The Wicked Wife's Dark History Keeps Coming Back To Haunt Her - Chapter 61
Ten minutes prior—
They had hurried to the faculty office upon hearing that Ian had been called there after getting into a fight with a classmate.
In the center of the office, three adults were surrounding a child, unmistakably identifiable as a member of the Bayern family by appearance, forcing him to apologize.
What on earth was going on?
Nina quickly scanned the three frozen figures before pulling Ian gently behind her.
“Would you be so kind as to explain the situation to me?”
“Oh, it was just a small quarrel between the children, and we were mediating it, Madam.”
Mediating?
Weren’t they simply trying to make Ian a scapegoat to appease the parents?
He’s only 10 years old.
‘Is this really how a homeroom teacher should act?’
Before arriving at the faculty office, she had already heard the details of the incident from the other children in the class. Ian had been bullied one-sidedly, and now they were forcing him to apologize. It was clear they were underestimating the child who didn’t have his guardians by his side.
She wanted to ask them outright if they even considered themselves adults after behaving this way, but…
‘…Let’s not get angry.’
Nina took a deep breath.
This could be her first and last meeting with Ian, and she didn’t want to show him an image of her losing her temper.
‘Besides…’
There was someone else in the room who was even angrier than she was.
Nina glanced at the man who had been silent the entire time. His cool gray eyes and tightly clenched lips betrayed his controlled fury. His jaw muscles were tense, clearly indicating he was holding back his anger.
Raising her voice wouldn’t look good in any situation.
Calming herself, Nina spoke in a composed voice to the homeroom teacher.
“Mediation? That sounds more like coercion. And as I heard, it was that child who hit Ian first.”
She briefly glanced at the child with reddish-brown hair hiding behind his parents, noting that he didn’t have any visible injuries. Judging by Ian’s split lip, it seemed, as the other children had said, that he had been hit one-sidedly.
“The one who committed the assault should be the one to apologize. Why are you forcing the victim to apologize?”
“Madam, if it seemed like coercion, I apologize. I only meant that since they are classmates, it would be best if they both apologized and reconciled. Please don’t misunderstand.”
As if.
Nina shot a sharp look at the Marquis and Marchioness of Ulverni.
“Why does the professor get to decide if they reconcile? My child hasn’t even received an apology yet.”
“…Richard, apologize to Ian.”
The Marchioness of Ulverni awkwardly smiled as she nudged Richard’s shoulder.
Though she might want an apology for the humiliation her son had endured, the Duke of Bayern was present in the room. The Duke, who was watching Ian’s injured lip with a serious expression.
Did she realize her intentions had been seen through?
“Richard, apologize right now, alright?”
The Marchioness urged Richard with a nervous expression.
Though the Ulverni family was one of the most prominent noble families in the Nesman Empire, they couldn’t compare to the Bayern family—in terms of territory size, wealth, or military power. The Bayern Dukedom was clearly superior.
Moreover, the current Duke, Ash, who stood before them, was at the center of power, beloved by His Majesty the Emperor.
On top of that, they were facing Nina Bayern, who came from the Taylor Dukedom. No matter how much influence the Ulverni family could muster, they would stand no chance.
Sensing his parents’ anxiety, Richard, who had been all smiles just moments ago, reluctantly muttered with a sour expression.
“Sorry…”
“Richard has a hot temper, but he didn’t mean it. Now that he’s apologized, I hope you can get along with your older brother.”
Ian, who had remained silent throughout the sudden turn of events, finally spoke.
“You two should also apologize to me.”
Nina’s gaze turned to the Marquis and Marchioness of Ulverni.
Apologize?
Had something happened before she arrived at the faculty office besides the fight?
But as Ian continued speaking, it became clear that his demand for an apology was not for something simple.
“You had Richard try to convince me to change guardians. If you hadn’t pushed him to do that, this fight wouldn’t have happened.”
Ash, who had been silently watching Ian’s injured lip all this time, muttered slowly.
“…You told him to change his guardian?”
If that was true, this was no longer a matter to be taken lightly.
It wasn’t just a conflict between children anymore.
