Chapter 2027
After finishing everything, he went back to his bedroom and glanced at the scars on his other hand, giving them a hasty treatment. He then took out a first aid kit and removed his jacket. His skin was covered in wounds, bruises, and numerous exposed cuts that looked incredibly painful.
His phone rang on the bedside table. He hit the speakerphone button, continuing to tend to his wounds while listening to the man on the other end.
"Left three hours early tonight. What was the rush?"
"Just had some things to take care of."
Abner frowned, noticing the blood stains on the bandage, and took a deep breath.
There was a brief pause before the man chuckled.
"Better get that checked out at the hospital tomorrow. It won't kill you, but an infection could be nasty. Training resumes in the afternoon."
Abner paused, his gaze drifting toward Shirley's bedroom door.
Could Shirley handle being alone right now?
"We'll see."
"Mr. Olson, until you've earned your place as head of the house, you need to follow our advice."Original from NôvelDrama.Org.
A flash of defiance crossed Abner's face as he took a deep breath.
"Understood."
At 9 a.m., Shirley woke up to the familiar ceiling of her room, still feeling a bit disoriented. She checked her body for any discomfort, relieved to find none, before the memories of the previous night flooded back, giving her a headache. She lay back down, curling up as tears slowly wet her hair.
Sounds from outside made her tense up instantly.
Her parents knew the code to the house; could it be them knocking?
"Knock, knock."
Someone was at her door, and then Abner's voice came through.
"Shirley, you awake? I made you some breakfast."
Shirley didn't feel relieved; she felt embarrassed. Abner had saved her last night and saw her at her worst. All she felt was a headache, so she just lay there, not wanting to talk. The door opened slightly.
Abner came in, holding a tray.
"Try to eat something."
Shirley felt like her soul had been drained and was unsure how to react. She didn't even know how to eat, moving mechanically. Abner wiped her mouth with a napkin.
"Once you've eaten, rest up. I need to head to school this afternoon."
Shirley glanced at the clock. It was his class time, yet he was here, probably having taken the day off. Having Abner around made her feel a bit safer; otherwise, any sound from outside would terrify her.
After cleaning up, Abner changed the lock code before heading out. But as soon as he sat down at school, the police showed up.
James was alarmed and quickly inquired about the situation. The police presented an injury report for Mark.
"We need Abner to come with us."
Abner was taken from his class, with all his classmates watching. It was clear that if Mark pursued charges, Abner could face jail time and ruin his future. The police, seeing his youth and hearing from James that he was a top student, sighed.
"Try to settle this privately. You're about to take your SATS. Don't get into trouble."
James, hearing the details, couldn't believe Abner had injured someone so severely: three broken ribs, a fractured finger, and several teeth knocked out. After leaving the police station, James grabbed Abner's arm.
"Why did you fight?"
Abner couldn't divulge Shirley's situation, it would ruin her. Society's tolerance for women wasn't strong. Even if Mark hadn't succeeded, people would only see Shirley as a victim, viewed through a biased lens.
"Mr. James, I did what I had to do."
James rubbed his temples, always having seen Abner as a diligent and respectful kid.
"Abner, just tell me the victim's name. We can apologize together. With the SATS coming up, if other parents push for your expulsion, I can't protect you."
Last time, it was a struggle to keep him in school, thanks to his top grades.
"Mark. And I won't apologize to him."
James looked at the stubborn boy, unaware that the high school's two buildings were donated by Mark's parents. Their influence could mean Abner's expulsion, regardless of his academic achievements. The school such
wouldn't risk offending school
significant benefactors for one student's sake.