Abandoned Wife: Now Untouchable

Chapter 5 The Foolish Admissions Interview

Bowden Clayton's POV:

By the third day after Anabella's departure, the house had devolved into utter chaos.

I had always operated under the assumption that managing a household and raising children were the simplest jobs in the world, tasks easily outsourced to a nanny and a driver.

I was wrong.

When the interview notice arrived from Westminster Prep, I realized with a jolt that I didn't even know where Dexter's portfolio was kept.

Westminster Prep was the most prestigious private school in Newford. To secure a spot for my two children, I had donated an entire library's worth of books. Anabella had always handled the liaison work; she used to spend every evening conducting mock interview drills with Dexter and Elinor.

"Dad, where's Mom? Why isn't she here to help me practice?" Dexter kicked the sofa cushion petulantly. "Elinor's gone too. There's no one to play spelling games with me anymore."

"Your mother is just throwing a tantrum. Ignore her." I flipped through my emails, my head throbbing.

Elinor was with Anabella, and there was nothing I could do about that for now, but I couldn't let Dexter lose this chance. He had to attend the best school; he had to become an elite, just like me.

"I know you're worried about Dexter's interview," Analia said, sitting beside me and placing a comforting hand on my arm. "I have an idea to make sure the interview goes smoothly."

"Really?"

She produced a micro-earpiece, so small it was practically invisible.

"Have Dexter wear this. I'll stay just outside the interview hall and listen to the teacher's questions. If he gets stuck, I'll feed him the answers. Even if I don't know something, I can just ask AI on my phone."

I frowned, my instincts recoiling from the suggestion. "That's cheating, Analia. If he gets caught, Dexter's academic future in this country is over."

"How can you call it cheating?" Analia pouted, tugging at my hand playfully. "For a boy as brilliant as Dexter, this interview is just a formality. I'm just providing a safety net. Could you really bear to see him rejected by those arrogant board members over one tiny mistake? Trust me, I'll be incredibly careful."

My resolve softened. Analia truly cared for Dexter as if he were her own.

Besides, my son didn't actually need those hypocritical interviews to prove his worth.

With that thought in mind, I nodded in agreement.

*****

On the day of the interview, I sat with Dexter in a solemn classroom at Westminster Prep The lead interviewer was a stuffy old man. He adjusted his spectacles first and then posed the first question regarding logical deduction.

Dexter instinctively reached for his ear.

It was glaringly obvious that he didn't know the answer.

A flash of annoyance hit me. How could he not know such a simple question? What on earth had Anabella been teaching him all this time?

The teacher repeated the question. Panic began to cloud Dexter's face.

"Dad... there's no sound," he whispered to me, his eyes welling with tears.

I knew instantly something was wrong. Lowering my head, I secretly check the phone in my pocket.

Damn it! To prevent high-tech cheating, the school had installed signal jammers!

The interviewer's expression soured. "Mr. Clayton, is your son actually giving this any thought?"

Just as I attempted to formulate an explanation, a sharp, frustrated shriek drifted in through the window.

"Signal! Damn it! Why is there still no signal?!"

I stood up and looked through the classroom window. There was Analia, holding her phone high, frantically scurrying back and forth through the bushes. Not far off, two uniformed security guards were already racing toward her.

I waved my hand instinctively, praying she would see me and leave.

'Run, Analia! Get out of there before you ruin everything!' I screamed internally, but she was too preoccupied with her phone to notice.

"Ma'am! Step away from there!" the guards shouted as they closed in.

Startled, Analia's foot slipped. With a loud splash, she tumbled headfirst into the ornamental pond behind the classroom.

The three interviewers gasped in unison. I wanted nothing more than to vanish off the face of the earth.

*****

Half an hour later, we were escorted off the premises.

Naturally, Dexter was flatly rejected by Westminster Prep

"You told me you'd be careful!" I finally exploded at Analia as we drove home.

Soaked to the skin and wrapped in a towel, Analia began to sob pathetically.

"I was just so anxious. I... I only wanted to help Dexter. Oh, if only Anabella hadn't abandoned him, we wouldn't have had to resort to such extremes. If she had just handed over the preparation materials before she left, I could have tutored him properly..."

Her voice trailed off into a series of hiccups.

I gripped the steering wheel, my mind a whirlwind of frustration.

Anabella's choosing this exact moment to demand a divorce and play the runaway card—it must have been intentional! She had left Dexter behind because she clearly didn't care about him anymore. 'What a cold-hearted mother,' I cursed in my mind.

The absurdity of the cheating scandal spread through the Newford private school circles like wildfire. Before evening fell, several other top-tier schools where we had interviews scheduled sent polite emails declining Dexter's applications.

That night, after Analia finished bathing Dexter and reading him a bedtime story, the boy finally fell asleep in a foul mood.

Analia emerged wearing one of my oversized T-shirts, her long legs exposed, and walked over to me.

"Are you still worried about Dexter's schooling?" she asked softly.

She was clearly exhausted, yet she was still looking out for me.

A flicker of guilt touched my heart; I shouldn't have yelled at her earlier.

I kissed her forehead. "Dexter is lucky to have you."

"I love him like he's my own. Anyway, Bowden, I heard some news. There might be another path," Analia said, her eyes lighting up.

"Edmund's company is hosting an 'International Painting Competition' for children under ten. It's a global call for entries. If Dexter wins, we can use that prestige to apply to the Lumina School, that new, innovative school funded by Chavez."

"But Dexter doesn't even like painting," I said, reluctantly puncturing her fantasy. "How could he possibly win?"

"The preliminary and semi-final rounds are all anonymous submissions," Analia whispered, her voice laced with a predatory focus. "We can just buy some masterpieces from child prodigies and submit them under Dexter's name. Once he's in the finals, I'll have my way."

Hearing she was prepared to cheat again, I knit my brows slightly.

But that was the Lumina School. If Dexter got in there, the envy of everyone I knew would be boundless. Moreover, I had heard that Edmund personally gave guest lectures there. With any luck, Edmund and I might cross paths frequently and become friends...

In the end, I nodded. "Then do it."

*****

The competition proceeded with suspicious ease. Under Analia's "management," Dexter's name appeared on the list for the global finals.

"I'm a genius! I knew I was a genius!" Dexter hollered, jumping wildly around the living room. He had completely forgotten that he hadn't touched a single brush to those paintings.

An intense feeling of unease stirred within me. It looked like Dexter had become accustomed to solving everything with money.

I couldn't help but wonder, 'If Anabella were home, would he be acting like this?'

But I quickly suppressed the thought. Anabella had utterly betrayed this family. She didn't deserve to be mentioned.

"The finals are being held in Londale!" Analia exclaimed, waving the invitation excitedly.

Dexter rushed over and threw his arms around Analia's waist. "I want to go to Londale! Analia, you have to come too!"

Suddenly, I recalled what Frederick had said over the phone—Edmund was in Lyndora for a business engagement.

A premonition struck me. This trip to Londale would be the perfect opportunity to meet Edmund sooner than expected!

"Fine. We're going to Londale."