Chapter 142: You should be ashamed!

"Nina!"

The moment Nina heard Allison’s voice, her tears overflowed from her eyes. She turned and called, "Mom," and embraced her mother pitifully.

"Oh, Nina." Worry was evident in Allison’s eyes as she stroked Nina’s trembling back. When she looked up, her eyes scanned everyone who was accusing her daughter of something so ridiculously malicious.

"Headmaster, what is going on here?" Allison tried her best to calm herself down. "Why is my daughter being accused of something so malicious? Nina would never do that!"

The headmaster sighed. "Mrs. Bennet, we’re not accusing Nina of anything yet —"

"Madam Bennet, why are you siding with her?! She did what she was being accused of and now she’s pointing a finger at an innocent person!" Patricia harrumphed. "Is this what you teach your children?!"

"What?" Allison’s heart thudded angrily, but she didn’t try to argue with an ill-mannered child. "Patricia, why are you doing this to Nina? Aren’t you two best friends?"

"That’s what I also want to know! I also thought we were best friends, but she’s accusing me of something she did just to save herself!"

"Miss Miller, calm down. We’ll never settle this matter if we don’t calm down," the headmaster intercepted. "Miss Sandford?"

"Yes, headmaster." Miss Sandford cast Patricia a look and guided them in.

Lily, who was also with them, just followed. She also didn’t know what was going on and was speechless.

Charles, who came with Allison, also stepped in. But before he could close the door behind him, Haines also arrived. Charles looked back, catching Jessa’s annoyed expression beside Haines. Charles nodded and, without a word, the three of them marched in as quietly as possible.

Standing in front of the headmaster’s desk, another round of questioning ensued. This time, with the guidance of Nina’s parents. After all, Nina was the one being accused, and if they wanted to know the truth, her parents might be able to coax her.

"Nina, tell us what truly happened that day," Allison coaxed, looking at Nina reassuringly. "Mom and Dad are here. Just tell us the truth, hmm?"

Reluctance flickered across Nina’s eyes as she pursed her lips. "Mom, I didn’t do it," she whispered as tears coated her eyes. "I swear it’s not me, but I don’t think Patricia would do such a thing as well! I don’t know what happened!"

After hearing this, Allison’s heart clenched. She knew Nina wouldn’t do this as well. She looked up at the headmaster bitterly.

"Headmaster, it’s not fair that my daughter is being accused of something so malicious. She’s been a good girl until now," Allison expressed before shifting her eyes to the other girls. "I also know that you feel wronged, but you’re accusing an innocent person. My daughter wouldn’t do something like this."

Patricia clenched her teeth as her shoulders trembled. Nina’s attempt to "save" her just made her blood boil even more.

The headmaster nodded. "I know parents would want to believe their children are good. However, the incident happened." He then cast Lily a look, asking her to retell the story and the real incident.

Lily pressed her lips into a thin line, taking a step forward to detail everything. She told everything from start to finish, including the incident with the fans and then the flowerpot. She kept an upright posture as she told everyone everything in great detail, sparing no one so everyone could understand just how much of a gravity the situation was.

"Although I feel sorry for everyone involved, no amount of tears can make me forget what almost happened to me," Lily expressed solemnly with decisiveness. "One more thing. I also don’t think I was the actual target, but Penny."

Allison’s heart sank after everything she had heard. Her mouth opened and closed as this tension suddenly appeared in her throat.

"All those things... happened to Penny?" she asked, and Lily nodded. "How could you —"

Allison felt imbalanced and, thanks to her husband’s reflexes, he caught her. Her complexion paled, looking up at Charles with a conflicted look. Everything they heard was the first time she heard it. Allison had been at home and would always check on Penny, but Penny would always smile and tell them everything was fine.

Miss Sandford’s additional information about Penny’s request not to tell anyone broke the couple’s hearts into pieces. Even Lily felt slightly sorry that Penny didn’t want to make a huge fuss because of her friends.

This wasn’t okay.

Penny was being picked on and ganged up by all these girls! Even if this didn’t happen, those girls needed to be punished somehow.

The headmaster’s face also darkened. It wasn’t the first time he heard this, but he felt ashamed of such things happening under his nose. Recalling Penny’s inquiry at their first meeting, the shame in his heart swelled even more.

"I’m sorry this happened, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet. I am ashamed that I reassured your daughter she would be safe here, but was unaware she had gone through all of this," the headmaster expressed sincerely. "I apologize."

"Headmaster, why are you apologizing!?" Patricia couldn’t help but roar while others were displeased. "It’s Penny’s parents, who you should be sorry for! Nina not only stabbed a friend in the back, but she almost killed Penny! I don’t feel sorry for them at all!"

Everyone secretly agreed and was displeased at the headmaster’s apology. Nina was a suspect and yet, the headmaster was apologizing as if Nina was the victim of all of this.

"What is this brat spewing?" Suddenly, Jessa’s voice was heard.

Only this time did Nina freeze in horror, as she didn’t notice her auntie. Turning her head, her eyes widened at the sight of Jessa standing in the back corner with Haines.

Jessa had her arms crossed and her frown continued to deepen the more she observed everyone’s reaction. When her eyes fell on the Bennet couple, her glare grew more intense.

"Ah! I see now!" she scoffed and stepped forward, dragging Nina by the arm from Allison. "It seems you all don’t know yet, but Penny is a Bennet. Not a drop of blood those two have in Nina. So, they’re actually here because of Penny, and I am here as Nina’s guardian."

She raised her chin. "Headmaster, you should be ashamed of yourself! How can you run this school and let such things happen daily? You and also you!" she continued, pointing at Miss Sandford as well. "You’re the teacher and you didn’t even tell the parents of the situation! Even if Penny asked you, you’re the adult here!"

At this point, everyone couldn’t help but think Jessa was more of Penny’s parent with how she spared no one.

"I don’t care who tried to kill Penny, but this school should be ashamed! All of you! Hah! School for the rich?! No. This school, at this point, is a school for bullies!"