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.

this, I might report this incident to

fell silent. After a scoff, he left with

gone from the stairwell before returning to the room and closing the door behind

on his face, and the tension in

he

lying just now,

a thin ruler from the bedside table’s drawer before

can punish

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

“Benny…”

from the boy before turning his

to purse his lips, not daring to look at his father. “I need to write with my right hand,

of his time on a lab bed.

how miserable Benedict looked when he asked

that you’ll keep a distance away

too. Are you not

Cedrick pinched his cheeks, only using a little

will be your punishment. However, I have a rule. I’ll let things slide 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

paled, a little

I won’t

red spot he had pinched earlier, unable to bring himself to say

you company that often. From

already. I don’t need you to stop work because of

him, he would never be able to carry

did not want his father to spend

for the IV therapies, he had been able to easily divert her attention.

was on Benedict’s mind, but it was clear that the boy was thinking of

you want to do, you can tell me

children to be mischievous, but there

he was certainly taken aback when

have never thought of

out a silent sigh and decided that he was going to

what are you thinking about?

asked, “Are you not happy about

forced out with a tense

a toothpick and passed him a slice of peach.

…