Chapter 50 - Shameless
"Brother?"
The female teacher looked her up and down. Her gaze wasn't unpleasant.
She lit up with understanding. "Oh, you're Xander's sister, right?"
"Huh?" Luna paused.
She was 168 centimeters tall with great proportions. Under her navy pleated skirt were long, straight legs. Her long hair fell behind her. Her small face was fair and delicate, strikingly pretty.
She looked quiet and well-behaved. Exactly the type teachers adored.
The teacher smiled. "You and Xander really do look alike as siblings. I don't know how your parents did it, producing such a beautiful daughter and son."
"Wait." Luna cut her off. "Teacher, I think you've got the wrong idea. I don't know Xander. I'm Leo's sister."
The teacher paused. Her eyes lingered on Luna's face, clearly taking a few extra looks. She was probably puzzled, but an apologetic smile spread across her lips.
"Sorry about that. My mistake."
"It's fine." Luna smiled.
"Come with me." As the teacher finished speaking, the elevator doors opened behind her.
Then came the crisp click of high heels on the floor.
Luna and the teacher turned at the same time.
Luna's mouth twitched.
The woman seemed immune to the cold. She wore a fitted red dress, a bag tucked under her arm, and towering stilettos, swaying gracefully as she walked.
She'd changed her hair into space buns.
Completely different from the fragile woman who'd knelt at the Crosses' doorstep that day.
Only when she got close did Luna recognize her. The mistress.
Luna knew Lily. Lily didn't know Luna.
Her gaze swept over Luna and quickly landed on the teacher.
A thoroughly sincere smile appeared on Lily's lips. She extended a hand. "Hello, teacher. I'm Xander's mother."
The teacher paused, quickly switching her cup to the other hand to shake. "Hello, Xander's mother. I'm Xander's homeroom teacher. My name is Ms. Whitfield."
"Ah." Lily said. "Ms. Whitfield, thank you for your hard work. Our little Xander is always causing you trouble."
"It's fine, it's fine." Ms. Whitfield said. "It's our job."
Luna followed the two into the office.
The office was fairly clean, filled with the faint scent of hand lotion.
Leo stood by the window, slouching, no posture to speak of.
Ryder and his mother stood by the desk.
At the next desk, a boy who'd been slumped over suddenly shot up. With his eye-catching mint green hair, he ran toward Lily. "Mom."
Lily smiled and patted Xander's shoulder.
The moment Ryder saw Lily walk in, he panicked. He instinctively looked at his mother, Linda.
Linda stared at Lily without blinking.
She'd had no appetite lately and had lost a lot of weight. Her old clothes hung loose on her. But the wrinkles on her face had multiplied. She stared fixedly at Lily.
The gaze was too obvious. Too stubborn.
Lily frowned and looked over.
When she saw it was Linda, her frown smoothed out. Her red lips curved into a smile. "Sister-in-law."
She walked over. Xander tugged at her, but couldn't stop her.
Lily walked step by step toward Linda, her heels clicking. Click, click, click.
She spent a fortune on upkeep, regularly getting all kinds of treatments at beauty salons. There were almost no wrinkles on her face. Her hair was jet black. She smiled, eyes curving, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.
A gorgeous, colorful skin. One bite and you're dead.
Lily said, "Sister-in-law, it's only been a few days. Why do you look so haggard?"
Pure gloating.
Linda glared at her. She wanted nothing more than to slap that loathsome face. But she knew full well this was a school, an office, in front of two homeroom teachers. She couldn't do it.
She had to save face for her son.
So she held it in, grinding her teeth. "Get lost."
The words were clearly audible throughout the office.
Ms. Whitfield and Leo's homeroom teacher, Ms. Lowell, exchanged a look.
Ms. Whitfield smiled, about to smooth things over. "Both parents..."
Before she could finish, Lily spoke. "Sister-in-law, you've got that wrong. The one who should get lost is you."
She raised one finger and pressed it against Linda's chest. "Sam was holding me last night, telling me his heart belongs to me."
"Shameless whore."
Every defense in Linda's heart collapsed.
No woman could face that sentence calmly.
She raised her hand and swung with all her strength.
"Smack."