end, then a low, stern voice.
“Wait.”
Those two words made my fingers clench.
The voice was too familiar.
But I quickly pushed aside the thought. Jake
wouldn’t betray me.
“Principal, please get me a brown bag from my car, it’s in the back seat.”
The principal was stunned, then trotted off.
Three minutes later, the principal came back, panting, holding my bag, covered in my daughter’s stickers.
I unzipped it, pulled out three stacks of bills, and threw them at Brianna Gallagher’s feet.
“That’s what your sons are worth, right?”
The crowd broke into applause.
“Good job!”
One parent couldn’t help but shout.
“They wrote on my daughter’s face with
markers, and it still won’t come off!”
“And my son!”
A father stood up, his voice choked. “They
forced him to eat chalk, saying we were poor
and only deserved to eat that!”
“My son fractured his arm because they
pushed him down the stairs! Because he
didn’t get out of their way in time!”
Another father held up his phone. “I have the
evidence saved!”
Brianna Gallagher retreated in the face of the
growing accusations.
“Everyone.”
I stood on the flower bed, my voice silencing
the noise. “Today, I’m not speaking as the
mother of a victim.”
“If a three–year–old has to be punished for
refusing to be harassed, if we remain silent
about unhealthy behavior.”
I pointed to the twins. “Then tomorrow, the
one tied to the tree might be everyone’s
child,”
The crowd erupted.
“Well said!”
“It’s time someone put them in their place!”
Brianna Gallagher was enraged, shouting, “I’m
calling people to shut you all down right
now!”
- 4.
“Enough, Brianna Gallagher. Is there fun in
using power to bully people? I can continue
getting money for you, if you want.”
“But on one condition: you must give my
daughter an explanation!”
I called my secretary, “Get me four million in
cash now, and bring it to Maddie’s
kindergarten.”
“You?”
Brianna Gallagher sneered, “Renting a fancy
car and withdrawing a few grand, I’ve seen
that trick before.”
“Don’t end up slapping yourself in the face;
that’s really embarrassing!”
I was about to speak when my phone
suddenly vibrated.
My assistant’s urgent voice exploded from the
speaker.
“Mrs. Campbell, all your accounts are limited!
The finance department said Mr. Campbell
く
transferred a large sum of money, and there’s
nowhere to go for support right now.”
Brianna Gallagher clearly heard and laughed
hysterically.
“Playing a role? Why don’t you continue
acting? Don’t become the target of criticism
for being a rich wife without any money. Do
you really see yourself as a wealthy person?”
I remained calm and collected, “I will call my
husband. Ms. Gallagher must do what she
said and apologize to my daughter.”
She chuckled as though she was hearing the
funniest joke in the world.
“Alright! If you can show me two million.
dollars in cash on the spot, I’ll transfer
く
schools immediately with my child!”
“One more request.”
I said in a resounding voice, “Bow and
apologize to all the teachers and students
whom your son has bullied.”
Brianna Gallagher waved her permed hair that
was shaped in waves, barely seeing me as a
threat, “Don’t even talk about bowing your
head in apology; I’ll kneel and bow to all of
you!”
She whispered the malicious words to me
while she drew close to my ear,
“I will be waiting to see you kneel on the
ground and beg me to let your daughter go.”
<
The moment the call was connected, the
background noise of the airport
announcement was heard from the speaker.
“I’m at the kindergarten.”
I couldn’t help but reveal a bit of vulnerability
when I spoke to Jake, “Can you come over
now?”
The man on the other side of the phone was
silent for two seconds.
Jake’s voice was very tired, “I’ve just arrived
in Golden Gate and will be there in half an
hour.”
After ending the phone call, I looked at the
twins, who had already been released.
The two little demons massaged their wrists,
showing their teeth at me.
A burning sensation caused by the paint
allergy spread from the neck to the face.
I had no choice but to pull my mask up and
back, with the eyes behind the sunglasses
stinging painfully.
“Why are you pretending to be so
mysterious?”
Brianna Gallagher sized me up with malicious
intent, “An allergy? Could it be some
disgusting disease that you want to hide?”
I didn’t say anything to her but stayed on the
side.
<
Twenty minutes later, the sound of a car
screeching to a halt was heard at the
entrance of the kindergarten.
