Chapter 5

I had tutored her for three months.

Every night from seven to ten, rain or shine.

Questions she couldn't solve, I explained one by one.

Concepts she didn't understand, I explained in five different ways.

The day she scored 89, I was happier than she was.

Now, she was calling me a scumbag.

"Shane, now you have another charge---assaulting a student's family member."

Derek Hayes shook his head, his face full of regret.

"Tell me, how do we resolve this?"

At the end of the hallway, someone was holding up their phone.

Comments were scrolling frantically.

"I'm warning you one last time."

Derek Hayes's tone became completely cold and hard.

"If you won't take a friendly offer, you'll have to face the consequences. Your intern evaluation, teaching certificate, even your future employment records---you won't be able to keep any of them."

"You're just an intern fighting against the entire school? You think you can win?"

He leaned closer, lowering his voice to a minimum.

"I heard your aunt is quite wealthy. Hurry up and raise the money!"

"Two hundred fifty thousand to buy your lifetime reputation. You're getting off cheap."

The person livestreaming with their phone---the viewer count on their screen had already shot up to 23,000.

The comments went crazy.

"Predator teacher!"

"This kind of person should be sentenced!"

"How did the school let this kind of person become a teacher?"

"Beat him!"

Everyone was cursing me.

Someone in the crowd shouted:

"No smoke without fire."

"Why didn't they go after other teachers, but specifically you!"

"You definitely did it and won't admit it!"

I turned to look. It was my colleague, Marcus.

Just last week he'd borrowed my lesson plans.

Meeting my gaze, Marcus showed no guilt whatsoever.

"Mr. Lawson, I'm not targeting you. I'm just calling it as I see it!"

"Everyone, am I right!"

The crowd echoed in agreement!

Not a single person asked---where's the evidence?

Rachel had somehow gotten up from the floor. Her hair was disheveled, the tear tracks still visible on her face.

"I'm telling you, Shane Lawson."

"As long as you sign today and transfer the money, this matter is settled."

She looked smugly at Derek Hayes.

"We're not unreasonable people, right Principal Hayes?"

Derek Hayes nodded repeatedly.

"Right, right. Mrs. Morgan's family is very reasonable. Shane, as long as you settle this two hundred fifty thousand and sign the guarantee letter, Mrs. Morgan will treat you like her own son-in-law going forward. Let's keep it in the family."

Rachel nodded cooperatively.

"That's right. Once the money arrives and you sign, we'll treat you as one of our own. We'll let bygones be bygones. From now on, my daughter is yours."

Ethan chimed in too.

"Right, brother-in-law. Just pay up. Transfer the two hundred fifty thousand now, sign the guarantee now. I'll go to the hospital to fix my teeth myself."

Vivian looked at me shyly, her face red.

"Principal Hayes, you're saying as long as I apologize and pay the money, this will all be over, right?"

Derek Hayes nodded, his expression relaxing a bit, thinking I was softening.

"Then I'd like to confirm once more."

"If I sign this guarantee letter and pay this two hundred fifty thousand, can you guarantee the Morgan family won't pursue this further, and the school won't keep any records?"

Derek Hayes and Rachel exchanged glances.

"Of course. You can rest assured. I'll make the call."

Derek Hayes said, his voice more certain than before.

I watched this farce coldly.

They were extorting me.

I pulled out my phone from my pocket.

Derek Hayes, Rachel, Ethan, and Vivian all looked over.

Their eyes full of hope, greed, and the satisfaction of a scheme about to succeed.

"Hello, Sean!"