Chapter 3

Rachel cried even louder.

"Everyone hear that!"

"Private tutoring!"

"Staying late!"

"This inhuman monster!"

I stared at Derek Hayes.

My heart went cold.

Derek Hayes asked again:

"Did he buy you bubble tea and bread?"

Vivian said quietly:

"Yes."

I was almost laughing from anger.

"evening study session runs until 9:30. She's not the only one with low blood sugar. I bought bread for the entire group."

Derek Hayes ignored me and continued questioning.

"Did he ever write on your test paper, 'Don't be afraid, I'm here'?"

Vivian closed her eyes and nodded even more slightly.

In that moment, I finally understood.

Someone was taking all normal teacher-student care, breaking it into pieces, and assembling it into a knife to stab me with.

Rachel rushed over, her fingernails nearly poking my eyes.

"You still trying to make excuses? Why would a male teacher treat my daughter so well?"

"Because I'm a teacher."

"Bullshit!"

She turned around and cried while slapping her thighs.

"Everyone look! He still says he's a teacher. He's just a scumbag in human skin."

"He targeted my daughter because she's timid!"

"She didn't dare speak up, so you bullied her!"

Derek Hayes spoke again:

"Mr. Lawson did that kind of thing to you, didn't he?"

Vivian Morgan lifted her head slightly to look at me.

Then she glanced at Rachel.

Rachel pinched her arm hard.

"Say it! What are you afraid of! I will stand up for you!"

Vivian picked at her clothes without speaking.

Rachel pressed down on her head.

She stiffly nodded.

Ethan rushed forward and threw a punch at my face.

I dodged to the side.

His fist hit the doorframe.

"Fuck, you dare dodge?"

I stepped back half a step.

"Accusing me without evidence! If you attack again, I'll fight back."

Ethan roared:

"You ruined Vivian's innocence. Even if I beat you to death, it wouldn't be enough!"

Derek Hayes stepped between us.

"Everyone calm down!"

"Mr. Lawson, your attitude right now is critical."

"Apologize immediately."

"Pay the compensation first and stabilize the situation."

"One million dollars. Transfer it today."

Rachel climbed up from the floor.

"One million? You trying to send away beggars?"

"My life is so miserable. I raised a daughter, her grades just started improving, and a teacher preyed on her."

"My daughter's innocence is ruined! Her whole life is over!"

Ethan sneered coldly.

"My sister still has to get married, go to college, and be a person. Your school thinks one million can shut us up?"

"Three million! Not a penny less!"

Derek Hayes patted my shoulder and said:

"One million is indeed too little, but three million is too high. How about this---I'll make the call. Two hundred fifty thousand."

"No way. Three million is already cheap for that bastard. My sister was a virgin."

Ethan pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and threw it at my feet.

"Three million is for emotional damages. You admit to hurting my sister and can't go back on it!"

"When Vivian graduates from college, you must pay us another five hundred thousand and marry her. Otherwise, you'll pay a penalty of two million in damages."

I thought I'd misheard.

"What did you say?"

"You ruined my sister. You have to take responsibility to the end!"

Rachel took over.

"Our Vivian---if you hadn't defiled her, she could have married a rich man in the future and earned way more than five hundred thousand. Now you've ruined her. You have to compensate!"

I looked at that guarantee letter.

"Where's the evidence?"

Rachel froze for a moment.

"What?"

"You say I committed a crime. You want money, a guarantee letter, a marriage promise. Where's the evidence?"