From His Wife to His Uncle's Wife novel Chapter 138

“Can I ask how that student who passed Jared the note did on his exams?”

Mr. O’Hart hesitated. “Well, his grades are definitely better than Jared’s.”

“Mr. O’Hart, you still have Jared’s test papers, right? Except for the last subject, why not have each teacher grade his work and compare it? Let’s actually look at the scores and see who did better, Jared or the note-passer.”

“Isn’t it a bit unfair to just assume Jared was the one cheating?”

It was the first time anyone had challenged him so directly. Mr. O’Hart fumbled for words. “I don’t think that’s necessary. Even if Jared’s grades were good, our school wouldn’t accept a student with his kind of problems. Not to mention his health issues.”

Eleanor’s expression turned icy. “You keep calling Jared a problem student, but you won’t even make his scores public. Maybe you can show us the hallway security footage from that day. Or are you about to tell me the cameras just happened to be broken?”

Mr. O’Hart’s jaw clenched. She’d beaten him to the excuse he wanted to use. He was furious, but he couldn’t find the words.

He snapped, “Stop making trouble. We’re not going to admit Jared, no matter what. You should leave.”

Eleanor could tell Mr. O’Hart was hiding something. Was someone deliberately keeping Jared out? The face of the old lady flashed through her mind. She realized she’d been too trusting, thinking the old woman was genuinely grateful.

“Mr. O’Hart, you don’t deserve your position. You’re not fit to teach at Brookstone High, and this school doesn’t deserve its name. Don’t try anything behind the scenes, and don’t you dare slander Jared. If you do, I won’t hesitate to bring this straight to the education board.”

Even if Jared wasn’t admitted, smearing an innocent student was something the board would care very much about. Eleanor’s real goal wasn’t to cause trouble for the school, just to make sure they didn’t ruin Jared’s reputation.

She stormed out. Mr. O’Hart stood there, lips pressed tight, looking absolutely furious.

...

Leaving the school, Eleanor bumped into the old lady at the main gate.

Paola greeted her warmly. “Eleanor, are you here to help your brother enroll?”

Sweat beaded on Mr. O’Hart’s forehead. “It’s not what you think.”

“Then what is it?”

Mr. O’Hart gave a tired, bitter smile. “It was Ms. Goff. She called and told me to make sure that boy never got in. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“What?” Paola stood up abruptly. “You’re saying Jessie told you to do all this?”

Mr. O’Hart couldn’t hide it anymore. “Yes.”

Paola thought back to what Jessie had said about Eleanor. Why would Jessie go so far? Weren’t they practically family?

When Jessie got Paola’s call asking her to come back, she didn’t think much of it.