Pampered by my three brothers: the return of the neglected heiress

Chapter 880: I didn't skip school! I skipped her class!

[Flashback]

"You're doing good, boy."

The young Stephen gazed up, only to see a man grinning at him with a cigar between his teeth. The man placed a hand on top of his head, ruffling his hair.

"Keep it up, boy," said the young Chairman Bennet, watching as Stephen, now on the cusp of his teenage years, glanced down at the workbook he was answering in the garden. Stephen lowered his head to hide the blush creeping onto his cheeks.

He pressed his lips together, focusing on the workbook in front of him. He answered diligently, knowing his uncle was watching.

Stephen's mother and Chairman Bennet were siblings. However, due to poor decisions, his mother married a deadbeat man who would beat her and Stephen nearly to the brink of death. It wasn't until the chairman intervened and helped his sister escape that things began to change. Since then, the chairman has been the one to take care of them, even sending Stephen's father to jail.

Sadly, shortly after, Stephen's mother died from injuries sustained over years of domestic abuse. The toll on her body had been too great. So, the chairman became the only parent Stephen had. This made the compliments and approval from the chairman especially meaningful to the young boy.

"I'm... home...!"

Just then, young Charles announced his arrival. Stephen turned his head, only to see a boy with a dirty face, clothes, and shoes. The chairman's face immediately wrinkled in displeasure at the sight of his son.

"Charles, where in the world did you go?" Chairman Bennet spat, clearly frustrated. "You look like you've been in a tunnel!"

"Because... I was in a tunnel!"

"What?!"

in the street and decided to go on an

nose, speechless from his son's madness. When he finally spoke, his voice was sharp as he pointed a finger at Charles. "Go call your mother - your teacher called her and said you

school!

"You, brat!"

you said boring things are—" Charles didn't finish his sentence when he saw his father grab an ashtray and

brat! Come back here! I'm giving you

chairman rolled up his sleeve and took large strides, chasing after his rebellious son. He raised an eyebrow, catching the slight smirk at

why, but despite the chairman's angry

seemed like the chairman was... smiling, as if his son had done something to make him

dirty, sometimes with a bruise, and the chairman would scold him relentlessly. Meanwhile, Stephen would always receive compliments from the chairman and gentle words whenever

anything to hurt his feelings. In young Stephen's mind, he thought that if he did well, the chairman would pay more attention to him. After

wasn't until years later that

kind to him because Stephen had a deadbeat father and his mother had died. But that didn't mean the chairman saw Stephen as better than Charles. Even though the chairman would sometimes compare Charles to him, it

chairman simply pitied

be his son. No matter how much Charles rebelled, the chairman would always keep his doors open for him. And

been grateful for his father. But instead of appreciating what the chairman had done for him, Charles had the gall to keep his children away from the family. However, that was just

[Present Time]

Chairman Bennet,

sat in his usual spot. "I

left."

Bennet had intentionally idled, thinking Stephen would leave. But when the man didn't, the