Chapter 309 Jealousy
Seeing Daniel's arrogant attitude, Ryder stayed calm. He'd dealt with too many people like this before, so Daniel's threats didn't faze him. He turned to Blair and asked, "Blair, what happened here? Can you fill me in?"
Blair looked at Ryder with a complicated expression. After a few seconds of hesitation, he explained his conflict with Harper.
Here was the gist. Over a week ago, Harper's younger brother bombed his middle school exams but still wanted to get into the best high school in Houston. His grades were way below the minimum requirements, so Harper asked Blair to pull some strings. Blair initially agreed, but the school's admissions were extraordinarily strict this year, and the principal was personally overseeing everything, so it didn't work out.
Harper got mad and argued with Blair. Blair thought it would blow over, but Harper took it to the next level. She got some female thugs to corner Blair's eighth-grade daughter in an alley, beat her up, stripped her, and took photos. Harper then threatened him to make the photos public if Blair didn't get her brother into the school.
Blair apologized and pleaded, but Harper wouldn't budge unless her brother got in. Blair, just a teacher, had no real influence over the school's decisions. If he could, he would've done anything, even slept with the principal, but it wasn't possible. So, he had to swallow his pride and keep begging Harper, disregarding their former teacher-student relationship.
Ryder nodded, understanding the situation. He didn't think much of Blair as a teacher, but as a father, he saw Blair's desperation. Kneeling in public and licking toes were huge blows to a man's dignity, and not every father could lower himself like that. Because of this, Ryder decided to meddle in.
Just then, Daniel's voice cut in again, "Did you hear me? Kneel and apologize to Harper!"
Ignoring Daniel, Ryder turned to Harper with a cold expression. "I used to think you were just a vain, shameless schemer, but now you're crossing the line of the law. How can you, as a woman, be so cruel to a minor girl, especially your teacher's child?"
Harper sneered, full of disdain. "Ryder, just because you have money now, don't think you can judge me! I hate it when people comment on me! I enjoy doing this, so what can you do about it? Think you can stop me?"
Ryder gave a helpless smile, thinking, "Harper's been blinded by this materialistic society." She had no real skills but always fantasized about using wealthy people to prove her value.
Just then, Lily and Charlotte walked over. Lily, angry, said to Harper, "Harper, don't go too far! Blair is still our teacher. Won't you feel guilty?"
Charlotte chimed in, "Harper, let it go. Stop making things difficult for Blair."
Harper glanced at them, jealousy and annoyance flashing in her eyes. Back in high school, Charlotte was the class and school beauty, admired by many. Lily, though a tomboy, had impeccable looks and figure. Harper, who considered herself a great beauty, was always ranked behind them. Even after multiple plastic surgeries, she still couldn't compete with Lily and Charlotte.
Facing them, Harper's words were anything but polite. "Well, you two. Why aren't you two staying home at night but running around with Ryder, a married man? Trying to be his mistresses? Oh, wait! After dinner, are you three going to get a room at the hotel across the street? One man, two women. You really know how to have fun!"
Charlotte's expression froze, and she quickly denied, "Harper! Don't slander us. We were having dinner to celebrate Lily's pet store opening!"
Harper venomously retorted, "Opening? More like you two are having an affair with Ryder! Who knew the so-called school beauty was actually a slut deep down, just like—"
Before she could finish, a crisp slap echoed!
Ryder withdrew his hand, blew on it lightly, and smiled faintly. "Harper, no one ever told you your mouth stinks? Worse than a sewer?"
Harper clutched her cheek, utterly shocked! In previous confrontations with Ryder, she had suffered a few losses, but that was always when Ryder had the advantage in numbers. Now, they had six people, and Ryder only had four. Plus, this was a pedestrian street, within Daniel's territory. She had actually been slapped by Ryder in public? Unbearable!
Harper immediately whined to Daniel, "Daniel! Did you see that? Ryder hit me! You have to stand up for me!"
Daniel's eyes were already burning with rage. Ryder had ignored him twice, never taking his words seriously. "You're pretty bold, hitting my woman! Let's see how arrogant you are in a moment!"
As he spoke, Daniel swung his knife and charged at Ryder. Ryder stood still, not moving an inch. Daniel, feeling smug, thought, "This idiot must be scared stiff!"
Just as he was less than three inches away from Ryder, a burly figure suddenly appeared! A punch landed on Daniel's abdomen!
"Oh my god!"
Daniel's body trembled violently, and he fell to his knees, clutching his stomach, unable to stand up.
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