Chapter 190 Katniss's Stepmother
"The ramblings of a madman, I just can't get behind. But hey, if it makes you happy." Katniss slipped her phone into her pocket and glanced at the slightly open door behind her.
Delphine was lurking there, spying on them.
"Didn't you learn anything from your reckless dash to Nightfall City? Who do you think you are, talking to me like this?" Bella suddenly felt like Katniss was a whole new person.
Back in Velvet City, Katniss was never this bold in front of her.
She was always so respectful and submissive!
"Is it because Tristan likes you that you're acting all confident? Do you really think you can marry into the Forbes family? With your messed-up background, raised by someone else, and now your stepmom, who treated you well, is terminally ill because of you." Bella's venomous words made Katniss see her in a new light.
Katniss's upbringing and professional ethics kept her from speaking so harshly, but they didn't stop her from taking action.
In the quiet hallway, the sharp sound of a slap cut through Bella's rant.
Katniss had put all her strength into that slap, making Bella stagger and hit the wall.
"I wanted to slap you a year ago in the hospital in Velvet City, butI couldn't find the right moment. Now that you've come to me, don't blame me for being rude." Katniss's eyes were cold as she stepped closer to Bella, her clean, slender fingers grabbing Bella's collar, forcing her to look up.
"If you still think I'm the old Katniss, you're dead wrong. Think twice before you come at me next time. Your stupidity just makes you look ridiculous!" She let go, brushing off her hands with disdain.
Bella, clutching her burning cheek, finally snapped out of it and yelled, "You dare hit me? Katniss, do you know that whether your educational institution survives depends entirely on my mood? Without it, your reputation will be trashed. If you kneel and beg me now, admit your mistake, I might let you off!" She gripped Katniss's wrist tightly, spewing threats while practically begging Katniss to beg her.
Suddenly, the door to the private room beside them swung open, and Delphine, looking frantic, pointed at her phone, unable to speak.
"The teacher who plagiarized my course materials and the professor who made those outrageous claims have both been sued by me. And Delphine, I uploaded all the surveillance footage of you stealing confidential files from my computer online. Get ready to face the consequences." Katniss pried Bella's fingers off one by one, watching Bella's eyes go wide with confusion, her head shaking like she was having a meltdown.
As Katniss walked back into her private room, her eyes showed a mix of sympathy and calm.
After the New Year's buzz, this whole thing blew up. Several teachers posted the video of Delphine stealing course materials in the parent group and, as Katniss suggested, on all social media platforms.
It went viral fast, and within minutes, the teacher's and the senior professor's social media accounts were bombarded with questions and insults.
Some media outlets even tried to get a statement from them but had no luck.
"Ms. Grey, you're incredible."
"Yeah, this kind of payback feels so good!"
"I've been so stressed these past few days. Delphine kept badmouthing you, and I almost believed her."
Several teachers, relieved and emotional, were on the verge of tears.
Katniss, who had been through thick and thin with Tristan, had seen it all.
This kind of setup was just the tip of the iceberg, but seeing them so happy made her smile. "Tonight, enjoy yourselves. Eat and drink whatever you want; it's on me. Don't hold back. After this mess, we'll be short a few teachers in a couple of days, and you'll all have to cover for them. It's going to be tough on you."
With that, the teachers cheered up and started eating and drinking freely.
But no one sang, and the room stayed pretty quiet. When the chaotic footsteps outside the door got louder, they heard it clearly.
Someone curiously opened the door a crack and peeked out, exclaiming twice before pulling back. "A lunatic, shouting and being dragged away by several doctors."
"I am the eldest daughter of the Astor family! Don't touch me! Who do you think you are?" Bella's sharp screams were muffled by the closed door, and Katniss raised an eyebrow. She was seriously losing it.
For Michael to let Bella come and get this worked up, he wasn't much of a responsible brother either.
The private room door was pushed open, and Delphine, her hair a mess and face marked with several slaps, rushed in.
Her eyes darted around the room in panic before she knelt beside Katniss. "Ms. Grey, I'm begging you. I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have done those things. My mom is sick and needs money. Your mom is sick too; so you know what it's like to be desperate for money to save a life. Please give me another chance. I’ll work for you for free for the rest of my life!"
Katniss had heard bits and pieces about Delphine's family situation.
Sure, Delphine had a sick mom, but it was a chronic illness that needed constant meds to keep her going. Delphine's salary made life tough but doable.
