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 Bureau of Investigation. Wicked people shouldn’t be staying in a lab like this

a scoff, he left with the

watched until he was gone from the stairwell before returning to the room and closing the

had a grimace on his face, and the tension in the

hanging as if he knew the

about lying

around and took out a thin ruler from the

punish me.

the blood flow back into the tubing, his heart skipped a

“Benny…”

from the boy before turning his hand around and massaging

his lips, not daring to look at his father. “I need to write with my right hand, so maybe you should hit my bottom like how you used

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

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

thinking of punishing you. I just hope that you’ll keep a distance

I lied too. Are you not

lied. Hence, Cedrick pinched his cheeks, only using a little more force

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 the

little fearful of his father’s

understand. I won’t

then gently rubbed the red spot he had pinched earlier, unable to

keep you company that often. From now

I don’t need you to stop work because of an IV therapy. I’ll feel bad if you

he would never be able to carry out his

his father to spend

able to easily divert her attention. His father, on the

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

feel bad about it. If you have any pranks you want to do, you

mischievous, but there was something amiss

books Eugene had brought to him, but he was

never thought of a wicked

let out a silent sigh and decided that he was going to slowly correct Benedict’s

leaned over. “Daddy, what are you thinking

returned to reality and asked, “Are you not happy

out with a tense

to dwell on that, Cedrick took a toothpick and passed him a

…