The Wicked Wife's Dark History Keeps Coming Back To Haunt Her - Chapter 62
âThe, the thing is…â
Marquis Ulverni stammered, sweating nervously.
Though the voice was flat and emotionless, the anger simmering in the ash-gray eyes was clearly visible.
âD-Duke⌠Your Grace. This is a misunderstanding.â
Ian tilted his head innocently.
âThen, was it Richardâs idea alone to keep telling me to change guardians?â
It would be hard to explain why Richard had been so persistent unless there had been parental influence.
âIâll need to meet with the headmaster.â
The already pale face of the Marchioness of Ulverni turned completely white.
âD-Duke, surely you donât intend to⌠to expel Richard, do you?â
The Marchionessâs lips trembled.
She had spent a fortune sending her son to Saint Hennige Academy, all for the purpose of forming connections with children who would go on to become influential in various social circles, which would benefit their family in the future.
âIsnât that obvious?â
âBut itâs just a fight between children! As for the guardian issue, it seems our child didnât really understand what he was saying. Itâs truly a misunderstanding to say we ordered him to do that!â
It was pitiful to see Richard blamed by such cowardly parents, but Ash showed no mercy.
âWhether this ends with your sonâs expulsion or if the matter will be taken up at a family level, thatâs your choice.â
* * *
For Ash, anything related to Ian was non-negotiable.
Ash stared quietly at the headmaster, who was frozen stiff like a statue. A teacup sat on the table, but the untouched tea had long gone cold, failing in its purposeâmuch like the headmaster himself.
Ashâs gaze was just as cold.
After a long silence, he spoke slowly.
âWhen I enrolled Ian here and made a large donation to the academy, I had just one request.â
That Ian would be carefully protected from any threats.
âAnd yet, you couldnât even fulfill that simple request, and now this has happened. I am disappointed.â
He had chosen to send Ian here because he believed it would be safer than Ninaâs household. The academy was a place where outsiders were strictly prohibited. But still not fully reassured, he had essentially bought Ianâs safety with money.
That money had built new buildings, expanded dormitories, improved the quality of education, and, of course, filled the pockets of the professors and the headmaster.
âHeadmaster, what do you think about this situation?â
Ashâs icy gaze turned to the homeroom teacher, who trembled with guilt-stricken terror.
It wasnât just like guiltâit was guilt.
Ash knew, just as Nina did, that they had been trying to sacrifice Ian to avoid a troublesome situation. The fact that they had dared to make the heir of the Bayern family bow his headâwhat should be the price for that?
Ash believed that if someone made a mistake, they deserved punishment.
Had Ian done something wrong and been made to apologize, Ash would have understood. Even if they had tried to cover up the incident to avoid familial shame, he would have found fault with that, but this situation was far worse.
âI trusted you to take care of the child, but I deeply regret that such a disgraceful incident has occurred. How would you like me to proceed?â
Ash had withdrawn, thinking it would be better for Ianâs well-being not to be overly involved, but that had only led to this miserable situation.
Ian was an exemplary studentâexcellent grades, good behavior, and harmonious relationships with his peers.
Clearly, they had assumed that because Ian was kind, he would simply let things slide. The thought was infuriating.
Was this truly the first time something like this had happened?
Ash reflected bitterly on not coming sooner and spoke.
âExpel the son of Marquis Ulverni and replace the homeroom teacher.â
âYour Grace, I beg your pardon, but that decision must be handled strictly according to school regulations…â
The headmaster broke out in a cold sweat and hesitated. If he didnât follow the rules, his reappointment might be in jeopardy, as he was appointed by Marquis Hennige, who ran the academy.
Ash scoffed and spoke slowly.
âIâve heard rumors that the academyâs donations are being used for money laundering.â
The headmasterâs face turned stark white in an instant.
âYour Grace, in a sacred place of learning, money laundering? Surely not!â
âThe important thing isnât whether itâs true.â
Ash had the power to turn lies into truth, while the headmasterâs position depended entirely on Ashâs decisions.
âSo, I hope youâll help me avoid taking more violent measures.â
It was only natural to remove Marquis Ulverniâs family from the academy for trying to reach for Ian, at the request of Count Azelot. And how would this teacher treat a student from a less powerful family?
As the headmaster lowered his head in silence, Ash stood up.
He knew the headmaster would have no choice but to accept his demands.