It seemed the other parents had suffered plenty under Caroline's reign of terror.
I finally understood why Ms. Su had suddenly taken "sick leave."
I turned to look at Jonathan, still throwing a tantrum. I took him firmly by the hand and led him to the corner.
"You can go back to your nap bed when you admit you were wrong."
He stood there for less than ten minutes before his resolve crumbled. Seeing everyone else sleeping, he awkwardly muttered an apology to Delia.
While the children napped, I marched to the principal's office.
I pulled up the surveillance footage of the incident and the screenshots of Caroline insulting Delia in the group chat.
"Bonnie." I skipped the pleasantries. "Jonathan hit a classmate. Caroline isn't just refusing to educate him—she's publicly abusing the victim. Today she forced me to breastfeed and demanded photos of poop. Tomorrow, who knows what she'll want?"
I leaned forward. "If this continues, I can't teach. And I certainly can't guarantee the safety or mental health of the other children."
Bonnie let out a heavy sigh. She looked aged. Helpless.
Finally, she spilled the truth.
Caroline's husband, Caleb Whitney, held a high position in the Department of Education. He was the man who signed off on the kindergarten's annual inspection reviews.
I blinked.
Then a smile tugged at the corners of my lips. *Caleb Whitney?*
"Well," I said, "isn't that a coincidence."
I turned around and sent a quick text message:
*Dad, there's a guy named Caleb Whitney in your unit. What's his family situation like? And his character?*
My dad's reply came quickly:
*He's pretty down-to-earth and hardworking. He's up for a promotion at the end of the year. His wife runs a restaurant business, and he has a daughter in high school. Why do you ask?*
*A daughter in high school.*
I stared at the screen. Jonathan was kindergarten age.
The math didn't add up.
Suddenly, this situation got a whole lot more interesting.
I endured the rest of the day, desperate to send the kids home so I could see my own baby. I had entered this industry because I loved the innocence of children. It took years to realize that not every child has a mother who teaches them right from wrong.
And not every mother is sane.
Just like Caroline James, who was currently pointing a manicured finger in my face again.
"Ms. Henson." She sneered. "I wasted half my day going through your social media feed."
I rolled my eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck looking at the ceiling.
"I found that you love drinking milk tea and eating at nice restaurants. You look very... *happy*." She spat the word like a curse. "As a kindergarten teacher, shouldn't your happiness come solely from caring for the children? When you leave the school, shouldn't you feel empty and pained without them?"
She wasn't done. "And you *travel*! A teacher's duty is to serve the children. After work, you should use that time to improve your caretaking skills, not do these meaningless things. You are being irresponsible!"
Her voice sharpened. "From now on, you are forbidden from posting such things. Do you hear me?"
Truly a masterclass in absurdity.
Fortunately, I now knew exactly what kind of person she was—and what kind of secret she was likely hiding.
There was no need to get angry.
"Thanks for the reminder," I said, my voice dripping with sugary sarcasm. "By your logic, whenever Jonathan isn't in your line of sight, shouldn't you be beating your chest, weeping, and screaming to the heavens in agony?"
A nearby parent couldn't hold it in and let out a loud *pfft* of laughter.
Caroline choked. Her face turned the color of a beet.
I handed Jonathan over to her and smiled sweetly. "You care so much about my personal life. Why not channel that energy into worrying about your son's habit of snatching toys and hitting classmates?"
I leaned in slightly. "After all, parents are a child's most important teachers. Focusing your energy on parenting is far more useful than stalking your son's teacher to see if she drinks milk tea."
Caroline ground her teeth so hard I could hear them creak.
"Fine, Olivia Henson." She hissed. "You actually dare to talk back to me? Do you know who my husband is?!"
Her eyes flashed with malice. "I advise you to show me some respect. Or else, I will make sure you never find work in the education sector again!"
