Chapter 4

Those six years in elementary school were Tyler's wild years. He grew bigger and bolder with no limits.

Thanks to my so-called scientific feeding and happy-go-lucky parenting, Tyler packed on the pounds like crazy.

By the time he hit ten, he was seriously overweight, but also shot up in height, towering over his classmates. His skin turned rough from all the junk food, and he started breaking out all over his forehead and cheeks.

Because of his weight and his bossy attitude, Tyler didn't have many friends at school. But that made him cling to me more, and he got more out of control.

He learned to solve problems with his fists.

If his classmate accidentally knocked his eraser off, he'd shove both the kid and his desk to the floor.

If the class monitor wrote his name down for being noisy, he'd chase the kid to the bathroom, corner him in a stall, and scare the hell out of him.

During PE, if he couldn't keep up, he'd trip whoever was running ahead of him.

Every time the teacher called me in, I'd go through the same routine. First, I'd apologize, sounding so sincere that no one could find fault with me. "Sorry for the trouble. Tyler's been a handful again."

Then I'd try to explain, "Tyler's got a lot of strength and a straightforward personality, but he's really not a bad kid deep down."

Next, I'd offer all kinds of compensation. "We'll take care of all the medical bills and any emotional distress for the injured student.

"Plus, I noticed the playground equipment is getting old. Our company can sponsor some brand new fitness gear for the school."

Finally, I'd promise, "I'll make sure to talk to him seriously when we get home. Thanks for all your hard work."

The homeroom teacher, Mr. Sanchez, was a seasoned pro. He'd pulled me aside a few times, looking worried. "Mrs. Rollins, Tyler can't keep going like this. It's not just his behavior. His weight is a real health concern, too.

"And he doesn't care about studying at all. He either sleeps or causes trouble in class, and he failed three subjects on the final exams."

I immediately got teary-eyed, pulling out a tissue to wipe away tears that weren't there. "Mr. Sanchez, I know you're looking out for him. But Tyler was really weak when he was little.

"All we ever wanted was for him to be safe and healthy. We never pushed him when it came to school. Could you maybe cut him some slack?

"If you could let him off the hook for homework sometimes, that'd be great. I'm worried the pressure might be too much for him, and it could affect his health."

Mr. Sanchez looked at me, seeing how much I cared about Tyler. He looked like he wanted to say more, but only let out a sigh.

With my lenient parenting, Tyler got bolder and more out of control.

He started shaking down younger kids for cash to buy snacks and game cards, and he got caught on camera. The parents of the kids he targeted showed up at school, threatening to call the cops.

This time, Clark finally got involved.

Right in front of me, he grabbed his belt and lashed Tyler a few times. Tyler burst into tears, bawling his eyes out.

I rushed over to block him, pulling Tyler behind me. With tears in my eyes, I yelled at Clark, "What are you doing? He's just a kid. Can't you teach him slowly? Why do you have to hit him? What if you hurt him?"

Then I turned to the furious parents, switching gears in a flash. I pulled out a thick wad of cash from my bag. "Hey, folks, please calm down. Tyler's an immature kid. We'll pay, and pay double. Tyler, apologize now."

Tyler, still sniffling behind me, gave a totally insincere "sorry."

The parents looked at the thick wad of cash, then at me and Clark, and finally stormed off, grumbling under their breath.

Clark's face was livid with anger. "You keep spoiling him. Sooner or later, you're going to regret it."

I hugged Tyler, who was still hiccupping from crying, and snapped back at Clark, "Me? Spoiling him? Isn't he your son too? How much do you actually do for him? All you ever do is hit him when something goes wrong.

"If you're really a good dad, why don't you stay home and actually raise him yourself? But when your secretary, Ms. Norman, calls, you're always quick to run out for drinks."

Clark's face changed in an instant, his eyes flickering. His tone softened. "What nonsense are you talking about? That's business."

He glanced at Tyler, waving his hand impatiently. "Alright, alright, be more careful next time. Olivia, you need to talk to him."

He turned and walked away, probably off to find Tanya to vent his frustration.

I watched him leave, gently patting Tyler's back, a cold smile tugging at my lips.

Meanwhile, thanks to the orphanage and my anonymous support, Caleb grew up like a stubborn little weed pushing through the cracks, tough and quiet.

In the photos Cristian sent me every so often, I could see the traces of childhood slowly disappearing from Caleb's face, his gaze becoming steadier and more luminous.

He aced every test, especially in math, almost always scoring an A.

The staff at the orphanage said Caleb was wise beyond his years. Whenever he had a spare moment, he'd pitch in and help out.

He wasn't much of a talker, but he loved reading and would get so absorbed in a book that he'd forget the world for hours.

Under the name of a "concerned citizen," I sponsored the orphanage to renovate its library and stocked it with tons of new books, especially in math and science.

I happened to sponsor a retired math professor, Gordon Wilson, for his rural education project.

To show his gratitude, Gordon offered to come to the orphanage once a week, offering free tutoring to the most promising kids.

I knew how big a deal Gordon was. He was a legend in the math competition world, with students all over the country. Getting guidance from him was the dream of every math prodigy out there.

And Caleb, my boy, didn't let this chance slip by.

Gordon was all fired up when he told me about Caleb. "There's this kid at the orphanage named Caleb. He's got real talent for math. He picks things up in a snap, can really buckle down, and he's got serious potential."

As I listened to Gordon praise Caleb, picturing Caleb sitting there so focused and earnest, my heart twisted with a bittersweet ache.

Caleb should have been right here with me, enjoying the best life had to offer, getting the finest education. But instead, he was stuck in an orphanage, scraping by on the kindness of strangers and a bit of pity money.

But that pain quickly hardened into a cold, steely determination.