Chapter 26
[Addison]
I can hear my blood rushing through my ears as I race to place myself in between the two children. I am barely able to shield
Livy’s body with my own before Jayson lands a hard kick in my side, about where Livy’s head would have been.
“Control your son!” A harsh voice barks behind me. It is only when his firm hands reach down to help me stand that I realize it is
Hunter, coming to my rescue again.
“Hunter, it’s okay. He can’t hurt me,” I remind him as he picks Livy off the ground. She buries her head in his chest, her body
shaking.
I expected Michael and Evelyn to be right behind me, but apparently, they were less concerned about the situation than I was,
because rather than do their part to mediate the situation, Michael was pointing his finger in this direction while speaking to Ms.
McKenna. I don’t know what he is saying to her, but by the look of horror on her face, I can only imagine it is more lies.
“You are a bad mother!” Jayson screams as he continues to kick me. “I hate you! I hate you!”
Hunter tries to get between me and Jayson, but he is still holding Livy, who is trying to twist around in his arms. “Stop bullying
Auntie!” she’s screaming, her face splotchy. If she doesn’t calm down soon, she might have one of her attacks.
Reaching forward, I try to grab Jayson by the shoulders, pushing him away, but he twists his head and bites me as he struggles to
escape, reaching down to grab a rock while I wince in pain and shock. He’s never bitten me before. I’ve never seen him bit anyone
before.
Setting Livy down, Hunter turns to help, but as he reaches down, Michael screams something about suing him if he “dares to lay
one hand on his child.”
“I’ve got this, Hunter,” I reach out to Jayson cautiously. “Just take care of Livy. She needs you more.”
As I turn around to say this, Jayson lifts his hand to strike me.
I hop back out of his way.
But Livy runs forward. Her arms extended, she pushes him back.
“Don’t bully my Auntie!” She screams, batting her hands at him harmlessly to scare him away. “You’re a…you’re a… b..b..bad boy!”
Jayson screams as if he’s being murdered, even though Livy has hardly even touched him. Her arms and legs are scratched up from his assault, but he’s the one howling in pain.
“Olivia,” I try to pick her up, but she resists, still batting her arms in rage.
“You’re safe, Livy,” I try to soothe her as she starts to whimper. “He won’t hurt me, it’s okay, you…”
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“Shut up, stupid!” Jayson reaches forward and reaches around me to push Livy even harder than before. “Stop screaming! What is wrong with you? Are you some kind of ret***!”
He says a word that has me reeling. How could he call her that harmful word?
“How dare you call her that!” I scold Jayson as Michael finally makes his way over, with Evelyn and one of the teachers in tow.
“Where did you even hear that word?”
Jayson, hearing the tone in my voice, stops his shouting to look up at me with wide, tear–filled eyes. “Why don’t you love me anymore, mommy? She’s not better than me! She’s just a ret***!”
Michael takes Jayson’s hand protectively as Evelyn kneels next to him, her round belly making the motion a bit awkward. Patting
my own flat stomach, I wonder what I would have looked like if my baby were still alive. I’d be about 4 months, I probably wouldn’t even be showing yet.
“How dare you yell at my son,” Michael hisses angrily. “You let that little…monster attack him and you did nothing to stop her.”
Is he really blaming all of this on Livy? “He pushed her first,” I point out. “And he called her a very nasty name. Twice. Since when did you start teaching our son ablest slurs?”
The little boy I raised would never say something so hateful. What has been learning in the two months since I’ve been away?
“Tell your school I’m withdrawing my donation,” Michael threatens indignantly. “I brought my son here because my fiance and I
heard this school was one of the best in the city, but after seeing the other families you allow in here,” he sneers in my direction.
“I think I’ve changed my mind.”
Headmistress Andrews comes out a few moments later, her blunt heels clacking as she saunters out in her practical plaid suit.
Michael puffs up his chest, waiting for recognition, but rather than bowing in fear to Michael’s pompous attitude, she holds out
her hand to Hunter.
“Mr. Grant, I’m sorry for the inconvenience this moment has caused you. Please, accept my apologies.”
Michael stands there, flabbergasted. “Why are you apologizing to him? He’s just some fool my ex hired to make me jealous.”
The headmistress turns her head in his direction, her black eyes sharper than the silver pins holding up her raven hair. “Ms.
McKenna and a few others gave me a very detailed explanation of what happened here this morning and frankly, Mr. Stone, you’re lucky I’m still willing to keep your son enrolled.”
She then turns her attention towards Livy. Placing a hand on her back, she asks her if she’d like to have a cookie and milk in the
secretary’s office. “Your friend, Maven, brought you some blackberries.”
Looking over the Headmistress‘ shoulder, my heart warms at the sight of Livy’s new friend from the playground smiling as she
makes the two of them treats, a kind–looking older lady setting up a fancy tea tray for them both.
Hunter sets Livy down and she gives the Headmaster a hug around her knees before slipping into the secretary’s office. Michael
looks about to burst as the Headmistress informs him that Jayson will need to be out of school for the next three days. “He’s
suspended and can return once he’s written a note of apology.”
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“Now wait just a minute, this actor…” Michael raises his hand to point at Hunter, “Is a lying, wife–stealing…”
Jonus
“That little girl could be the janitor’s child and it wouldn’t have mattered,” the headmistress scolds. “Your son behaved poorly. Coming from a wealthy family doesn’t absolve him.”
“Addison Stone is a terrible mother. She abandoned her own son to move in with this man. Her son was upset, and so he acted out,” Evelyn defends Jayson who holds onto her tightly. “Surely you don’t mean to say that they are the same as us.”
“No, actually, based on what I’ve observed, I think they’re better than you.” The headmistress sighs, “Mr. Stone, Ms. Valentine, we don’t have VIP families, but if we did, his name,” she points at Hunter, “Would be at the top of the list. Hunter Grant is one of the wealthiest men in the city. The money you gave the school was enough to get your son into the academy in mid year. Mr. Grant gave an endowment large enough to build a new library and gym.”
Evelyn and Michael glare daggers at the two of us as they push past us with Jayson. Michael turns, his eyes flashing as he leans forward to hiss in my ear.
“This isn’t over, Addy,” He smirks. “Just you wait.”
