Chapter 25
The teacher on duty at the kindergarten’s exit looked just as confused. “Excuse me, can someone explain what’s going on here? How did this child get in? The only one allowed to **p the entrance exam is Ryan Reese.”
“I can respect that kid. But this little girl? Where did she even come from? She didn’t have to take the entrance exam to get into this international kindergarten. There’s no way I’m okay with that!”
Maddie thought this was no big deal at first, but now she felt more and more confused as others joined in. “I’ve said it before -I submitted all the paperwork, and they just processed it right away.” Even Maddie started to realize something seemed off, and she hadn’t done anything wrong!
Just then, a car pulled up from a distance. A mother shouted, “It’s Mr. Sullivan! He’s here; let’s talk to him!”
The principal’s car arrived at the kindergarten entrance. Seeing the large crowd, he stopped. A handsome man in gold- rimmed glasses stepped out.
“Why is everyone gathered here?” His voice was warm and calming, like a gentle spring breeze. He looked to be around twenty-five or twenty-six, with a graceful demeanor. This was Malcolm Sullivan, the young head of the Sullivan family and the principal of the international kindergarten, well-respected among the elite.
Karen’s eyes lit up when she saw him and quickly stepped forward. “Mr. Sullivan, there’s a problem with admissions.”
Malcolm frowned slightly, “A problem? I’ll look into it.”
Karen pointed at Maddie and Yara. “It’s them! This child got in without following the rules! Something must be wrong!” Maddie felt the situation getting worse. She stepped in front of Yara and said, “I really followed all the normal procedures. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Karen rolled her eyes. “Say what you want, but under Mr. Sullivan’s watch, you won’t get away with anything sneaky.” Maddie shot back, “Enough already! What does this have to do with the kids?” She was starting to feel anxious. What if someone was trying to cause trouble for them? Given everyone’s attitude, she began to worry she’d messed up somehow.
Noticing Maddie’s unease, Karen felt more confident. “Mr. Sullivan, something has to be done! How is this fair? My child worked hard to get in while this one just strolled in? There should be consequences!”
Malcolm frowned again, “Why punish anyone? This child’s entrance is completely legitimate.”
Everyone present was shocked. “Legitimate? How is that even possible?!”
“She’s fluent in eighteen languages, has an IQ of 230, and her family members have made big contributions to Clusia. The school rules say that exceptional kids, or those with close relatives who have helped Clusia a lot, can be admitted directly. So of course she qualifies!”
“How is that even possible? How could this happen…?”
Everyone turned to look at the little girl behind Maddie, who was happily munching on her candy. “So who is this kid’s relative?” Karen asked. They only knew that Tobias made a difference in Clusia recent years. So Yara’s background piqued their interest.
“Sorry, that’s private information,” Malcolm said with a slight smile. But the firmness and chill in his eyes made it clear that no one wanted to push further.
Karen was left speechless. “How could this be…” What Malcolm said had to be true; the Sullivan family’s reputation stood strong on its own.
Maddie was surprised too. She straightened up and said, “Did you hear that? Mr. Sullivan said Yara’s admission is totally legit. How can you still question the international kindergarten’s admission process? You’re doubting the school’s credibility!”
“Yes! 1 can personally guarantee that every child admitted has gone through the right channels. We have strict checks to prevent unfair advantages,” Malcolm added firmly. “I urge you all to stop making baseless accusations in the future.”
Other parents quickly backed off, and Maddie pointed at Karen, Mr. Sullivan, she’s the one making a scene!”
“Maddie, you…” Karen shot her a glare, and then turned flustered to Malcolm, explaining, “No, it’s not like that! I really didn’t mean to doubt the kindergarten. I just can’t believe Maddie’s kid could walk in there like that.”
“The child’s mother isn’t Maddie,” Malcolm replied c**ly.
Karen blinked in embarrassment. “Oh, I get it now. I misunderstood.”
Maddie leaned in, speaking just loud enough for Karen to hear, “Tsk, tsk. Aren’t you into Malcolm? I could tell him what kind of person you really are.” Stepping back, Maddie smirked, “If you think my kid isn’t good enough, just say it straight. Honestly, your attitude is so stuck-up.”
Karen’s face went red and then pale; she looked like she wanted to lash out at Maddie. Angry, she snapped, “Shut up!” Only then did she realize Malcolm was still there.
He watched her with an amused but cold look, a hint of disgust in his eyes. “I’ll call Ryan’s parents and see if someone else can pick him up.” That meant Karen shouldn’t come back to the kindergarten. The Reese family would definitely support him on that.
Karen felt like crying but couldn’t even manage that. Malcolm had completely changed his opinion of her.
In high spirits, Maddie walked to the car with Yara. When she opened the door, she jumped a little when she saw Natalie. “What are you doing here?”Content is property of NôvelDrama.Org.
Natalie, casually enjoying a lollipop, blinked back at her. “I was bored at home, heard there was some drama, so I came to check it out.”
Maddie put a hand over her heart. “You won’t believe what just happened! It was so wild!”
“What happened?” Natalie asked, trying not to laugh.
Maddie said, “I seriously thought I was done for! I can’t believe Mr. Sullivan actually stood up for me!” Suddenly, Maddie’s expression changed to serious. “Natalie, you need to tell me the truth. Is there…something going on with Mr. Sullivan-”
Natalie paused, and in that moment, she crushed her lollipop between her teeth. She called Malcolm come here and Maddie tone’s made her doubt that Maddie knew that. If that was the case, it would be hard to explain to Maddie.
Maddie took a deep breath as if processing something huge. “Just be honest with me. Are you still in touch with Yara’s dad?”
“No, I’m not.”
“You don’t have to explain. I know it’s true! Otherwise, why would he say Yara’s family background is just as good as the Reese family’s?” Maddie thought for a moment. “You totally went to that jerk for help because of Yara’s future in Jonton!”
Natalie replied, “That’s not true! It’s just me…” She had so many things in her life she couldn’t share with Maddie but didn’t expect her best friend to have such a wild imagination.
Maddie shook her head vigorously. “You really don’t have to explain! I get it. Seriously, though, it has to be that jerk’s influence. Otherwise, why wouldn’t you want to tell me about Yara’s dad?”
While there was some truth to Maddie’s theory, it wasn’t the only reason for Natalie’s silence. Realizing Maddie wasn’t going to let this go, Natalie decided to drop it. She couldn’t reveal her past with Tobias; the identity of Yara’s father would clearly remain a mystery for Maddie to solve.