Chapter 109
Chapter 109:
Gaston laughed — a dark, dry sound with no warmth in it.
“Ms. Trunchbull,” he said, turning to the teacher. “The cameras p>
“They are broken, Mr. Collins,” the teacher stammered. “A technical error p>
“Broken? In a school I donated a library to?” Gaston pulled out his phone and tapped the screen. “Vance,” he said into it. “Get the IT team to remote-access the St. Jude’s server. Retrieve the deleted footage from the third-floor hallway. Time stamp: 10:00 AM p>
Ms. Trunchbull went pale. “You can’t do that p>
𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻
“I own the security company that installed them,” Gaston said smoothly. Or perhaps he wasn’t lying at all. With Gaston, you could never quite tell. “I can do whatever I want p>
Kieran stepped forward. “This is intimidation p>
Gaston moved into Kieran’s space. He was taller, broader, and he knew it.
“You threatened my wife,” Gaston said. “You tried to coerce her p>
“How do you know that?” Kieran asked, faltering.
Gaston held up his phone, the screen showing Aaden’s incoming call still active. “Aaden’s emergency watch has a one-touch call feature. The call connected as I was coming down the hall. I heard enough. I heard you tell my wife to leave me, and I heard her slap you.” He paused. “Good for her p>
Jocelyn looked at Aaden. The boy winked at her.
“You heard her reject you, Douglas,” Gaston said, his voice carrying the edge of a smirk. “It was… pathetic p>
Kieran’s face turned purple — a shade that nearly matched Gaston’s tie.
A text from Vance appeared on Gaston’s phone: Got it. Sending to your phone.
Gaston held the screen up for the Headmaster and pressed play. The footage showed Kyle shoving Aaden and shouting insults. It showed Aaden punching back in self-defense.
“Self-defense,” Gaston declared. “Now — about the teacher who lied p>
The Headmaster was sweating profusely. His eyes moved from the video to Kieran to Gaston, calculating rapidly. The Collins money was old, deep, and dangerous. The Douglas money was new and currently plummeting.
“Ms. Trunchbull,” the Headmaster said, his voice trembling, “pack your things. You are terminated effective immediately p>
“But Mr. Douglas said—” the teacher wailed.
“Mr. Douglas doesn’t sit on the board,” the Headmaster corrected. “Mr. Collins does p>
Kieran seized Kyle’s hand. “We’re leaving. You’ll hear from my lawyers p>
“And you’ll hear from mine regarding the harassment of my wife,” Gaston replied, his tone perfectly calm.
Kieran stormed out, throwing one last scalding glare at Jocelyn before the door swung shut behind him.
Gaston turned to Aaden and crouched down to his level. “Good hook, kid. But next time, don’t get hit p>
Jocelyn swatted Gaston’s arm. “Don’t encourage violence p>
Gaston looked up at her with a slow smile. “He defended his mother’s honor. I can’t fault that p>
They left the school together, Aaden walking between them with his hand in Jocelyn’s.
The adrenaline crash came in the car. Aaden drifted off against Jocelyn’s shoulder within minutes, his breathing evening out into the deep, untroubled rhythm of a child with nothing left to worry about.