Chapter 274
Chapter 274
Eliana said calmly, “Everyone needs a friend.”
Jayden raised his face full of tears and talked back stubbornly, “I don’t need friends! The Russell family is rich, and people all want to make friends with rich people.”
Eliana looked into his eyes and said, “I just don’t want you to be engrossed in ego and loneliness.”
It took Jayden a lot of effort to stop crying, but her words made him cry again.
In the past, he looked forward to making friends with his classmates, but he was a naughty boy, and many classmates distanced him after being pranked.
After a long time, simple pranks were distorted as bullies, but Jayden disdained to explain..
He couldn’t help asking, “Why do you treat me so well?”
The answer was simple. The Therapy Center had children who presented even greater challenges than Jayden, and she had once been one of them. That was why she hoped even more for Jayden’s wellbeing.
Eliana gently cupped Jayden’s cheeks and wiped away his tears. “Because we’re family.”
Meanwhile, Eileen was watching them, her heart filled with emotions. She felt that if Eliana ever became a teacher, she might actually do an
even better job.
Just then, the bell rang in the hallway, snapping Eileen back to reality. “Oh! Time for the class meeting!”
In the classroom, Eliana and Theodore sat side by side. In front of them was the podium and the chalkboard, and all around the room were
portraits of influential people from different countries, along with their quotes.
For a moment, Eliana found herself lost in thought.
Noticing her daze, Theodore suddenly asked in a deep voice, “Missing your school days?”
Eliana hummed. ‘Who wouldn’t miss the best years of their youth?‘ she thought.
Hearing her admit it, Theodore snorted. “Too bad the person sitting next to you now is me, not Luke.”
Eliana rolled her eyes at him, half–amused and half–annoyed. “Seriously? Don’t misinterpret my thoughts.”
But Theodore seemed bothered. “Did you and Luke ever sit together in class like this when you were in college?”
Eliana’s eyes flickered, and she whispered, “We were in different years and different majors. How could we sit together in the same class?”
Theodore thought to himself, ‘Does she think I’ve never been to college or something?‘
“So what? Your classes weren’t exclusive to your major. Lots of college courses are open to everyone. Even the janitor could wander in,” he
retorted.
“You…” Eliana couldn’t out–argue him, so she relented. “Alright, we did sit together in an elective. Happy?”
Of course, Theodore wasn’t even close to “happy.”
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Chapter 274
He narrowed his eyes. “Did he ever do this to you?”
“Do what?” Eliana was confused.
The next second, she suddenly felt his hand landing on her lap.
Eliana was shocked.
Flustered, she tried to push his hand away, but she was afraid of drawing attention from the other parents. Lowering her voice, she stammered, “Y–You! Stop it.”
Eliana was wearing shorts today, her slender, fair legs on full display, which gave him the perfect opportunity to do as he pleased.
Just imagining that Luke might have done the same made Theodore even more irritated. “You still haven’t answered my question. Did he ever do this to you?”
“No!” His palm was dry, yet Eliana felt as if she were trapped in a sticky, inescapable swamp. “He would never do something so shameless in public.”
Theodore looked at her blushing face and suddenly smirked, feeling quite pleased. “I’m your husband. Being shameless with you is only natural.”
Just then…
“Ahem!” Someone cleared their throat.
Eliana looked up and saw Eileen standing there with a stack of report cards in her arms, giving them an apologetic, slightly embarrassed
smile.
The redness on Eliana’s face instantly turned crimson.
Theodore, meanwhile, withdrew his hand and put on his usual dignified facade.
“Mr. Russell, Mrs. Russell, here’s Jayden’s latest report card. Please take a look,” Eileen said, setting the report card down before quickly hurrying off.
Eliana shot Theodore a reproachful glare. “This is all your fault.”
Theodore, however, had already picked up Jayden’s report card, scanning his grades with a serious expression.
Meanwhile, Jayden, having just returned from the bathroom, took a seat between them.
The next second, Theodore gave him a light tap on the head with the report card.
Jayden was getting angry, but the moment he caught sight of the report card, all his bluster vanished.
“Your math grade has improved, but you’re still failing the other subjects. Can’t you show a bit more ambition?” Theodore asked.
“Don’t make it sound like getting better grades is as easy as leveling up in a game, alright?” Jayden shot back.
“Out of all the Russell kids, you’re hands down the worst when it comes to schoolwork. Sometimes I seriously have to wonder…” Theodore
said.
“Wonder about what?” Jayden muttered.
“If you’re really our blood,” Theodore finished.
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Jayden turned to Eliana and complained, “Eliana, your husband is committing verbal assault. And now he’s trying to drive a wedge between me and my mom!”
“Then show him he’s wrong,” Eliana replied, thinking he really did spend way too much time gaming.
Meeting her hopeful gaze, Jayden answered solemnly, “Alright, for you…”
Before he could finish, Theodore tapped him on the head again. “It’s for yourself, kiddo.”
While Eileen was giving her speech, Eliana suddenly felt the urge to pee. She quietly slipped out of the classroom and headed for the restroom.
After finishing up, she went to wash her hands. At the mirror, a woman touching up her makeup noticed her and blurted out, “Wow, you’re so young and already a mom?”
“I’m not…” Eliana started to protest, a little flustered.
But before she could finish, the woman jumped right in. “Your husband must adore you, huh?”
‘Yeah, he does.’ Eliana nodded instinctively.
“I knew it! Only those who are adored by their husbands can still look this good after having a baby. Just look at me…”
She pointed at her face, still halfway through her makeup. “If I don’t pile on a couple more layers of foundation, I’ll just look old and tired. My husband can’t even be bothered to show up for our kid’s parent meeting. Seriously…”
The woman seemed like she just needed someone to listen. After venting, she went back to fixing her makeup.
Meanwhile, Eliana slipped back to Theodore’s side.
“What took you so long?” Theodore asked.
“Someone thought I was a mom and said I looked really young,” Eliana replied.
Theodore arched a brow, stretching his fingers. “A guy?”
Eliana shot him a look, exasperated. “A woman.”
Only then did Theodore finally keep his hands to himself.
Soon, an hour passed.
“That’s all for today’s meeting. Thank you all for your active participation…” Eileen said, wrapping things up.
As soon as she finished, Eliana couldn’t help but ask, “Theodore, if our kid’s teacher ever calls for a parent meeting, will you come with him?”
She never knew how precious something was until she almost lost it. If Samuel hadn’t found the problem with her uterus, she would’ve just kept thinking she was still young and there was no hurry to have a baby.
Theodore suddenly turned to her, barely able to hide his excitement. “Of course!”
He felt genuinely happy about the way she’d changed.
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