CHAPTER 7: THE TROUBLE

Two days had passed like a whirlwind. It's been almost two weeks since I started working as Greyson's nanny, and I'm starting to get a grip on my new job.

I became closer with the people inside the mansion, except of course for one particular person that I don't need to name who.

"Cleo, can you please buy me a soda?" Greyson requested out of the blue while he's having lunch.

"But you already have orange juice here."

He pouted. "I'm getting tired of it. Can't I try something new?"

I want to refuse because Aunt Esther strictly told me that I should avoid giving him soft drinks, but how can I refuse him if he's acting cute?

I sighed. "Fine. But just this once, alright? And you can't tell anyone about it. Both of us will be a dead meat if they know."

He nodded his head fervently. "I promise!"

I hurriedly walked to the cafeteria and went straight to the beverage section. My socks were knocked off when I saw the whooping prices of the drinks—$10 for freaking bottled water?!

Seriously, this university is milking money from its students.

After paying for the drink, I headed back towards Greyson's room.

But what I found surprised me- a woman is shaking him violently. My heart skipped a beat when she pushed him to the floor.

Anger crept into my system. I sprinted towards them, pulled Greyson up, and slapped the woman who was hurting him.

Her eyes widened. "W-What the hell? Who are you to slap me?!"

I glared at her. "And who the hell are you to harass this kid?! He's already crying for fuck's sake! Do you want me to gouge your eyes out, huh?!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

I'm usually a composed person, but I will never let this incident slide. I can bear with rude people, but I draw the line when they drag children into their twisted and obscene behavior.

We're starting to get attention from other students and parents, but I don't give a fuck. I badly want to get back on this old hag.

She looks at me with disgust. "Can you please stop acting like a lowborn shrew?"

My nose flared up. "You can't tell me what behavior I should display. I'm being an unethical person because I'm dealing with a deranged witch."

She huffed and clasped her hands against her mouth.

"Those priceless jewels dangling from your neck cannot conceal the slavish and tactless bitch within you."

What I said seemed to cut her last string of patience. She lunged toward me like a mad woman. "I will freaking murder you!"

I pushed Greyson out of harm's way. To my surprise, the bitch aimed for my hair.

I clenched my fist, and gathering all the strength I could muster, I pushed her off of me. She stumbled on the floor, earning a laugh from the students.

I was about to attack her again, but a teacher intervened.

"What is happening here?!" Her loud voice silenced the crowd.

The woman stood up, limping. "T-This woman attacked me out of nowhere when I was only chastising her kid who punched my son!"

I scowled. "Stop lying! I saw how you harassed Greyson!"

The professor looked at us. "Go to the disciplinary office, now! Bring your respective children with you!" She shouted and turned her back.

The woman gave me a death glare before following the teacher.

I turn my attention to Greyson, whose eyes are still streaked with tears. My anger was immediately replaced with sorrow.

"Hush down, Greyson. I know you're innocent. Nothing bad will happen to you, alright?"

"H-How about you? What if they give you a punishment?"

My heart warms in the midst of that dire situation.He was hurt, but he's still concerned about me.

"I will be fine."

I made sure that he calmed down before we went to the disciplinary office.

We were greeted by perturbed silence as I opened the door. The old woman is sitting on the chair across the table, beside her is a kid that I presume is her son.

Greyson's teacher beckoned me to sit on the other couch.

Someone opened the door, and a woman wearing formal attire entered the scene. I assume that she's the counselor. 

The old witch stood up out of the blue. 

"Counselor Alva, I want to express my utter disappointment at this school policy! How come her kind was able to enter the university's premises?!" Her voice was laced with disdain as she pointed an accusing finger at me.

I rolled my eyes. She was the one who physically harassed Greyson and she had the audacity to say those words?

But since I'm the one who's in a sane state right now, I choose to keep my mouth shut and just listen to her petty and unreasonable tantrums.

The counselor sighed heavily. "I'm requesting you to please calm down, Mrs. Vera. Shall we fix this in a civilized way? "

She went to Greyson's professor and whispered something. The latter excused herself and went out of the office, while the counselor sat on the table.

She fixed her eyeglasses and clasped her hands against each other. "What is your name, dear?" she asked, her eyes transfixed on me.

I cleared my throat. "Cleo, Ma'am."

"What really happened? We were in the middle of a meeting when a student called me because there was a ruckus happening in front of the elementary building."

The tension inside the room went to the roof.

