Chapter 2

The next day, after dropping Chloe off at school, I went to the chess tournament staff and got a copy of the surveillance footage showing Chloe being pushed down the stairs.

Then I went home to pack. By the time I was done, it was already afternoon.

Just then, my phone rang. It was an unknown number. "Hello, is this Chloe Wilkins' parent? Your daughter has been injured. Please come to the hospital as soon as possible."

"What?" I was startled.

I immediately hailed a taxi and rushed toward the hospital.

When I rushed into the hospital ward, I saw Chloe sitting on the edge of the bed, her right hand in a cast, her face tense.

Standing beside her were Neil and Desmond.

As soon as Chloe spotted me, she instantly relaxed. She called out with a tearful voice, "Dad."

I stroked her hair gently, my heart aching. Then I looked up at Neil, frowning. I said coldly, "Explain."

Neil crossed his arms, his demeanor completely different from the respectful and polite way he acted around Ellen.

"Ellen asked me to pick Chloe up early. She said she wanted to buy her a couple new outfits," he explained.

I demanded coldly, "So, how did my daughter get hurt?"

Neil rubbed his nose guiltily. "Chloe was being playful in the car, fiddling with the door, and accidentally fell out..."

"That's not true," Chloe cut Neil off angrily. "Desmond pushed me out."

Desmond snorted. "Well, you wouldn't carry my backpack for me. Serves you right."

Neil shrugged it off. "It's just kids fooling around. Nothing serious."

I snorted, retorting, "Neil, you're so shameless. Your kid couldn't win against my daughter in the tournament, so he played dirty. Now your son hurt her and you acted like it was just a squabble? You think I'm a pushover like Ellen?"

My words were so blunt Neil stiffened.

Desmond glared at me, saying viciously, "Who the hell do you think you are, trashing my dad?"

I shot back coldly, "You're just as nasty. You're a vicious punk now, and you'll only get worse when you grow up."

"I'm gonna kill you," Desmond yelled, charging straight at me.

But Chloe moved faster than I did. She swung her leg and kicked Desmond in his stomach, knocking him flat onto the ground.

Just then, the door to the hospital ward swung open.

Ellen walked in, her face stern. She went to help Desmond up from the floor.

Then, she scolded Chloe without mercy, "Who taught you to kick others?"

Chloe, still young, quickly pulled her leg back, her eyes filling with tears as she whispered, "He... he tried to hit Dad first."

When Desmond saw Ellen walk in, he instantly started bawling. "I just wanted to check on Chloe's injury, but she suddenly kicked me. Ellen, did I do something wrong?"

"You liar! You were going to hit Dad," Chloe yelled.

"Enough!" Ellen cut Chloe off. "Chloe, how dare you continue lying."

Chloe shrank back at Ellen's rebuke, her eyes turning red.

Ellen spun around to glare at me mockingly. "Oscar, what have you been telling Chloe? She's turned into a habitual liar. Ever heard the saying—it all starts at home. Kids follow their parents. Can't you lead by example?"

I met Ellen's glare with icy silence. My fury burned so fierce, even my hurt was gone.

If Chloe hadn't been standing there, I would've slapped some sense into the clueless Ellen.

"Chloe and I are your real family. Our daughter's got a broken arm, and you don't even care. Instead, you sided with others. Honestly, you're not just blind and deaf—you're an idiot," I said.

Ellen snapped, "You!"

Neil piped up, faking concern as usual. "Ellen, chill. Oscar probably thinks there's something going on between you and me, so he's jealous, and taking it out on my kid. No big deal. Don't let us two cause drama between you guys."

Ellen glared at me, disappointment written all over her face. "If you weren't always bullying Neil and Desmond, would I be on their side? Seriously, I just can't talk to you anymore."

With that, she turned and stormed out.

Neil watched Ellen's back, smiling smugly. "Mr. Wilkins, remember last time Desmond shoved Chloe down the stairs? I just made up some story for Ellen, and she totally fell for it, believing Desmond was innocent."

He threw me a look full of mockery, his arrogance blatant. "Today, all it took was me keeping quiet and she instantly took my side. This is lesson number two for you—get this through your head: Ellen's into me now.

"Oscar, mark my words—one day I'm going to replace you. Just watch."

With a cold snort, Neil grabbed Desmond and swaggered out.

I didn't say anything, just turned off the camera on my phone.

Before I entered the ward, I'd already hit record. And now I'd caught the whole thing.