpness.
The intensity of it made Matty shrink back instinctively. He moved closer to Sharon, hiding behind her.
She shifted slightly, placing herself between him and Carter’s glare.
Seeing this, Carter’s expression grew even darker.
“Sharon,” he said, his voice low and cold, “your own son is standing here, and you’re shielding someone else’s child?”
Sharon glanced at him, then at Kelly. “He already has so many people protecting him. He doesn’t need me.”
She paused, then lowered her gaze to Matty.
“But Matty only has me.”
Matty, as if reassured, gripped her hand tightly. “Sharon, you’re so kind.”
Then he turned to look at Theo with something like longing in his eyes.
“I really envy Theo. He has such a wonderful mommy like Sharon. I wish… I wish Sharon were my mommy…”
Theo, already fuming from Sharon’s coldness toward him and her open protection of the one person he disliked most,
1/2
completely lost control.
“She’s a bad mommy!” he shouted. “She bullies Kelly! She’s a terrible woman!”
Matty stepped forward, defending her at once. “Sharon’s not bad! It’s all of you bullying her. I’ve seen it so many times-you always make her apologize to that mean lady. You even said she was embarrassing, and you told the other kids she wasn’t your mommy-just your family’s nanny. You broke her heart.
“You’re the one who keeps saying bad things about her. Sharon was hurt so much by you and your mean daddy, she left. And then you all turned around and said she didn’t care about you. Sharon is the best mom ever. If you don’t want her, I do!”
212