The old wench, in which the counselor called as Vera, pointed at Greyson who's sitting beside me.

"That child punched Chadwick for no apparent reason! A lot of people witnessed it, and you have nothing to excuse that child's obscenity. Look at my son's face!"

She stood up and pulled her child to face us. I grimaced when I saw a faint black mark on his face.

"I can't believe that youngsters these days think that they can use their fists every time they want to. Huh! What happened to this generation?!" She exclaimed dramatically.

The guidance counselor breathed deeply and looked at us. "What can you say about your son's behavior, Ms. Cleo? We don't tolerate that kind of attitude inside the school. And as a parent, it is your duty to teach your child good morals."

I shook my head. "Actually, he's not my son. I'm just his personal nanny-"

"Then where is his own mother to personally teach him values?"

I gritted when Vera cut off my words. The condescending tone of her voice is ticking me off.

I pacified myself.  "There are always two sides of a coin. If Greyson really did punch her son for no valid reason, then we will take full accountability."

The counselor smiled subtly. I'm just glad that she's not like those student bias counselors in cliché films. She's fair and just.

"Very well, then. Dear, can you tell us your reason for doing that? You know that hurting someone, whether it's physically or verbally, is wrong."

Greyson, however, kept his head down.

I pinched his hands and smiled. "Don't be scared to speak up."

He didn't respond and kept on staring at the floor.

"He will not speak up because he has no valid reason for punching my son. And you dared to slap me when all I did was discipline that child."

I glared at Vera. "Can you please have some decency?"

She shot daggers at me. "I want this child to be suspended."

I clenched my fist and narrowed my eyes at her. She's really severing my patience up to the hilt.

"You want him to be a candidate for suspension? Fine, I won't differ with that as long as you will be sent behind bars."

They gasped in surprise.

"I don't think this case should go to that extent," the counselor stepped in.

I scoffed. "She harassed Greyson and violently pushed him on the floor. All of you are aware of all the laws that condemn child harassment, regardless of any circumstances."

I breathed deeply to calm myself.

"I may not be the mother of this child, but I think I have the right to defend him."

The counselor's shocked expression was evident. She looks at Vera who seems like a cat on hot bricks now.

"Mrs. Vera, why did you do that?! You are one of the elected officers, and it is your duty to be a role model to other parents! But with your reckless actions, I'm sorry, but I don't think you deserve that position."

I grinned internally. The mortified expression on her face is a taste of delight for me.

Mrs. Alva sighed heavily. "We need to call Greyson's parents to settle this." 

My blood ran cold as terror veiled my system.

"Please don't take it negatively, but we need their presence to fix this issue."

I know I'm in the right, but I'm worried about how Garren will react when he finds out what happened.

"Ms. Cleo?"

I swallowed a lump and nodded. "I understand, counselor."

"Very well, then. Greyson, do you have any contact with your parents?"

However, he just kept his head low. I was alarmed when I noticed that he was shuddering. 

I held his hands and gently pinched them. "Don't be afraid."

He shook his head and finally lifted his gaze. My face screwed up when I saw tears brimming at the corner of his eyes. The terror on his pale face is also evident.

"P-Please don't tell my father about this, Cleo. I-I don't want him to know." 

The begging tone of his voice pained me. I didn't hesitate to hug him and rub his back in spite of the eyes watching us.

"Hush, nothing bad will happen. Fine, we won't call your Dad anymore."

Greyson wrapped his arms around my neck and cried on my shoulders. I glanced at the counselor, spoke to her through my eyes, and she nodded.

"We'll reschedule this meeting some other time. Take him home for now," she said.

I'm glad that she understood.

I carried Greyson who's still sobbing, but he's more calm now compared to earlier. I glared at Vera before we exited the office.

"Cleo, what happened?"

I was surprised to see Uncle Oliver waiting for us outside.

"I'll tell you what happened later, uncle."

I went back to Greyson's classroom and talked to his teacher before we got home. In the middle of the drive, I narrated everything to Uncle Oliver.

"I wonder what really happened," he uttered. "He would not punch that kid without any reason," he added. 

I look at Greyson who's sleeping in the back seat.

"I don't know either, uncle. He refused to tell us."

"Let's just hope that the situation will not get any worse, but I doubt that. His father won't let them off the hook."

A rush of fear washed over me. My heart starts pounding loudly inside my chest. The fear that Garren might blame me for this incident came back to my system.

I puffed out a heavy breath and glanced outside. "You did the right thing, Cleo. There's no need to be afraid."