Chapter 10 Time’s Up for the Mills Family

Il’inston neveres boine, not even during breaks… So now it’s just me and Dominic under this roof

Dominic frowned slightly band /bsaid in a calm bvoice/bb, /b“You saw Winston today?

It sounded blike /ba questionb, /bbbut /bhis tone made it clear he already knew the answer.

The principal had already reported everything that happened at school.

Jean nodded. “Yeah. He really helped me out today…”

Speaking of Winston–one of the many viins in this bmessed/b–up family–his fate in the story was pretty tragic btoo/b.

That thought made Jean lower her eyes, her mouth tightening bjust /ba little.

+8 Pearls

Winston’s a poor guy too… Who would’ve thought the school’s golden boy would one day face dozens of criminal charges and spend the rest of his life behind bars

tter.

Dominic’s cutlery dropped onto the btable/b.

bJean /bsnapped out of her bthoughts/b, startled by the sudden noise. She blinked at him. “Dominic, can’t even hold a bfork /bbproperly/b? What is this, early onset Parkinson’s?”

Dominic picked the fork back up. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

He responded absently, “bI’m /bbfine/b. Keep eating.”

But his mind was still echoing with what he’d just heard from Jean’s thoughts.

All the brothers had been busy with their own lives, barelying home, but Winston… he hadn’te back in a long time, Not even a phone call.

The once–sweet youngest sibling had grown into someone cold and distant, brash and unpredictable.

And now, Jean was saying he’d end up in prison?

A deep look crept into Dominic’s eyes. His fingers curled slowly against the edge of the table.

If only that thing hadn’t happened when they were kids..

Maybe Winston wouldn’t bhave /bchanged so much

Maybe he wouldn’t have drifted away from the family like a clean break.

Dominur had never been that close with Winston, but-

He didn’t want to see his youngest brother spiral into bruin /beither.

The next day

Jan had just stepped into the ssroom when she got the news bthat /bWenly had officially been reassigned.

The homeroom teacher would be reced temporarily by a rotation of others.

She wasn’t surprised

7:39 PM c

Chapter 10 Time’s Up for the Mills Family

mming bdown /bon her desk.

+8 Pearls

The sound was loud enough to make Jean’s ears ache on instinct.

She looked up to see a richly dressed middle–aged bwoman /bbring /bdown at her, eyes filled with naked disdain.

“You’re Jean!”

Her voice was anything but friendly,

Jean bmet /bher bgaze /bwithout bflinching /band nodded.

The bwoman /bsneeredb. /bThe contempt in her eyes practically spilled over, “I’m Deon’s mother. bCome /bbwith /bbme/b. I bhave /bsomething to say

Deon’s mom?

Jean instantly understood.

Wow. Deon lost an argument and called in Mommy? How ssy.

Wasn’t this peak mama’s boy behavior?

Everyone in the room perked bup/b. A crowd was practically guaranteed.

Sure, Deon had taken a hit yesterday, but the Mills family wasn’t one to mess with. His mom, in particr, was infamous for being overbearing

Jean clearly didn’t know her bce/b. She ran her bmouth /byesterday, but now she was going to pay the price.

“What, cat got your tongue?”

Seeing that Jean hadn’t said banything/b, bDeon’s /bmother lified her bchin /bband /bsnapped,

“You sure had a lot to say byesterday/b. What, nothing left now?”

Jean stood bup /bcalm as ever. “Ma’am, didn’t you say we should talk outside? Let’s go. No need to disturb everyone else.”

4

With that, she walked out first.

bDeon’s /bmom followed behind, and Deon was already waiting outside in the hallway, bstanding /btall like a smug little peacock. shooting Jean a proud, gloating look.

Inside the ssroom, students crowded around the bwindows /bto watch.

Even if they weren’t technically in the room anymore, it still felt like a bpublic /bexecution.

Deon’s mom pulled her son close, patting his shoulder with loving affection. Then she turned to Jean–and the moment she did her expression changedpletely, her eyes turning cold as if she were looking at garbage. “Jean, I want you to apologize to my son. And to me. Do you even realize bwhat /byou bsaid/b? Dragging other people’s family matters into public? alutely no manners. No ss at all. But Fin not here to stoop to your level. If byou /bapologize sincerely enough and the right attitude, I might just let this slide”

Apologtest.

jean frowned slightly

She didn’t think she’d done anything wrong

the truth m

I have to apologize now?” she asked, eyes wide with faux innocence.

b7:39 /bPM bc /b

Chapter 10 Time’s Up for the Mills Family

Then she stuck her tongue out at the pair and bolted down the hall without looking back.

“Get back here, you brat! Dean’s mom roared, furious. She lungeil forward to chase her-

But a group of men in ck appeared out of nowhere, blocking her path.

And then-

A tall, handsome man bin /ba ck bsuit /bemerged from the stairwell.

Dominic walked over with a cold, detached look. His presence was overwhelming, impossible to ignore.

Deon, and his mother couldn’t help but freeze under the weight of it.

+B Pearls

“If byou’ve /bgot time to stir up trouble here.” Dominic said, voice cool and sharp, eyes scanning the pair like they were bants/b, “maybe you should spend it worrying about yourselves.”

He stared down at them, voice cold bas /bdeath. “Winter’sing. Looks like it’s time for the Mills family to go bankrupt.”

Deon and his mother’s eyes widened in shock. They couldn’t say a word.

They were frozen bin /bce, stunned silent by Dominic’s presence–faces pale, bhands /btrembling

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