"Can I take Lily home? I really want to congratulate her on her academic achievements and apologize for my absence in her school life," Mr. Chen said, his smile stretched thin, never quite reaching his eyes. But no one noticed—except for Lillian.
Every fiber of her being screamed No, her body locked in an instinctive plea for the teacher to refuse. But the teacher’s response came too quickly, too cheerfully, as if nothing was wrong. "That is so sweet of you, Mr. Chen. I’ll write an impromptu exit letter so you can pass through the gate."
Lillian’s heart twisted painfully. Had she wronged this woman in a past life? Why couldn’t she see the agony coursing through me? She tried to hold back the tears, but they spilled anyway, the warm drops betraying her. The teacher’s eyes widened as the t
