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.

I find out that you’re still doing this, I might report this incident to Federal Bureau of Investigation. Wicked people shouldn’t

fell silent. After a scoff, he

before returning to the room and closing

face, and the tension in the room

he knew the mistake he

about lying just

around and took out a thin ruler from the

punish

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

“Benny…”

ruler from the boy before turning

look at his father. “I need to write with my right hand, so maybe you should hit my bottom like how you

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

miserable Benedict looked when he asked to be punished, Cedrick’s

hope that you’ll keep a distance away from Mr. Eugene from

lied too. Are

not have lied. Hence, Cedrick pinched his cheeks,

If you don’t change and continue lying, I’ll definitely punish you severely. I’ll make it so painful

face paled, a little fearful

understand. I won’t do

gently rubbed the red spot he had pinched earlier,

my fault. I couldn’t keep you company that often. From now on, I’ll find ways to come here

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

eye on him, he would

he did not want his father to spend more time

he had been able to easily divert her attention. His father, on the other hand,

what was on Benedict’s mind, but it was clear that the boy was thinking of nothing good

you have any pranks you want to do, you can tell me about

mischievous, but

did not know if Benedict had been influenced by the books Eugene had brought to him, but he was certainly taken aback when he heard that Benedict wanted to stab Charles with a needle a

of a wicked idea

that he was going to slowly

his neck and leaned over. “Daddy, what are you thinking about?

Cedrick returned to reality and asked, “Are you not happy

out with

a toothpick and passed him a slice

…