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.

books like these for my son anymore. If I find out that you’re still doing this, I might report this incident to Federal Bureau of Investigation. Wicked people shouldn’t be staying in a lab like this and should be terminated from their

After a scoff, he

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

and the tension in the

was hanging as if he knew the

about lying just

a thin ruler from the

can punish me. I’m

the blood flow back into the tubing, his

“Benny…”

before turning his hand around and massaging his

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

an ill boy since young, and he spent most of his time on a lab

miserable Benedict looked when he asked to

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

blinked. “But… I lied too.

Benedict should not have lied. Hence, Cedrick pinched his cheeks, only using

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

face paled, a little fearful of his father’s

won’t do it

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

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

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

he would never be able to carry out his nefarious

want his father to spend

able to

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

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

mischievous, but there was something amiss about

brought to him, but he was

thought of

decided that he was going to slowly correct

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

and asked, “Are you not happy about

forced out with a tense

on that, Cedrick took a toothpick and passed him

…