The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 309

By the time they reached the hospital, it was late. Heath Sawyer was sitting alone in the drab, worn-out emergency room hallway, his face a canvas of blue and purple bruises.

The moment she saw him, Nova rushed over, leaving Holden behind. After a frantic series of questions, she confirmed that he had only suffered minor cuts and bruises, and a wave of relief washed over her.

Holden lingered nearby as a teacher arrived with two other adults—the parents of the other boy.

The boy Heath had fought was a year older. The conflict had started with a verbal argument, but somehow escalated to Heath ambushing the other boy from behind and hitting him over the head, gashing his scalp open. The boy was fine, but he had needed stitches and was now resting, waiting for Heath’s guardian to arrive to discuss compensation.

“Apologize,” Nova said, pressing down on Heath’s head. But her brother remained stubbornly silent. She knew him; he was a gentle, good-natured kid who would never start a fight. But no matter the circumstances, the other boy was seriously injured, and the teacher had already told her that if they couldn’t get the other family to drop the matter, a mark on Heath’s record could jeopardize his college applications next year.

Finally, Heath bowed his head and muttered a cold, “I’m sorry.” He had already apologized under the teacher’s supervision before Nova arrived, but the parents had refused to accept it, instead berating him for having no manners and insulting his family.

“An apology that insincere is one I can’t accept,” the other boy’s mother scoffed. She was well-dressed and plump, her expensive clothes clashing with her aggressive demeanor. She had repeatedly pinched Heath until the teacher had physically intervened.

“Heath, apologize properly! What you did was wrong!” Nova said, her own anger rising.

This time, the fight went out of him. With his sister here, he could swallow his pride. He bowed a full ninety degrees. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have hit him.”

“We’re so sorry,” Nova said, bowing alongside her brother. “Heath is young and acted foolishly. Whatever the reason, we will compensate you. Please, find it in your heart to forgive him this once.”

The parents, however, were unmoved.

“I didn’t mean to hit Wendell!” Heath finally shouted, the injustice of it all boiling over. “I was trying to stop him from hitting a little kid! It was an accident!”

Wendell Shaw, the other boy, used his family’s money and connections to bully everyone at school. He was particularly vicious to the younger children, extorting money and snacks from them.

Heath had seen it happen several times but had held his tongue, just as his sister had told him to. But this time, Wendell had noticed him watching, shoved him around, and insulted his family. Then Heath saw him slap a little girl so hard her lip split open. In a blind rage, Heath had grabbed the first thing he saw—a loose piece of brick—and brought it down on the back of Wendell’s head.

The moment it happened, he regretted his impulsiveness. He had let his sister down.

Nova immediately understood, but the truth didn’t matter. Even the teacher was avoiding her gaze. She was afraid of the Shaws.