“I see.” I reached out for the name card and took a glance at it. His name was Wayne Hertel, the vice-president of a prestigious international school. He seemed eager to talk about Summer’s school transfer, I figured John had made a good deal with him.
“All right now, you should get going.” John dismissed him after Mr. Hertel told me his purpose.
As soon as he left, I was about to ask John to explain further, but Summer suddenly came hopping down the stairs. She hugged my leg and began to cry. “Mommy, I don’t want to be transferred! No!” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she wailed.
“All right. I get it. Don’t cry.”
I calmed her down. Eventually, she stopped crying. I crouched down and looked her in the eyes. “Sweetie, why you don’t want to change school?”
“I just don’t want to!” she said and sniffed back a sob. She looked at me with a very sad frown on her face. “I finally have friends at school. I like them, and I like Mr. Cress. I don’t want to be apart from them!”
My heart sank when I heard that. I only sighed in reply. I knew her feelings. After all, she was a child who would hold dear to everything she liked.
I turned to John. He stood still with his hands in his pockets while he fixed his cold gaze on us. The frown on his face gave me the feeling that he was angry.
He must be hiding something.
I didn’t want to ask him when Summer was around, so I asked Lois to take her upstairs. I waited until they were away from our sight. Then I turned to John grimly.
“Tell me, what is this about? Why did you suddenly want her to be transferred?”
I knew he went to Summer’s school that afternoon to find out about Mr. Cress, so I figured something had happened there to make him behave that way. Don’t tell me… it’s him.
John gritted his teeth. Hesitancy held him back. Almost a minute passed. He opened his mouth and said hoarsely, “It’s him.”
I jumped to my feet, completely thunderstruck by his short replied. I clenched my fist and teeth in anger.
The guy he meant was none other than Jared, who almost got Summer killed and ruined my relationship with Ashton.
With his expression full of hate, John fumed, “His sentence was reduced after the judge reviewed his behavior in the prison. He was released on parole a few months ago, with the Crests’ help. I believe he has tampered with Emery’s resources because that school never hired such a highly qualified young teacher in the first place! That son of a b*tch is using a fake identity to get close to Summer!”
My heart raced and my breathing turned rapid.
No wonder the last time I went to her school, Mr. Cress would deliberately avoid me. It all makes sense now! That jerk has it all planned out so that he could approach Summer. His identity, his appearance… Everything is fake!
I knew Jared could do such a wicked trick.
I immediately turned around and rushed upstairs. On my way, I reminded John to arrange a meeting with Mr. Hertel the next day.
He is a dangerous man. He should stay away from Summer!
When I entered the room, I saw my daughter on the bed while Lois read her a story.
“Lois, let me.” She passed me the storybook, then I took a seat beside the bed.
Summer leaned on her pillow. The tears on her cheeks finally dried, but tears still glimmered in her eyes. Her big eyes were puffy as she looked at me.
“Mommy, can I stay at my school?” She pouted.
I couldn’t muster up the courage to tell her the truth when I saw the solemnness in her eyes.
I patted her on the head and hastily diverted the topic. “Summer, would you be happy if Uncle John and I were gone and left you alone?”