How could that compare to Sophia's situation back then? Without meds to keep her going until targeted therapy came along, Sophia wouldn't be here today.
"I get needing money for emergency treatment, but I can't forgive you for betraying others to earn dirty cash. Honestly, I don't have the means to make money to save my mom either, but I'd sell myself before selling out others." Katniss tried to pull her up, but Delphine refused.
Seeing this, Katniss just stood up and stepped away from where Delphine was kneeling, frowning as she said, "Take care."
Delphine's body trembled as she leaned against the sofa, sliding down to sit on the floor in a mess, tears streaming down her face.
A waiter noticed the commotion and quickly came in to pull Delphine out. Although several teachers felt some sympathy, none of them pleaded for Delphine.
Around ten o'clock, Katniss checked the time and told the teachers to keep having fun.
She headed over to Aaron and his friends' private room. They were having a blast, playing cards and singing.
The lights made the room colorful, and in the dim light, she could hardly tell who was who.
Donna was the first to notice her and went to the corner to find Aaron, who was playing cards.
When Aaron saw her, he threw down his cards and got up to leave.
"Donna, you should come with us," Aaron said at the door. "Ms. Grey can give you a ride. It's not safe for you to be alone this late."
Donna hesitated and looked at Katniss for confirmation.
Katniss smiled and said, "Sure."
"Thank you, Ms. Grey," Donna said with a smile, glancing at Aaron before looking away.
The kids in the private room were still having a great time. Katniss turned on the lights, and the noisy environment instantly quieted down.
Many eyes turned to her, and she smiled and nodded, saying, "It's getting late. Aaron and Donna need to go home. Don't worry your parents, and go home early."
With that reminder, Donna and Aaron waved goodbye to the group and left.
Although it wasn't on her way, it was only a twenty-minute drive to drop Donna off, not far.
The car was quiet, with Donna and Aaron sitting close to their respective doors in the back seat.
"Aaron, your classmates still like you as much as before. They'll be really happy when you return to school," Donna said softly, with a hint of girlish shyness.
Aaron was fiddling with his phone, a look of longing in his eyes, but he scoffed, "Going back to school just means high school. What's there to be happy about?"
Donna didn't have a response to that.
Katniss couldn't help but smile and said, "Actually, if you're planning to go to high school, it's best to get back into school early to adapt. The longer you're away, the harder it will be for you."
Aaron's rebellious attitude had toned down a bit since the beginning.
But compared to the others in the private room, he still seemed different.
"I can't decide my future. Anyway, you're tutoring me, so it doesn't matter if I go back or not," Aaron said nonchalantly.
Katniss thought he had a point. Talking to Aaron wouldn't help; she should find a suitable opportunity to discuss it with Eudora.
After safely dropping Donna off, she and Aaron headed home.
It was late, and everyone was asleep. She kept an eye on the online plagiarism incident while preparing for work in a couple of days.
She occasionally glanced at her phone. After getting home, she messaged Tristan to say she was home but hadn't received a reply.
This was unlike Tristan, who usually replied immediately.
She couldn't help but frown, and before she knew it, it was past one o'clock.
Maybe he had fallen asleep?
She finally went to bed.
Perhaps because she was thinking about Tristan, she dreamt of him all night, and the dreams were so vivid that it felt like he was really there.
Early the next morning, she got up early and took Sophia to the hospital's rehabilitation department with Matilda.
Sophia's rehabilitation doctor, recommended by Terry, was well aware of her condition and had already prepared a rehabilitation plan.
They spent about an hour in the rehab room before coming out.
"Over the past year, you've done a great job. Sophia's neuromuscular system hasn't atrophied, so her recovery will be quick. Just make sure she moves her hands and feet more at home, but don't rush her to stand up," the doctor said.
Katniss and Matilda took note of all the doctor's instructions.
Sophia's eyes were filled with excitement, her lips twitching as if she wanted to speak.
The two of them left the hospital with Sophia.
They were so immersed in the joy of hearing that Sophia's recovery would be quick that they didn't notice Michael and Eudora as they passed by.
Michael and Eudora saw them, stopping to watch as Katniss and Matilda struggled to get Sophia into the car and drive away.
"Was that..." Eudora asked Michael, puzzled.
Michael replied coldly, "Katniss's stepmother and stepsister."
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