Chapter 9

When my mom picked me up from school and we got home, the house was already tidied up.

My mom didn’t mention the incident to me.

I guess she was afraid of disturbing my studies, but I still found out.

My mom couldn’t hide her emotions, and I could feel the annoyance in her eyes.

I found an excuse and went to the security office to ask for the surveillance footage.

I watched, cold-faced, the entire process of my aunt and cousin throwing their tantrum.

They really were asking for trouble.

I privately contacted my mom’s assistant and, after some investigation, learned that.

My cousin had recently been expelled for assaulting a classmate, and his reputation was completely ruined.

But the girl, due to concerns about her own reputation, didn’t want to escalate things.

So, she didn’t report it to the police.

Brad had just narrowly escaped, not getting arrested.

But Aunt Brenda and Grandma were still spreading rumors around the village.

“What? That little hussy seduced my Brad and ruined him!”

“That girl clearly looked like a slut, she’s probably been with who knows how many guys, and she dares to falsely accuse my Brad!”

“My Brad is dashing and dignified, who wouldn’t praise him?”

The villagers just watched them spew nonsense, secretly criticizing them afterwards.

But the girl’s reputation was thoroughly destroyed.

Although Aunt Brenda said these things, it was clear she was desperate.

If things continued this way, Brad would eventually not even be able to find a wife.

The family circled back around and thought of me again.

My mom also knew the inside story and didn’t want to make a big fuss.

After all, if the matter escalated, it would once again harm that girl.

Of course, the most crucial thing was that my mom didn’t want to disturb my studies.

My mom kept this matter hidden, not even revealing my school address.

She planned to deal with it slowly.

But Aunt Brenda and her bunch were shameless.

They actually came to our apartment complex while I was away, hanging banners slandering my mom as an ungrateful wretch.

They claimed Grandma had worked hard to raise her, but she hadn’t returned home in over a decade.

And that Grandma wanted to see her granddaughter, but my mom prevented it.

People in our complex weren’t familiar with my family.

Within two days, people in the complex started pointing fingers at my mom, calling her an ungrateful wretch.

I was seething. I had my mom’s assistant subtly hint to Aunt Brenda that I was at a certain school and was willing to meet them.

I wanted them to find a reason to come find me.

On Monday during flag raising, I was, as usual, preparing to speak at the broadcast station as a representative.

Just then, Aunt Brenda and my cousin burst into the school.

They called out my name, frantically saying my grandmother had an accident and wanted me to come home to see her one last time.

Thanks to my mom buying another street near the school, the security guards all knew me.

The two were let into the school, grabbing anyone they could to ask.

“Where’s Iris?”

Their expressions were too fierce.

The student they grabbed was startled and stammeringly pointed them in the right direction.

When they found me, I was practicing my speech.

No one was in the broadcast station. The two of them rushed in without a word.

I cautiously took a step back, and instinctively pressed the record and broadcast buttons.

Aunt Brenda, however, broke into a wide, plastered smile.

“Iris, your grandmother has been missing you so much lately. She asked me to bring you home to see her.”

“Come home quickly with your auntie. Your auntie will take you to see your grandmother.”

What a ridiculous excuse.

I’d sooner believe the world was ending than believe Grandma missed me.

But Aunt Brenda clearly didn’t think so. She even forced what she considered a gentle smile.

“Iris, why don’t you come back to the old house with your auntie to see your grandmother?”

“We specifically came to find you based on your hint. You can’t back out now, can you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about?”

I said, my face cold, pulling my phone from my pocket.

Just as I was about to dial, Brad grabbed my wrist.

His grip was strong, making my wrist ache.

“Cousin, just go back and see her. The old lady is getting on in years; who knows if she’ll live to see you go to college.”

“Since you reached out to us, it means you want to go back and see the old lady, doesn’t it?”

Brad said, a fake smile playing on his lips.

“Brad, let go of my dirty hand!”

I gritted my teeth and said.

“Brad, don’t scare the child. We just found Iris with such difficulty.”

“Iris was the one who gave us this address. She definitely won’t back out, right, Iris?”

Aunt Brenda said from the side.

Aunt Brenda moved to grab me.

I struggled, but the strength difference between us was too great. I couldn’t break free from Brad’s grip.

I directly slapped Brad across the face.