Fake heiress Real heroine

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

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With that, Harriet stomped off, her ponytail beaming behind her. A few boys tried to drag Quindyn away, waving their superhero toys in her face. But she just stored her ground.

“Wait,” she said, her mind racing. “Where’s the teacher’s office

Launch had emptied the halls, leaving only a few stragglers shuffling toward the stairs

The teacher’s other was halfway down the hallway Quinlyn saw the nameplate and noticed the eene silence

seemed like no one was there,

The closed curtains only added to her confusion, but she was sure Mandy had come this way.

She didn’t want to knock, so she quietly dragged a chair from the next classroom, stood on it, and squinted through a crack in the curtain

The room was dim, but she could just make out shapes shifting in the shadows. Eugene was the first to catch her eye–tall and already stripped of his suit jacket. His white shirt was dusted with chalk, and he was working on unbuttoning it

She figured he was just changing out of his dirty clothes, but then she noticed Mandy standing by the desk, and something

felt off.

It reminded her of back home, where the old bachelors would sometimes strip down in front of girls without thinking twice. The older women would catch them and call them “creeps”

And it wasn’t just Mandy in the room. There were a few other girls with ponytails, all standing there quietly with their heads down.

off the chair and jogged over to the door. She

revealing Eugene. He looked a little caught off guard, but he quickly grinned. “Hey, Quinlyn. What’s up?” he asked, his tone

the second button was off and only one side was tucked in. She looked past him and said, “Tin here for Mandy”

shifted to the side, blocking her

a tough time with her schoolwork” he explained, his voice softening. “So she can’t leave with you today. If you’re hungry, you should go grab something to

out to pat her head, but Quinlyn took a step back, wrinkling her nose. “Mr. Lambert,” she

faltering just a bit. He looked down at her,

nose again. She was always extra sensitive to smells, and this time was no different

hands. You go get something

her age would never step into a teacher’s office, and anyone inside would definitely wait

hurried over to Mandy. “Are

Chapter 23

head, her eyes wide and wared

and pressed on. “Are you scared:

was ordinary–just a phone on the table and Quinlyn saw nothing to be afraid of. But the silence from Mandy

energy in the air. She didn’t want Mandy to be here when Eugene returned,

by how strong Quinlyn was. In just a few seconds, they were almost

no one was following her. “If you don’t leave now, I’ll tell everyone

she said,

was everything, and the thought of being called out was enough

restroom, he found the office empty. “They’re getting bold,” he muttered, running a hand through his

teeth, his gaze falling on the ruler and marbles still on the table–remnants of the

then, another teacher, clutching his stomach, came back for some medicine. Spotting Eugene, he smiled and said. “Mr. Lambert, giving extra lessons again! You’re

a lower shelf and walked over, smiling These kids are

he said, impressed “I’m having lunch with the principal. You

things, the teacher was already pulling him along. “Let’s go. We don’t want to keep