Chapter 183
"Is this broken toy really worth that much money?" Patricia Stone's heart pounded nervously.
She clutched the hem of her dress, too afraid to agree to the compensation. That amount could buy half a pig!
"George Jr., get out here and apologize!" Patricia shouted, her voice trembling.
Apologize?
From inside the house, George Jr. curled his lip. He remembered all too clearly the last time his mother had fought with Aunt Emily.
"You little brat, come out now!" Patricia stomped her foot in frustration. She wasn’t afraid of a fight, but paying money was another matter.
In the dead of winter, with no work in the fields, where would they earn the work points?
The house remained silent—George Jr. refused to show himself.
Patricia kicked the door open, grabbed her son by the ear, and dragged him outside, landing a few sharp smacks on his backside. "If you don’t apologize, I’ll break your legs!"
George Jr.'s eyes widened in disbelief. Was this really his mother talking?
Just yesterday, she had called David and Tommy "useless burdens." The day before, she’d cursed Uncle Michael and Aunt Emily to an early grave.
Why was she cowering now that Aunt Emily was here?
Children’s thoughts were brutally honest.
Emily Johnson watched coldly as Patricia dragged her son forward, her frown deepening.
Is this how you raise a child?
"George Jr.," she said, her voice icy. "Why did you break your cousins’ toys? You’re family—you should be looking out for each other."
George Jr. jutted out his chin. "They wouldn’t let me play with it! If they hadn’t chased me, it wouldn’t have broken!"
Blaming the victims?
Emily’s gaze turned even colder. "Taking without asking is stealing. Breaking something and running away is cowardice. Refusing to admit fault now is arrogance."
The barrage of words left the boy stunned.
"When you do something wrong, shouldn’t you apologize?"
The child stammered, his eyes darting around. Patricia wrung her hands, nearly blurting out, "We’ll pay for it!"
"What’s all this commotion?"
William Stone walked in, carrying a shovel, and froze at the scene in the yard. His sister-in-law Emily was here?
Since the new house was built, this was her first visit.
"William," Emily said calmly. "I just came to talk to George Jr. about a small matter."
William’s heart skipped a beat. His eyes landed on Tommy’s red-rimmed eyes, and a cold sweat broke out on his back.
Emily had knocked out Peter Wilson in one punch. Was she about to...?