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Chapter_296
The provocation was unprecedented, and Adriel stood frozen in disbelief as Daniel, usually so quiet, spoke up. A kid nearby caught on, and with a mischievous grin, he called out, “Adriel, Daniel just called you a meatball! Said you’re as burnt as toast!” Adriel, inheriting his mother’s chubby cheeks, hated nothing more than comments about his weight or complexion. His face turned crimson with anger.
Seething, he charged forward, his voice full of venom. “Daniel, you little orphan, you’re looking for trouble, huh? I’ll turn you into a punching bag. Let’s go, guys!” He beckoned his gang, and a group of kids circled around Daniel, ready to pounce.
But Sammy, cool as a cucumber amidst the chaos, took a step back. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled something from his pocket. He flicked it into the air, and the sharp crack of popping candy echoed through the hall, startling everyone around them.
Then, casually, he took a puff from his asthma inhaler, just in case. “I’ve got some judo moves from Mom. Ready to taste this?”
The next moments were a blur—several of the kids crumpled to the ground, defeated. Adriel, taking the worst of it, had a bloody nose. He stumbled backward, his eyes welling up as he ran off, sobbing like a child. “Teacher! Teacher! Daniel’s gone crazy! He’s hitting everyone!”
Sammy stood unfazed, a grin tugging at his lips. He knew this was perfect. If it led to the parents being called, that would be even better. This was his opportunity to turn the tables on Elaine’s scheme. He’d noticed her sneaking off with Jemima earlier—something was up.
But for now, Sammy’s mind was on other things. He needed to expose the truth, especially to his clueless dad, who still didn’t see the struggles his own sons were going through.
His smile faded as he slipped behind the stairs and quickly began typing on his smartwatch. In no time, Danny’s voice came through on the line.
“Is Mom not home yet?” Sammy asked.
Danny’s voice came back, sounding a little out of breath. “I slipped out of Everwood Villa pretty quick. Messaged Mom too. She’s probably still on her way back. What’s going on, Sammy?”
Sammy explained the morning’s incident, where their mother had run into their absentee father. “Does that mean one of us got exposed?” Danny asked, his voice tinged with worry.
Sammy shook his head, even though Danny couldn’t see him. “That’s why I told you to head to the apartment. Keep Mom calm and protect our secret from Dad. If he finds out there are two of us… well, he’ll try to take everything. Mom can’t compete with his wealth.”
Danny sighed on the other end. “It’s hard to believe we’re talking about ourselves like that. As if we’re just objects.”
Sammy tried to lighten the mood. “Why can’t Mom and Dad just get along? We’re two adorable kids. They should be lucky to have us!”
There was a pause before Danny replied, voice flat. “I dream of a family that’s whole, Sammy. Not being laughed at in kindergarten because I don’t look like my stepmom, or being called an orphan.”
Sammy felt a pang of guilt for his little brother. He had no idea what it felt like to be in Danny’s shoes. “Don’t be so negative, Danny! After digging into things, I’m convinced Dad used to love Mom. Even though she never talks about him, I’ve seen her cry in her sleep. They argue without listening to each other. There’s a lot of hate from misunderstandings. They need us to play Cupid and fix things.”
Danny’s voice brightened. “Wait—are you finally on board with getting Mom and Dad back together?”
Sammy hesitated, but then admitted, “I saw Dad today, and for the first time, I felt kind of bad for him. There’s clearly been a misunderstanding between him and Mom. And he does care about you. If someone’s been trying to drive them apart, we’ve got to expose them. Once that vile woman’s out of the picture, they can clear things up.”
Danny was quiet for a moment before he spoke up, sounding a little more hopeful. “You know, I’ve felt the same way, but Elaine’s so convincing. Dad believes her, and it makes me so angry I just shut down.”
Sammy chuckled softly. “Danny, you’re too pure for this world. You’ve been living in a bubble, surrounded by luxury, while I’ve been toughened up by Mom. Just wait. I’ll deal with Elaine today. And Adriel? I knocked him out with a single punch.”
Danny’s voice lit up with admiration. “Sammy, you’re amazing.”
Just then, the door to the apartment swung open, and Whitney rushed in, her face pale with worry. “Sammy?”
Danny quickly whispered into his smartwatch, “Remember, act like me and comfort Mom!” before he ended the call.
Whitney’s voice shook as she called his name. Sammy’s heart ached. He quickly ended the call, feeling a pang of guilt for leaving his brother alone.
“Mom, I’m here!” Danny rushed toward her.
Whitney let out a relieved sigh. “Oh, God. You’re home, troublemaker. You scared me half to death. Why didn’t you fight back when he took you from the restroom?”
She paused, her brows furrowing. “How did you escape? And why is your smartwatch number off by one digit?”
Danny, prepared by his earlier conversation with Sammy, adopted Sammy’s usual confident tone. “I didn’t resist to protect you from Dad. Once he took me, I threatened to jump out of the car if he didn’t let me go.”
Whitney’s eyes widened in shock. “Sammy!”
Danny shrugged nonchalantly. “I was just intimidating him. It was Dad’s first time dealing with me. He had to learn somehow.”
Whitney’s expression shifted to skepticism. “Ludwik… I mean, your dad, he’s not someone who caves under pressure.” Bryce, standing behind them, gave Danny a piercing look. “Sammy, you need to tell the truth. Let your mom know what’s really going on.”
“It’s true!” Daniel shot back, feeling a spark of rivalry with Bryce. He was Dad’s ‘love rival,’ after all.
“I even opened the car door myself and told him I didn’t like him. That I only loved Mom. He was so disappointed he just let me go.”
Whitney’s heart swelled with warmth, and she pulled Danny into a tight hug. “Mommy’s so proud of you. I thought you’d just trot off with him.”
Danny smirked, trying to hide the guilt he felt. “As if. What’s he to me?”
But then, Whitney pulled away, her expression darkening. “Bryce, book me a ticket. I’m sending Sammy back to Maelstrom Country right away. If he stays here, Ludwik will stop at nothing to take him away. I can’t lose my only son.”
Danny froze, his eyes wide in shock. “What? You’re sending me away?!” His voice cracked with panic.
“Mom, please! I don’t want to go!” His words tumbled out as he struggled to comprehend what was happening. “I don’t want to leave! I’m Danny… your son too!”
Tears welled up in Danny’s eyes. He didn’t want to leave. He loved his mom, but leaving meant never seeing his dad again, and that thought tore him apart. He couldn’t bear it.
