For a moment, Irene didn't know how to react. Kieran's gaze was too calm, yet also sharp and serious.It was clearly not the kind of gaze usually possessed by a teenager his age.For a moment, she almost told him everything about the woman she had met at the school gate, about the fear she had hidden all this time, and about the past she had always tried to leave behind.But in the end, she still couldn't bring herself to take that risk.If she made one wrong move, she could lose everything, including her son.Because of that, Irene simply lowered her head, avoiding Kieran's gaze. Her voice sounded softer than usual."I'm not hiding anything. I just..." She paused for a moment. Then continued, "...feel that maybe it would be better if we started a new life."Kieran didn't interrupt. He waited for his mother to say everything she wanted to say."Every time I think about your school... I feel sad."Her fingers clasped tightly together."Sad?" Kieran repeated briefly.Irene laughed softly

Elaine had just finished her routine treatment at her usual place.The exclusive room was filled with a soft and soothing floral fragrance. Warm light fell from the crystal chandelier overhead, making the atmosphere feel comfortable and luxurious.Sitting across from her was a woman around her age.Mrs. Carter, the mother of one of Franky's close friends. Although they came from the same social circle, the Carter family was still slightly below the Hogarth family in terms of influence and assets.Elaine slowly sipped her tea. Only after setting down the porcelain cup did she casually ask, "How is the progress?"Mrs. Carter immediately understood what the question meant, and she smiled faintly."Just as you planned. I've spoken with several parents, and they're quite angry.""That's good."Mrs. Carter nodded happily after hearing that Elaine was fairly satisfied with her performance, so she continued explaining further."I only needed to give them a little push. After that, they starte

Elaine ended the call with a cold expression. However, the moment her phone screen went dark, that expression immediately cracked.Her hand gripped the device so tightly that her knuckles turned white.The most infuriating part was that the principal, who had sounded cautious this morning, now dared to reject her directly."Impossible..."She had contacted several people to help her. Yet with every update, her expression grew worse and her mood sank to its lowest point.Even her assistant had tried every possible method to resolve this issue, but not a single one had succeeded.The topic surrounding Franky could not be suppressed.Every time a post was deleted, a new one appeared. Every time an account was blocked, dozens of other accounts spread it again.Even several media outlets that were usually easy to cooperate with had chosen to report on the matter because the traffic was simply too large to ignore.For the first time in years, Elaine felt herself losing control.Not long aft

As they walked out of the school grounds, the campus atmosphere, which usually felt lively, somehow seemed different.Perhaps because the burden that had weighed on Irene's mind for the past several days had finally eased a little, her steps felt lighter.Even so, the woman still glanced at her son several times as if wanting to make sure that everything that had just happened was truly real.On the other hand, Kieran continued walking as usual. His hands were in his pockets, and his expression was calm.However, less than an hour after the meeting ended, the school's official account finally released an announcement.The explanation was not long, but it clearly stated that the school had conducted a new investigation, a verification examination had been carried out, and no evidence of cheating by Kieran had been found.At the same time, the school forum, which had been filled with various accusations over the past few days, began to shift direction.At first, there were only a few co

Marsellus walked in casually as if the place belonged to him. His gaze swept across the long table already filled with food before finally stopping on Kieran, who was seated on one side."It seems I really did arrive at exactly the right time."Several people immediately stood up out of reflex, but Marsellus simply waved his hand."Just sit."He pulled out an empty chair and sat down among them as if it were the most natural thing in the world.The atmosphere became slightly awkward for a moment after he joined. After all, even though they now worked under Kieran, the name Marsellus still carried considerable weight. Not long ago, they had not even dared to raise their heads when the man walked past.Because of Marsellus's generally relaxed attitude, the atmosphere soon returned to normal with jokes and laughter.That was when one of the former gangsters sitting at the end of the table suddenly cleared his throat and said, "It's a shame Mr. Mars arrived without any notice."Everyone t