Both Phoebe and Anya turned pale at Cedric’s interrogation.
“Umm… Dad, what makes you think we’ll do something like that? You were the one who liaised with the teacher
who came up with the test paper, and we never had contact with him. How can we steal the test paper?”
Anya nodded. “She’s right, Grandpa. We’d never do something like that.”
Cedric scoffed at them. “Is that so? Would you never do something like that? Are you telling me Josephine and her
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtmother snuck into our house and hacked into my email account to steal the test paper? Tell me something: Do you
think I’m that stupid, or do you think our house security system is only for show?”
Phoebe blinked profusely in panic. “Dad, why… Why do you insist someone has stolen the test paper from you? Has
Corinne said something to you?”
“If no one stole the test paper, how could Josephine get a perfect score on the first test, but only two points on her
second test?” asked Cedric angrily. “It’s obvious she had the answer memorized for the first test.
“The teacher who came up with the questions emailed me a copy of the test paper beforehand. After checking
through it, I gave him the green light to proceed. Now, besides the two of you, who else has the most to gain from
helping Josephine plus has the opportunity to access my computer?”
“Dad, we didn’t steal the test paper!” Phoebe insisted stubbornly. This was definitely a hill she would die on. “You
can accuse me, but how can you accuse Anya?”
“Grandpa, my mom will never do something like that. There might be other reasons why Josephine did poorly on
the second test…” said Anya weepily.
Pamela frowned deeply. She looked at her spoiled granddaughter as if she was a stranger. “Please wake up, Anya.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmWe’ll forgive you if you admit what you did right now.”
Anya was stunned. ‘They’ll forgive me if I admit what I did right now?’ Her resolution started to waver a little. ‘But if
I do that, I’ll lose their trust… No! I cannot lose that!’
“Grandma, I really didn’t do it…”
Cedric lost hope in getting an admission of guilt out of the unrepentant Phoebe and Anya.
“I thought raising you here will make you become more like us. But you’re becoming more and more like your
mother. In fact, you’re exactly like her: Fake, manipulative, and greedy! Both of you are hopeless!”
Anya tried to elicit some sympathy from Cedric by crying. “Grandpa…”
“Enough!” boomed Cedric impatiently. “I don’t want to hear anything you or your mother have to say. Pack up your
bags now. I’m sending you both to live in the summer villa. I can’t stand the sight of you two anymore.”