Chapter 108
Chapter 108:
Kieran rose from the chair and crossed to the window, beckoning her with a tilt of his head. Jocelyn stepped closer, moving out of earshot of the children.
“Well p>
“Leave Collins,” Kieran whispered. “Come back to me. I’ll make sure Kyle drops it. I’ll make sure the school forgets this ever happened p>
Jocelyn stared at him. The audacity was breathtaking.
“You’re using a child’s fight to blackmail me?” she hissed. “You’re pathetic, Kieran. Lower than I thought p>
“I’m determined,” Kieran insisted, his eyes burning with a manic intensity. “You don’t belong with those people. You belong with me p>
“I belong wherever I choose,” Jocelyn stated, her voice shaking with barely contained rage. “And I choose them p>
She turned back to the room. “No apology. Check the security cameras. I want to see the footage p>
A𝗱𝗱ict𝗶𝘷е 𝗌𝗍о𝗋ieѕ 𝘰𝗻
“The cameras in the hallway were… malfunctioning today,” Ms. Trunchbull said, avoiding Jocelyn’s gaze. Her eyes darted nervously toward Kieran.
Jocelyn clenched her fists. It was a setup — a classic Douglas power play.
Then Aaden moved. He slipped a small smartphone out from under his blazer, his fingers flying across the screen.
Uncle G: BAD MAN HERE. HURRY.
Kieran caught sight of the phone. “He’s on his phone! Disrespectful p>
He reached out to snatch the device from the child’s hand.
Jocelyn moved on pure instinct. Every memory of Kieran grabbing her, cornering her, making her feel small ignited in her chest all at once, fusing into a single, raw, protective fury. She intercepted his arm and slapped his hand away with a loud crack.
“Don’t touch him,” she growled.
The room went silent. Jocelyn Wolfe — the pushover, the doormat — had just physically struck a Douglas.
Kieran looked at his hand, then slowly raised his eyes to hers. His expression darkened.
“You’ll regret that,” he warned.
“I regret ever meeting you,” she countered.
Heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway outside. Fast, purposeful strides that sounded like approaching thunder.
The door handle turned. A presence filled the room before the man even entered.
The door swung open and Gaston Collins stepped inside.
He wore a charcoal suit and the purple tie Jocelyn had given him. He looked like a god of war dressed for a board meeting.
He didn’t look at Kieran. He didn’t look at the teacher. He went straight to Jocelyn and Aaden.
He cupped Jocelyn’s face in one hand. “Are you hurt p>
“I’m fine,” she said, breathless. “It’s Aaden p>
Gaston looked down at his nephew. When he saw the bruise, his expression turned terrifyingly cold — a stillness that promised violence.
He turned to face the room. “Who touched my nephew p>
Kyle shrank behind Kieran. Even the child sensed the predator that had just entered.
“It was a schoolboy scuffle, Collins,” Kieran said, stepping forward in an attempt to regain control. “Your nephew started it p>
Gaston finally looked at Kieran. He looked at him the way a man looks at a roach on the sole of his shoe.
“Douglas,” Gaston said. “I didn’t know you were a babysitter p>
“I’m protecting my family,” Kieran retorted, puffing out his chest. “Something you wouldn’t understand p>