Filed to story: The Return Novel (Natalie & Bryce) PDF Read Online Free >>
The next morning, Natalie made careful preparations to take Liam to school. Today, no matter what, she would ask the principal, Mr. McKenzie, for an explanation of how Liam came to be injured. Natalie was thinking that previously, when she was busy with work, she hadn’t always prioritized Liam’s care. Now that she thought about it, she felt more and more ashamed.
Just when she was preparing to get into a cab to take Liam to school, Bryce’s car stopped in the driveway. Natalie was surprised; Bryce would usually have already left for the office by that time. He got out as his driver held the door open for him. Bryce walked over and said, “I’ll take you guys to school.”
Liam cheered as he opened Bryce’s car door and climbed in. “Dad, you came to take me to school! I feel even better now!” Liam hugged his father’s arm. Bryce held on to Liam tightly and looked up at Natalie. She couldn’t help but feel a tad jealous. Why did the kid always look as excited as this when he saw Bryce? He never used to act this affectionately before.
They didn’t talk much during the drive. Bryce didn’t say anything about having seen the surveillance video. The driver stopped the car not far from the school. Bryce didn’t move to get out. Liam reluctantly said goodbye to his dad, then stepped out of the car with Natalie.
Unexpectedly, just as the two of them entered the school gates, they saw Nick Barnard walking along with Pam and Donnie. Seeing Natalie and her son, Nick’s eyes turned cold. He said, “Natalie, stop right there, please. I’d like to talk to you.”
Natalie knitted her brows but didn’t say anything. She had come here today specifically to seek an explanation about Liam’s injuries, so she didn’t want to waste her breath or her time on these people. She said coldly, “Please get out of my way. I’m not interested in talking to you or to any of your family.”
This taunt made Nick’s expression change. He glared at Natalie. He’d come here today to use the incident with Liam to coerce Natalie and make her compromise. Nick held his anger back and said slowly, “Natalie, you’re a good person. I don’t want to argue with you. But listen, obviously something has happened between Liam and my nephew. If you listen to what I have to say, I’ll talk with my sister and see what arrangement we can come to, to see if she will forgive you for what Liam has done to Donnie. But if you don’t agree, well, then I think Liam will have to leave the school.”
Natalie sneered at Nick’s threat. Some people in this world are so shameless that they don’t hesitate even a little before lying. Natalie said bluntly, “Nick, where are you getting this crap from? You know better than anyone else what really happened and that Liam didn’t do anything. This pretense of yours is laughable.” If Liam hadn’t been there next to her, Natalie would have scolded Nick even more harshly.
“Natalie,” said Nick, “if you don’t listen to friendly words of advice, maybe you’ll respond to some plainly stated facts instead. Here’s the deal: if you marry that old man like your family wants you to, then Liam will be able to stay in school. You won’t lose out.”
Pam stood at his side sneering. Natalie didn’t even look at them, just snorted disdainfully before saying, “The two of you really are well-matched siblings. There’s no difference between your underhand methods. So let me tell you plainly: no way. I will find out everything about what happened to Liam, and when I do, it’s not Liam that will be expelled.”
With that, Natalie pulled Liam away and made to leave. She couldn’t bear to look at these two siblings. Pam grabbed Natalie’s sleeve angrily, shouting, “Stop right there! This isn’t over!”
Natalie frowned as she used all her strength to shake off Pam’s hand. The disdain in her eyes was obvious as she spat out at Pam, “Don’t you dare touch me. Let go.”
Natalie turned around to leave, but Nick blocked her path. Nick said slowly, “Natalie, don’t push things too far. Watch your step.”
Natalie replied, “Nick, don’t threaten me. You really are the pits.” The disdain and contempt in her eyes again provoked Nick, and he raised his hand angrily. If it wasn’t for the presence of bystanders, he probably would have struck her. He got a hold of himself and said, “Natalie, you’ll regret speaking to me like that. You’re going to call the principal right now and ask him to expel Liam.”
Pam took out her phone to make the call. She was certain that the Barnards could use their influence to exert control over what would happen to Natalie. Bryce had been sitting in his car, watching everything that happened. His face had become darker and darker. He called his assistant and said, “I want you to talk to the principal right now, this very minute, and instruct him on how to settle this matter. Make sure he knows what the consequences will be if he doesn’t.”
A short while later, the principal rushed out to the school gates with a tablet computer in his hand. He had just got off the call with Bryce’s assistant and was red in the face and sweating. When Pam saw the principal, she glanced at Natalie complacently. Then Pam turned to the principal and said provocatively, “Principal, you must give my family the justice we deserve. This woman has not only allowed her child to bully our children, but she also insulted me. This kind of behavior is not to be tolerated in this school. I insist that this woman’s child be expelled.”
Pam’s statement successfully incited the onlooking parents. Many of them looked at Natalie with hostile expressions. Natalie said nothing, instead concentrating on protecting Liam. After all, it was Liam who stood to be hurt here.
When the principal had heard Pam out, his expression turned cold. Previously, he would definitely not have been willing to offend the Barnard family, but he now knew that Natalie was connected to some powerful people, someone he could not afford to offend. He said in a dignified, measured manner, “Mrs. Barnard, we are all seeking justice here, and in the interests of justice, I have brought over a copy of the surveillance video from the other day. It’s here on my tablet computer. Everyone will be able to see the truth after I have played the video.”
Pam’s expression changed to one of surprise and discomfort. She looked at the principal imploringly, but the principal ignored her. Instead, he opened up the tablet and played the surveillance video. Everyone moved in closer to watch the sequence showing Liam being pushed downstairs started to play.