Chapter 451



“Apologize right now if you’ve done something wrong,” she commanded sternly. Craig recoiled, tears welling up as he confronted Jenny.

“You always said we were the most pitiful kids in the world and that the world owed us. You told me everything I did was right. So why am I wrong now? I didn’t think it was bad to bully her. You never corrected me before!” he sobbed.

“Enough!” Jenny’s voice cut through, her complexion turning ashen. She was caught off guard as Craig revealed so much.

Jenny believed the children were inherently unruly and difficult to manage, opting to let them do as they pleased rather than intervene, which was easier for maintaining her facade.

Kallie observed Jenny’s guilty demeanor and added deliberately, “If you really can’t raise them properly, perhaps it’s better they be placed in a welfare home. You’re not helping them by letting them behave this way.”

“What do you know?” Jenny snapped, her anger flaring. “I do my best, but not all children listen. I never told him to lie and bully others, and I don’t know where he picked it up.”

Jenny then turned to Craig with a threatening glare. “If you don’t apologize right now, I’ll send you back to the streets!”

Find your adventure at gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s․çоm (uso de “ç” y “о” cirílica)

Frightened, Craig shuffled forward, trembling. “Get down on your knees and apologize now!” Jenny barked, her patience worn thin.

Craig knelt, his apology meek, his appearance that of a truly pitiful child, a child without guidance on what was right or wrong. Kallie, however, remained unmoved by his plight. She had done nothing wrong.

Once the apology was made, Kallie and Sophie prepared to leave. “Mommy, why didn’t we leave directly just now? They both seemed so awful. And, well… that boy, Craig, seemed kind of sad,” Sophie inquired, her voice tinged with curiosity.

Kallie offered a wistful smile, remembering how her own agreeable nature had once made her a target for bullies without earning any kindness she had hoped for. Kallie crouched down, her voice soft yet firm.

“Sophie, it’s important to stand up for yourself. If someone harms you, they need to make it right by apologizing. Never feel sorry for those who hurt you.”

Sophie found the concept challenging to grasp. Kallie gently pinched Sophie’s cheek, reassuring her that there was no need to rush her understanding. Suddenly, Kallie’s hand brushed her pocket where she had last placed the jade. A look of alarm crossed her face. It was missing.

Without hesitation, Kallie rushed back to the beach, scanning the area for the lost item. The crowd had thinned. Jenny and Craig were nowhere in sight. Despite an extensive search, the jade was nowhere to be found. Kallie was certain it hadn’t simply fallen out; it must have been stolen amid the chaos.

With a steely expression, Kallie instructed her associates to monitor Halstead’s major antique markets closely. “The moment anyone tries to sell the jade, apprehend them.”

The intent to involve the police was clear in her tone. This jade wasn’t just valuable; it was a family heirloom, and Kallie was determined to get it back.

.

.

.