The Real Heiress Is Coming Back (Hannah Carter) novel Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Chapter 73

“Hannah? You seemed miles away.” A hand gently touched her shoulder. “I’ve been calling your name several times.

Hannah looked up to find Megan standing beside her. “Ms. Lindsay? What brings you here?”

The teacher stood with a canvas bag slung over her shoulder, both hands supporting her lower back. It seemed she had come looking for Hannah with a specific purpose.

“I’ve been trying to track you down! Here, I’ve prepared several speech drafts for you. Take a look and see which one suits you best.” Megan said.

She produced a stack of annotated papers from her bag, the detailed margin notes testifying to the careful preparation.

Sliding her lunch tray aside, Hannah glanced at the documents with puzzled curiosity.

“The top ten finalists will be announced tonight,” Megan explained, her face bright with expectation. “You’re currently our class’ frontrunner, a shoo-in for the finals.

“Now we should prepare for the speech competition. With proper preparation, you could win the crown and represent our class at the anniversary celebration!”

Though Hannah wanted to clarify she hadn’t even registered, a quick check of the campus forum confirmed the undeniable. Her name and photo led the female candidates’ list.

“Thank you, Ms. Lindsay,” she finally said, accepting the papers.

“My pleasure! Take these drafts and look them over. Pick one that works for you, then stop by my office after school. We can start working on your delivery. I’m free this weekend, too, if you need extra coaching.

“Let’s make sure you’re completely ready before the speech competition next week!” Megan’s voice brimmed with optimistic energy.

“Thank you, but I really don’t…” Hannah began to explain that public speaking wasn’t unfamiliar territory for her when a young boy came hurrying toward their table.

“Hey! Are you Lucian’s sister?” The boy, no older than eight in his Cavalor Elementary uniform, stood breathless before them, still panting from his run.

“Goodness, what’s the matter? Catch your breath first, dear.” Megan immediately offered him a tissue and gently rubbed his back.

“Thanks, madam,” the boy managed between gasps before turning urgently to Hannah. “I’m in Lucian’s class. He got into a fight with some third-graders, and they took him to the nurse’s office.

“The teacher called home, but nobody answered. Can you please come quickly?”

Hannah’s brows drew together slightly. Lucian was only a first-grader. What could have possibly led him to fight older students?

“How bad is it? Hannah, you should go check on him right away,” Megan urged, concern lining her face.

“Of course.” Hannah’s response was calm but immediate. “I appreciate the materials, but please don’t trouble yourself about tutoring.

“You should be resting during your pregnancy. I’ll manage the preparation on my own.” She was already gathering her belongings.

10:55 Mon, Dec 22 G

Chapter 73

Before Megan could insist, Hannah had turned to follow the anxious boy across the cafeteria.

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“Megan, why don’t you start your maternity leave early? These kids are hopeless. Most just slid in through connections to get that fancy diploma.

“Just go through the motions and don’t stress yourself out.” Kendra Sullivan commented as she approached, having observed the scene unfold.

As the homeroom teacher for Sophomore Class 2 and the Thalvarin instructor for Classes 1 to 5, she was well aware of the school competition rumors.

In her view, Hannah didn’t stand a chance in the final speech contest. No amount of last-minute coaching from Megan would change that. The whole effort was pointless.

“Come on, Kendra. Every student has their own strengths. If they’re willing to put in the work, they can still shine,” Megan countered.

Kendra let out a dismissive laugh. “You can’t polish a rotten piece of wood. Don’t push yourself. You might end up stressing out the baby.”

Hannah followed the little boy to the school infirmary, where muffled sobs and a woman’s sharp voice spilled into the hallway.

“What’s taking so long? It’s been nearly an hour. Where are his parents?” Stacy Kincaid’s voice cut through the door. “Some people shouldn’t have children if they can’t even bother to show up when their kid’s in trouble.”

“Mrs. Kincaid, please calm down. Lucian’s father is stuck in traffic,” Brenda Harper, the homeroom teacher, explained patiently.

“Traffic? What nonsense! The roads were clear when I arrived,” Stacy snapped, her tone dripping with skepticism. “He’s clearly making excuses to avoid taking responsibility.

“If I don’t get a proper apology for what his brat did to my son, I’ll have your school sued for negligence.”

The threat made Jaden’s homeroom teacher, Tina Dawson, uneasy. “Brenda, maybe you should call him again. Make sure he’s really coming?”

At that moment, a knock sounded at the door before it swung open to reveal’ Hannah.

Her composed gaze swept across the office, immediately taking in the scene. Lucian stood isolated by the window like a disciplined student, his uniform stained and torn.

Though his face bore visible bruises and swelling, he maintained a defiant posture with his chin raised high, staring fixedly outside.

In stark contrast, Jaden appeared to be a heavy-set boy of approximately 180 pounds with a darker complexion and acne- marked skin.

The only visible indications of the altercation were the white bandage wrapped around his forehead and his soiled uniform, as he sat weeping on a stretcher bed surrounded by a concerned circle of his mother, the school nurse, and teachers.

The difference between them, Hannah noted, was that Lucian had never learned to play the victim.

“All this drama,” Hannah remarked coolly, “and one might think your son was actually beaten to death.”

Lucian immediately turned at the sound of her voice, his eyes widening in surprise.

Chapter 73

“Who do you think you’re talking to? Learn some manners!” Stary snapped

The woman’s wine red curls and head-to-toe designer clothing, accentuated by heavy gold jewelry, projected the unmistakable air of new money

“Says the one screaming obscenities in a school office,” Hannah countered evenly.

Stacy momentarily faltered before demanding. “And who exactly are you?”

“Lucian’s sister,” Hannah responded, then gestured toward her brother. “Come here”

The simple command caught Lucian off guard, yet he found himself crossing the room almost instinctively.

Only when he stood before her did he realize how automatically he had obeyed.

“Well, this is rich,” Stacy sneered with deliberate condescension. “Last I heard, the Scotts only went bankrupt. Not exactly a family tragedy. So Dorian’s too cowardly to show his face and sends his provincial daughter instead?”

The news of the Scott family’s financial collapse had circulated through all of Brynlock, knowledge Stacy had particularly relished as it meant one less business rival for the Kincaids.

She had been anticipating the opportunity to humiliate Dorian personally, only to be confronted by his daughter instead.

Ignoring Stacy, Hannah turned to Laucian. “What happened?”

The bruises and swelling on his face were a testament to the severity of the fight.

“None of your business,” Laucian muttered, turning his face away.

Seeing his reluctance, Tina quickly intervened. “Miss, from what we understand, Lucian and Jaden had a verbal altercation that turned physical when Lucian threw the first punch.

“He also struck Jaden’s head with a stone. Your family will need to take full responsibility.”

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