Chapter 13: No Leg Was Broken At All.
Author POV
Eva's anger simmered as she knelt before Garvin, contemplating the degrading demand. Should she really lick Garvin's shoe? The thought alone made her stomach churn, but the scholarship was at stake, and with it, her future.
Conflicted, Eva wrestled with her pride and desperation. Garvin's sneering face and his father's condescending tone echoed in her mind, stoking the fires of her resentment.
"Come on, lick my shoes, including the saliva," Garvin sneered, raising his leg toward Eva's mouth. "What's the holdup? Do it now!" His voice dripped with contempt.
Mr. Evans, Eva's father, pointed accusingly at Garvin. "Do you see what I see? He's raising the same leg he claimed was broken! It was never broken; he's been pretending all along!"
Eva's eyes widened in shock, her anger boiling over. "It was all a lie?" she whispered, feeling a surge of disbelief.
The principal, equally stunned, grabbed Garvin's leg in disbelief. "Why did you pretend? Were you seeking attention?"
Mr. Slade, Garvin's father, turned on his son in fury. "You faked all of this? What were you thinking, Garvin?" His face was a mask of anger and disbelief.
Garvin, unable to meet his father's eyes, stared at the floor, knowing he had made a grave mistake.
"I can't believe you would do this!" Mr. Slade shouted. "You've embarrassed me, our family, and our name! Did you think about the consequences? Everyone believed your lie, and for what?"
The principal, still seething, added, "We were about to expel Eva because of your false accusations! This is absolutely unacceptable, Garvin!"
The room fell into a tense silence, all eyes on Garvin, who stood there, unable to face the wrath of his father and the principal.
Mr. Evans turned to Mr. Slade, his voice firm. "Now that you know your son was lying and falsely accused my daughter, don't you think we deserve an apology?"
Mr. Slade hesitated, his expression a mix of anger, shame, and embarrassment.
"After everything your son's lies have put my daughter through, the least you could do is acknowledge the harm and apologize," Mr. Evans pressed.
The principal nodded in agreement. "Yes, Mr. Slade, an apology is in order. Your son's actions have caused unnecessary distress to Eva and her family."
Mr. Slade sneered, his pride refusing to let him relent. "Apologize? Over my dead body," he spat. "I don't apologize to anyone, especially not to pathetic, insignificant losers like you two. You're nothing but a couple of nobodies, a waste of space, and an embarrassment to society."
Mr. Evans' voice shook with emotion as he replied, "This is unfair and rude. Even knowing that we're innocent, you're still treating us like this. Your behavior is unacceptable, Mr. Slade."
Mr. Slade laughed bitterly. "You think because my son's broken leg was a lie, I'll apologize? You're the fool here, not me. The fact that you're asking me to apologize to you and your shameless daughter is already an insult. You've insulted me, and now I'll show you who I am. I'll take away your daughter's scholarship. Maybe then you'll understand the kind of person I am."
He pulled out his phone and dialed a number, his eyes gleaming with malice. "I'll have the scholarship revoked immediately. Your daughter will pay for your foolishness."
Mr. Evans' face reddened with anger as he stood up, his voice firm. "How dare you, Mr. Slade! You think you can threaten my daughter's scholarship because of your son's lies? That's despicable. You're trying to bully us, but it won't work."
He stepped forward, his eyes locked on Mr. Slade. "Garvin's actions are not Eva's fault. She's an innocent victim, and you're punishing her for your son's mistakes. That's not right."
Mr. Slade dismissed him with a wave. "Mind your own business, Evans. This doesn't concern you."
But Mr. Evans stood his ground. "It concerns me when you're threatening my daughter's future. You're not going to get away with this, Mr. Slade. I'll make sure of it."
Mr. Slade waved his hand dismissively. "I don't have time for this conversation, Evans. I have billions to make and empires to run. I can't waste my time on... people like you."
He looked at Eva and her father with contempt. "You're just a couple of poor, insignificant nobodies. Your problems are beneath me. Don't bother contacting me again. My assistant will handle any further... distractions."
As he turned to leave, Mr. Evans called out, "You think you can use your money and influence to bully people because they're poor? You think you're above the law, Slade?"
Mr. Slade ignored him, dismissing him with another wave. "What are you still talking about, you poor man? Get out of my way."
Mr. Evans' eyes blazed with indignation. "You may have power and money, Slade, but you'll never have class or decency. And one day, your wealth and influence won't be enough to save you from yourself."
As Mr. Slade turned to leave, Mr. Evans added, "And by the way, Slade, you might want to look at your own son's behavior before you try to destroy others. He's not as perfect as you think."
Mr. Slade stopped, his back stiffening, but he didn't turn around. He kept walking, anger simmering beneath his composed exterior. This man, Evans, had just pushed him to the edge.