Chapter 50
Chapter 50:
It was around school time, and a bustling crowd of students gathered at the entrance. Amidst the crowd, Tristan’s attempt to ridicule Ashton had drawn the attention of his peers. Known among his peers for his family’s prestige, Tristan now found himself at the center of attention and the subject of ridicule. His jest aimed at Ashton not only failed but turned the tables on him, casting him as the target of the joke. Word of Tristan’s public humiliation traveled swiftly throughout the school.
Ashton’s sharp, composed response only intensified the embarrassment for Tristan. Laughter from nearby students stung him, each chuckle piercing his pride like a dagger. Flustered to the point of redness, Tristan wished desperately for any escape from the mortifying spotlight. Meanwhile, his phone buzzed with messages from classmates in the chat group, their words laced with biting sarcasm. They mocked him, questioning how the reputed young scion of the James family could have so swiftly become a jest.
Drowning in humiliation, Tristan found the teasing unbearable. He covered his face with his arm, attempting to vanish from the scene unnoticed. However, before he could make his escape, his advisor intercepted him, having quickly pieced together the situation from the flurry of exchanged messages.
The advisor fixed a stern glare on Tristan and said, “Tristan, why did you disrespect Mr. Baldwin for no good reason? Do you have any idea how hard Professor Stewart worked to recruit him for our school? You need to apologize to him right now. Otherwise, you can consider your end-of-term evaluation failed p>
Feeling on the verge of tears and his cheeks burning with shame, Tristan reluctantly bowed his head to Ashton and muttered, “I’m sorry, Mr. Baldwin. I didn’t realize who you were, and I was wrong. Please don’t hold this against me p>
Tristan didn’t wait for Ashton’s response; he turned and dashed away. When he was sure Ashton and the others were out of sight, he stopped, panting from the exertion.
Already troubled by the events of the previous night, Tristan’s resentment deepened even further. Tristan cursed Ashton under his breath, “Ashton, you fucking asshole! You’ve made a fool of me in front of everyone. Alright, you’ve managed to get a job at our school. Just you wait, I’ll devise countless ways to bring you down p>
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A scheme suddenly sparked in Tristan’s mind. He quickly took out his phone and dialed a number. “Hey, do you still need some cash? I can give you a hefty sum this time! Just do as I say. Once it’s all set, one hundred thousand dollars will be yours!” The person on the other end quickly agreed at the promise of money.
With a malicious smile, Tristan instructed the man to stay on standby, and then ended the call. He considered that acting immediately might not be the wisest move. Ashton was still new, and damaging his reputation now wouldn’t make much of an impact as few people knew him. Tristan decided to bide his time. When the moment was ripe, he would simply make a call, and Ashton’s reputation at school would crumble. By then, surviving in Inewood would be nearly impossible for Ashton.
Meanwhile, Ashton remained oblivious to Tristan’s plotting. Under the diligent guidance of Tristan’s advisor, Ashton efficiently finalized his onboarding formalities and obtained his employee identification.
The event earlier at the school entrance had sparked student interest, leading to whispers and excitement about the new teacher. Many students, particularly the girls, eagerly exchanged notes upon seeing him.
“Have you seen him? He’s the new teacher everyone’s been talking about p>
“Gosh, he’s gorgeous! Maybe he’s a celebrity in disguise, here to shoot a documentary or something before his big break p>
“Totally! With those looks, he should be on screen p>
Their voices carried clearly through the corridors, unavoidable for Ashton. He simply wore a serene smile, unaffected by the flurry of attention. At that moment, his phone vibrated.
Upon answering the call, Ashton recognized the voice immediately. It was Miriam, Emalee’s mother.
Her voice was icy as she commanded, “Ashton, I don’t care what you’re up to. You need to come and wrap up the final divorce procedures with Emalee right now p>