The Ex and Her Riches

An old man around the age of sixty was standing outside.

His hair was white, and he had a gray beard. He also had defined features—something not most Chanaeans had.

Cedrick could somewhat recall who he was—the biochemistry professor, Eugene Yortz.

He had been the one who gave Benedict the book about Abnormal Psychology, so Cedrick later contacted Joshua and found out about the man.

Nevertheless, Cedrick solemnly stared at Eugene, wondering why Benedict seemed nervous earlier.

“Professor Yortz, what can I help you with?”

Eugene scratched his head and scoured through his memory to figure out who was the man standing before him. “You must be Benny’s father.”

“Yes, that’s me,” was the only polite answer Cedrick gave to Eugene.

Eugene let out a laugh, a hint of mockery entering his eyes. “It’s rare to see his parents caring for him. In that case, I won’t disturb your time with him. Please continue with your conversation.”

With that said, he turned to leave.

“Stop!”

Cedrick grabbed his hand and forcibly lifted Eugene’s hand. As it turned out, Eugene was holding a book.

Its title was How Do People With Paranoid Personality Disorder Turn Into Murderers?

Cedrick’s heart lurched, finding the book title spine-chilling.

In a stern voice, he confronted Eugene, “You’re bringing an inappropriate book for my son again. As a professor in the lab, why aren’t you trying to be a good role model? Why are you trying to lead a child astray? What are you trying to do?”

Eugene found his words absurd. “How is this book a bad book? It’s just a book about humanity. You’re always absent despite being his father, so what’s wrong with me talking about books with him when I’m free? Why are you accusing me of something so outrageous? You’re strange.”

Strange? Don’t you know who’s the strange one here?

Cedrick tamped down his anger as he gritted out, “Benny’s only five—an age where he’s naive. Why are you teaching him about humanity with books like these? What are you trying to do?”

Eugene flung his hand away, annoyed. “Naive? He’s your son, so don’t you know his character well? He likes books like this, so I brought this for him. It’s not as if he had learned anything bad from these books. He’s smart and much more mature than kids his age. I’m sure he can judge for himself.”

Cedrick did not wish to continue talking to Eugene, however.

find out that you’re still doing this, I might report this incident to Federal

that, Eugene fell silent. After a scoff,

before returning to the room and closing the

had a grimace on his face, and the

he knew the mistake

lying just

out a thin ruler

can punish me.

around and making the blood flow back into the tubing, his heart skipped

“Benny…”

away the ruler from the boy before

look at his father. “I need to write with my right hand, so maybe you

boy since young, and he spent most of his time on a lab bed. Thus, Cedrick never dared to lay a finger

when he asked to be punished,

punishing you. I just hope that you’ll keep a distance away from

“But… I lied too. Are you not angry with

Hence, Cedrick pinched his cheeks, only using a

this time. If you don’t change and continue lying, I’ll definitely punish you severely. I’ll make it so painful you’ll never forget about it for the rest

face paled, a little fearful of his

won’t do

pinched earlier, unable to

you company that often. From now on, I’ll find ways to

not your fault. I’m a big kid already. I don’t need you to stop work because of an IV therapy. I’ll feel

him, he would never

father to spend more

one keeping him company for the IV therapies, he had been able to easily divert her attention. His father, on the other hand,

clear that the boy was thinking of nothing good from

pranks you want to do, you can tell me about them. I might not stop you from doing some

be mischievous, but there was something amiss about

had been influenced by the books Eugene had brought to him, but he was certainly taken aback when

have never thought of a

decided that he was going to slowly

lost in his thoughts, Benedict tilted his neck and leaned over. “Daddy, what are you thinking about? Are you really going to

returned to reality and asked, “Are you not happy about that,

am!” Benedict forced out with a tense

wanting to dwell on that, Cedrick took a toothpick and

…