Chapter 27
Chapter 27
When the call connected, the teacher Brenda chose her words carefully. “Mr. Eliot, Samuel’s error rate on his daily assignments has been quite high these past few days.
“Honestly, that in itself isn’t the end of the world. If a child hasn’t grasped the material, we simply re–teach it?
“But today, I noticed something odd about the work he turned in. The problem–solving methods aren’t our standard approach, nor are they typical for a child his age.
“It looks more like he simply copied answers from somewhere. Mr. Eliot, I’m not trying to question your parenting. I know you’re very busy. But Samuel is developing some problematic study habits of finding shortcuts. Please pay attention.”
Brenda, with her outsider’s perspective, had actually wanted to add a gentle warning about letting Samuel spend too much time with Ms. Hewitt. But it was a private family matter, so she swallowed the words.
On the other end of the line, Logan’s expression darkened. After a terse acknowledgment, he hung up, a fresh wave of fidget washing over him.
Before, Eliana had handled all these school matters seamlessly. He’d had no idea a child could generate so much trouble, requiring constant parental intervention. He found it utterly exhausting.
Meanwhile, Brenda, initially thinking it was just a case of copied homework, didn’t dwell on it much after speaking with Logan.
But just as she hung up, the teaching assistant rushed into the office, breathless. “Ms. Todd! You need to come to the classroom, quick! It’s total chaos!”
“Samuel brought a huge amount of cotton candy to school. He got the other kids to help him gang up on Melvin and his friends. The whole class is in an uproar. The children are actually fighting!” She added.
Hearing this, Brenda’s face paled. She didn’t dare waste a second and hurried toward the classroom.
Every child here came from a family she couldn’t afford to offend. Each one was a precious treasure. The preschool had never seen a scene like this since its founding.
Brenda couldn’t believe this was happening in her class. ‘What on earth is going on?‘ she thought frantically. “The children usually listen so well during lessons. How did it come to this?‘
Her mind was a whirlwind of panic, but action was needed. She rushed in to separate the scuffling children.
Naturally, such a commotion couldn’t be kept from the parents. Within the hour, the parents of Melvin and the other targeted children had all arrived at the school.
Hearing that Samuel was once again at the center of the trouble, their patience, already worn thin from previous incidents, inally snapped. They demanded Eliana come and give them an explanation.
But the school’s emergency contact had long been changed to Logan. So, steeling herself, Brenda had no choice but to call him again.
Logan received the call just as Isabella had found a moment to drop by his office for a “thoughtful” visit. She’d bought some pastries, transferred them to her own container to pass off as homemade, hoping to get Logan to try a bite.
Seeing Brenda’s name flash on his screen, Isabella felt a flicker of irritation. That teacher really has no sense of timing.
But the moment Logan hung up, she instantly put on a mask of concern, leaning in. “Logan, what’s wrong? Is it something at
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Chapter 27
Samuel’s school?”
Logan’s eyes were icy as he turned to her. “Was it your idea for Samuel to take all that cotton candy to school?”
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The question caught Isabella off guard. Her heart gave a lurch, but she maintained her composure. “Yes. That rainbow cotton candy is all the rage right now. I saw Samuel liked it, so I bought some for him to share with his classmates.”
“Did you also teach him to only give it to the children who side with him and exclude the ones he doesn’t get along with?” Logan asked.
Isabella had initially seen nothing wrong with this tactic, but seeing Logan’s expression now, a thread of unease began to coil in her stomach.
“Of course not, Logan. How could I teach him something like that? That must have been Samuel’s own idea.” She answered.
“I just heard from him that after struggling with his homework and getting things wrong for days, those boys kept making fun of him. So I suppose he wanted to get back at them a little.
“But honestly, Logan, I don’t think this is entirely Samuel’s fault. He told me before that when he had conflicts at school, Ms. Lyons never stood up for him.
“She’d often force him to apologize, even when it wasn’t his fault. That’s probably why the other kids feel they can bully him. I actually think it’s good for Samuel to learn to push back a little. He can’t just take it forever.”
“Logan, maybe you don’t know what it feels like to be bullied. But I do. When I was abroad, after my family’s situation changed, I was bullied constantly.
“It was only after I fought back once, that they finally left me alone So I’m different from Ms. Lyons. I can’t bear to see Samuel being picked on. I’d rather he learn to stand his ground like this.”
Isabella knew the real story was different, but her version cleverly reframed Samuel’s active aggression as a defensive reaction to persistent bullying. The nature of the incident was completely altered in the telling.
Hearing her speak of her difficult time abroad, Logan’s initial anger dissipated. It reminded him of the past overseas, of her rushing into a dangerous situation without hesitation to pull him to safety.
That debt of gratitude, that life–saving bond, made it impossible for him to stay angry with her. Without her, he might not be here.
Even now, he could remember her frail figure straining to drag him from the wreckage, refusing to let go even as the threat of explosion loomed. It was a debt he could never repay.
His expression softened. “I know you meant well. It’s not your fault. I’ll go handle it.” Isabella quickly stepped forward, grabbing his arm. “Then I’m coming with you. I started this, after all. I can’t just wash my hands of it.”
In truth, Isabella believed that with Logan present, no one would dare to give her much trouble. Going along would also make her look responsible and devoted in his eyes.
But she had no idea just how badly the situation had escalated in the classroom. And she certainly didn’t expect that would lead to such a monumental loss of face in front of Logan.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
