Chapter 144: Are you being groomed?

The discussion with the headmaster was not supposed to be disclosed to anyone. However, the word still spread like wildfire. All students found it astounding that the school retracted its decision to expel the students involved in the incident. Not to mention, Patricia and Nina were also involved in this entire fiasco.

Some students think it was Patricia because of her temper. Others had some wild guesses and thought it was Nina. After all, sometimes, the people who commit the worst crimes are the people one wouldn’t expect.

But the most surprising of all was the news of the baby swapping!

It turns out Nina wasn’t a Bennet, but Penny!

In no time, many students saw Penny as pitiful while Nina was the one who stole the life Penny should have. It became a hot topic that the teachers had to intervene. However, even that didn’t stop the hushed gossip.

It was also because of this incident that the headmaster was making rounds. Teachers were monitoring everything as per the headmaster’s orders. One could feel the pressure and strictness because the school urged more students to come forward who were victims of bullying.

It was wild.

The school year was already in its last few months, but the events were happening one after another.

****

[Miller Family]

"Patricia, what is going on!? Is it true that you’re the one who almost killed your classmate!?" Theo lashed out as soon as he came home, catching Patricia and his parents in the living area.

Patricia clenched her teeth. "I already said it’s not me! I wasn’t even aware of it! How could it be me!?"

"Then, why is everyone talking about it?!" He roared angrily. "Do you know what I had to go through today?! Everyone is asking me if you did it! Some even use this to mock me!"

"It’s not me!"

"Enough!" the man of the house bellowed, shutting up his children, who were being out of control. "I’ll go to the school first thing in the morning!"

Patricia huffed and crossed her arms. "It’s that Nina’s fault! I shouldn’t have trusted her! I thought she was a friend, but turns out she’s a snake!"

Her father’s face darkened. "That’s it. The Bennets had done it this time." He ground his teeth while Theo clasped his hands.

Patricia and Nina were best friends, and it was the reason both families weren’t directly fighting each other. At least, they always think of their children in any dispute. But that didn’t mean there wasn’t any tension between the two families — especially after what Charles did not long ago.

"Nina isn’t a Bennet. That fraud!" Patricia huffed, wanting to add more nasty comments, but didn’t. Her brother and parents were still in front of her. They might take her side, but she still had to behave.

Theo furrowed his brows. "You mean the Nina you’re talking about is a different Nina?"

That question halted their father’s anger. Even if he finally found an opening to retaliate against Charles Bennet, he still had to make sure he didn’t misunderstand.

"No!" Patricia sighed and explained the situation to them. When she finished explaining the situation, her parents and her brother were rendered speechless.

"Baby swapping?!"

******

Meanwhile, in the Bennet Mansion.

Penny glanced at her brothers once again as the van approached the mansion. She pursed her lips. None of them spoke a word since they got in the van. Well, what would they say?

’It’s Lily’s fault, isn’t it?’ Penny scrunched up her nose. ’Or was it those girls?’

Because of the baby swapping, she received all sorts of gazes today. Some even blatantly approached her with a sorry look, telling her everything was fine now. They acted as if they heard Penny was dying! All day, Penny just wanted to go home and bathe in the comfort of her pets!

’But if that was already bad for me... what more for them?’ Penny sighed, feeling sorry for her brothers. ’This isn’t how I wanted things to be revealed. I mean, I didn’t even want everyone to know about it.’

In her first life, when everyone found out about the baby swapping, it was only the beginning of her misery. She might’ve learned how to avoid such schemes from Nina, but she didn’t want this to be the reason her brothers would start ignoring her.

Her sympathetic heart, however, didn’t last long when Atlas spoke.

"I didn’t find him," Atlas uttered as if he didn’t even hear all the gossip in school today.

As soon as those words rolled out of his tongue, Hugo’s surroundings darkened. "I’m going to kill him someday," he hissed, reminded of the revolting remarks Ray spewed to him. The more he thought about it, the angrier he felt until his entire body was engulfed by invisible flames.

’Nevermind. They’re fine, I guess.’ Penny shook her head and didn’t bother with her older brothers. But just as she peeled her eyes from them, her gaze landed on Slater.

Slater had been quiet throughout. He was physically present, but his mind was drifting elsewhere.

’Is he thinking of the school’s encouragement for those who were bullied to come forward?’ she wondered, keeping her lips pressed. ’I hope he comes forward. Even if I stopped the bullying, he had to do something for himself. I hope he finds it in his heart that coming forward as a victim isn’t shameful, but bravery.’

******

[Skyline Plaza]

Ray rubbed his chin and hummed a long tune. He would change position and just hum aloud.

Renren, who was quietly reading a book in the courtyard, couldn’t help but lift his eyes to his cousin. Ray came here today right after school to avoid some punishments at home. "Say it."

"Cousin, here’s the thing." Ray didn’t hesitate to speak about what was bothering him. "And because of this, I didn’t know that her brother is this guy who I thought had a sick fantasy for a little girl like her."

"You like a little girl?"

"No! Not in that way!"

"Good. I would’ve kicked you out if you did."

"Ugh..." Ray ruffled his hair in irritation. "I just said what I said because I thought he liked her, okay?! I mean, it looks to me like he’s making a claim and I felt like I had to protect her since it’s the least I can do!"

"And turns out he’s actually her brother?"

"Yes!" Ray sighed. "What do you think will happen to me now?"

Renren slowly set his eyes on the book and casually said, "Just make sure you won’t like her in that way in the future. Otherwise, you’ll die before me."

Ray’s expression died, but before he could even say anything, Renren added.

"Thursday. Don’t forget."

"Why do you keep coming on Thursday?" Ray frowned. "Are you meeting someone?"

"Mhm."

"Who? Don’t tell me you have a girlfriend now. Is she pretty?"

"She is pretty." Ray’s eyes twinkled in intrigue, but then Renren added, "But she’s not my girlfriend. She’s a kid. I’m not as weird as you."

"A kid? How young?" Ray frowned, looking at his cousin, who looked much younger than his real age.

"42."

Ray almost choked as he gasped. "Cousin, are you being groomed?!"