Cordy’s slap left everyone on the scene dumbstruck. Everyone was surprised at how vicious she could be. All Eva could feel was the burning pain on her cheek. She could not quite react, even as Cordy snapped icily, "A child's discipline is their parents' responsibility. Since you insist on not disciplining your son, I’ll have to discipline you instead!""Cordy Sachs!" Eva shrieked shrilly, unable to believe that Cordy had just slapped her in front of so many people.If word got out, she would have no dignity left!Nonetheless, Cordy took Dicky with her and started to leave, refusing to waste her breath with them.Just as she turned, Adam intercepted her, looking utterly savage.He had no intention of fighting Cordy with that pretty face of hers. However, since he was Eva's husband, a slap to her face was no different from a slap to his face—he would never live it down.Dicky sensed danger, and promptly moved his little frame to stand before Cordy, protecting her.Cordy's heart
Cordy promptly pulled Dicky out of harm's way, refusing to let her son get hurt.Adam laughed coldly before snapping viciously at the boy, "Your mom’s a liar! Do you really think that John Levine, the heir to the richest family in North City, is your father? Why don't you look yourself in the mirror or see how slutty your mom looks! You really think John Levine would tap that and have you? Dream on!""John Levine is my—""That's enough! Don't waste your time with them," Eva said, losing patience. "Jerry's next event is coming up."Adam agreed, and started to threaten Cordy again. "Last chance! Are you going to do it or not?""No!" Cordy refused, not budging an inch. "So we're doing this the hard way, huh?" The man's face contorted with horrific intent, and he raised his pudgy hand, aiming it squarely on Cordy's face.Cordy gritted her teeth—she had already bought as much time as she could.There was no way she and Dicky could get out with so many people encircling them. Even i
Even as Jessica followed John, she could feel his fury from the back when they reached the dressing room and saw that Adam was about to hit Cordy. As John's rage reached its peak, Jessica watched as he rose to his feet and strode up to Adam, whose face had already turned pale.On the other hand, Eva was still fearlessly snapping at John, "So you're Cordy's manwhore, huh? You look well-dressed, so why would you sink so low for a slut like Cordy—"Smack!John slapped Eva across the face, and the resulting smack was deafening.Eva was sent tumbling to the floor, unable to get up at all. Everyone else was frightened by John's bloodcurdling demeanor—his forbidding presence left them shuddering to the point they were too afraid to even breathe too loudly."You hit my mom? I'll kill you! My daddy will make you go bankrupt!" Jerry threatened John viciously after seeing John hit his mother.John merely approached Jerry; the boy was immediately frightened by the scary man before him, a
Now, Dicky was shaking with inconsolable rage. He had been bullied, and his beloved mother was mocked for protecting him; she almost got hit for it, too!Hence, he took the trash can off Jerry's head, his little cheeks looking stern as he demanded, "Apologize to my mommy and me!"John’s lips curled up in a smile. Dicky had always been quiet, withdrawn, and poor at expressing himself. He would never behave like a spoiled child around him either; that honor belonged to only Cordy.Yet, he was now able to strut and demand an apology. All children can definitely be taught!Nonetheless, Jerry kept bawling and refused to apologize. Adam suddenly pulled Jerry aside and slapped him.Even as Jerry bawled harder, Adam barked at him, "Apologize, now!"That certainly scared Jerry—he had always been the little tyrant at home, and his father had never laid a finger on him. Now, however, he had no choice but to apologize tamely, with an almost inaudible voice, "I'm sorry.""Louder!" Dick
Cordy stared coldly at Adam and Eva.Even if they looked pitiable now, there was a reason for it.She took Dicky's hand, and told John, "I'll get Dicky cleaned up since he has other events soon. As for the rest…do what you will."John nodded—he really shouldn’t have worried that Cordy would be lenient. Even if she never went out of her way to hurt others, she wasn’t the type to suffer an insult lying down.It was what made her free-spirited yet domineering. After Cordy left with Dicky, John turned back towards Adam and Eva, his gaze suddenly cold.He wasn’t as soft as Cordy, who was satisfied with an eye for an eye.Rather, he wanted ten eyes for one. They were going to bankrupt him, was it?Well, he would show them what the term truly meant!-As Cordy gently wiped away the filth on Dicky's face, she asked sympathetically, "Are you upset you were bullied, Dicky?""No, Mommy," Dicky grinned. "You protected me, and Daddy taught them a lesson. I also did to Jerry what he
Cordy smiled slightly and gave Dicky both thumbs-up in encouragement, showing that she didn’t mind, let alone care about keeping up appearances.As the teachers arranged the groups, they noticed that one of the children didn’t have both parents with her—even though elite private schools like this usually insisted on having both parents attend school activities.Before things could get awkward, Dicky suddenly asked one of the teachers, "Can my mommy join us?""But your mommy's already here…""That's my mommy," Dicky pointed at Cordy on the stands. The teacher simply presumed it to be a child's innocent banter, and didn’t dwell on it as she said, "Of course."She went off to invite Cordy, who agreed to it since Dicky was so eager, and played mommy for the little girl.As the relay was about to begin, Cordy and Dicky were close enough to speak to each other although they were in different groups."Are you good at running, Mommy?""Of course," Cordy said proudly. "Where do you th
Jessica looked like she was in absolute pain, and John dropped to a crouch with his back to her. "Come. I'll give you a piggyback."Jessica felt a little upset at that—John always went to the gym, and he was definitely capable of scooping her up in his arms. And yet, he was only giving her a piggyback.Since there was no way she could reject it, she forced herself to lean on his broad back.John didn’t even hold on to her thighs, only allowing her to wrap her arms around his neck. To make things even worse, he barely walked a few feet and quickly put her down on one of the spectator seats, saying, "I'm calling in a chopper to take you to the hospital.""You don't have to," Jessica said quickly. "That's unnecessary. It's not that serious.""I'd rest easy if you go," John said firmly, so Jessica kept mum.Even now, she had no idea if John was actually worried about her. In fact, his unnecessary gesture only made them seem distant—as if he was just resolving some annoying issue at
After dinner, Cordy helped Dicky take a bath as usual. She then handed him a storybook to read by himself while she took a bath.When she undressed, she looked at the mirror to see a large bruise on her rear flank. It hurt from the slightest movement, but she gritted her teeth and finished her bath. She changed into her pajamas, then took a tube of ointment from the first-aid kit.She stood before the full-length mirror in the living room, pulling up her shirt and lowering her trousers slightly, baring her hip so that it was easier to apply the ointment.However, she blinked just as she was about to do it—she saw John in the mirror's reflection.He was suddenly approaching her from the living room, as if he had been there for a while without her noticing.Cordy promptly lowered her shirt and pulled up her trousers, scowling as she snapped, "What are you doing here?"She clearly recalled changing her door password to stop him, and therefore never expected him to enter anyway witho