Bryce fidgeted with his fingers, squinting slightly, the depth of his eyes concealing emotions difficult to decipher. Pulling out his smartphone, he shot a text to one of his subordinates:
"Dig up the prenatal check-up reports of Whitney from three years ago. And keep an eye on Ludwik's mansion."
For three years, Ludwik had kept his personal life under such tight wraps that Bryce couldn't unearth a thing.
Rumor had it that he and Elaine had a kid together.
But if the rumor was off, and Ludwik indeed had a child...
Bryce's thoughts drifted to 'Sammy', a kid often seen around Whitney, and his gaze sharpened.
Trouble, no doubt, was brewing...
-
At the preschool.
Without fail, an irate female voice echoed from the office, "Daniel, please report to the office immediately!"
Sammy smirked slightly.
The other kids peeked out, their stares a mixture of alienation and unfamiliarity.
No wonder Danny hated school. Being ostracized and constantly called to the office, Sammy wouldn't enjoy it either.
Calmly, Sammy snapped a few photos of the classroom's decrepit state with his modified smartwatch and stored them.
Then, he strode into the office, "Ma'am..."
"Stand in the corner as punishment!" the teacher snapped at the slender boy, "Daniel, why did you hit your classmates like that?"
Jemima, hefty and fuming, pointed at Sammy, "You unruly brat! My son's bleeding so much, you'll pay for this!"
"Jemima, calm down. I've already called Daniel's mom over," the teacher said.
"This isn't over!" Jemima huffed.
Sammy, narrowing his eyes, watched the adults' back-and-forth with amusement.
He offered no explanation, simply turning to the teacher with a sweet smile, "Ma'am, I know I hit someone, so I've called my dad over."
"What?" The teacher was taken aback.
Elaine had slipped her a bribe, instructing her to call only her and let Jemima have a go at the kid, ensuring he'd dread coming back to school.
"I'm supposed to consult with you before calling a parent, and usually, we only call the mother!" the teacher chided.
"Why can't I call my dad? Are you afraid of something, ma'am?" Sammy blinked innocently.
The teacher was even more flustered, wondering if this was the same Daniel who'd rather take punishment than call her 'teacher'. How had he become so sly?
"How you talk! I'm worried your dad will come and spank you," the teacher feigned concern.
"Whether he spanks me is not for you to worry about. Perhaps you should worry about yourself instead."
Sammy's words were disarmingly innocent.
The teacher felt a chill but then thought, if Daniel had any significant family background, Elaine would have mentioned it.
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