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 gave it a quick double–knock, and the sound rang out in the empty

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

at his shirt, noticing the second button was off and only one side was tucked in. She looked

shifted to the side, blocking her view

help. She’s been having a tough time with her schoolwork” he explained, his voice softening. “So she can’t leave with you today. If

a step back, wrinkling her nose. “Mr. Lambert,” she said, her voice wavering a

bit. He looked down at her, one eyebrow raised. “Why?” he

stinks,” she said, scrunching her nose again. She was always extra sensitive to smells,

didn’t want to make a fuss. He waved dismissively. “Alright, I’ll wash my hands. You go get something to eat,” he said, walking past her toward the

a teacher’s office, and anyone inside would definitely wait for

over to Mandy. “Are you getting extra

Chapter 23

shook her head, her eyes wide and wared

on. “Are you

the silence from Mandy and the other girls was eerie, as if they’d all agreed to

want Mandy to be here when Eugene returned, so she took Mandy’s

gasped, surprised by how strong Quinlyn was. In just

looked back when the realized no one was following her. “If you don’t leave now, I’ll tell

likes a tattletale,” she said, her

being called out was enough to make them grab their backpacks

returned from the restroom, he found the office empty. “They’re getting bold,” he

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

medicine. Spotting Eugene, he smiled and said. “Mr. Lambert, giving

walked over, smiling These kids

took two pills, and turned to Eugene. Teachers like you are rare,” he said, impressed “I’m having lunch with the principal. You should join us–it could be a great chance to make a

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