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?!"

street and decided to go on

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

skip school! I

"You, brat!"

he saw his father grab an ashtray

brat! Come back here! I'm

watched as the chairman rolled up his sleeve and took large strides, chasing after his rebellious

why, but

the chairman was... smiling, as if his son had done something to make him proud. Stephen shrugged

his father would argue about almost everything. Charles would come home dirty, sometimes with a bruise, and the chairman would scold him relentlessly. Meanwhile, Stephen would always receive compliments from the chairman and gentle

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

years later

that didn't mean the chairman saw Stephen as better than Charles. Even though the chairman would sometimes compare Charles to him, it didn't mean

chairman simply pitied

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

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 a small part of what fueled Stephen's anger. What truly bothered him was that the chairman still

[Present Time]

here?" Chairman Bennet, as grumpy as ever,

he sat in his usual spot. "I was doing

left."

an hour ago. Chairman Bennet had intentionally idled, thinking Stephen would leave. But when the man didn't, the chairman decided to meet with him and