The ce where Adrian and Parker first started fighting was a narrow corner- right in the surveince blind spot, making it impossible to tell exactly what happened.


    But the infirmary cameras had caught everything.


    M had already prepared herself for what she might see.


    If the footage showed Adrian throwing the first punch, she was ready to ept responsibility. She''d apologize, make amends, but she wasn''t about to let her own child''s injuries be brushed aside either.


    After all, both boys had fought.


    And honestly, what the other kid had said was cruel.


    The school administrators arrived quickly, unlocked the security footage, and soon everyone was crowded around the screen in the infirmary, watching frame by frame.


    Just as Ms. Stephanie had described, the footage showed the two boys bickering as they entered the infirmary. Eventually, they were separated into different rooms. A little whileter, Adrian-face already bruised-suddenly rushed into Parker''s room, grabbed him by the arm, and tried to pull him outside. That''s when Parkershed out.


    Adrian didn''t fight back.


    He went face-first into the desk, and that''s how he lost his front tooth.


    Watching it, M instinctively squeezed Adrian''s hand, her heart pounding with lingering fear. If he''d hit his eye or some other fragile spot instead of just his tooth, the consequences could have been much worse.


    Thank God it was only a tooth.


    But even so, this was serious.


    When the video ended, everyone fell silent.


    Whatever had happened outside, there was no evidence to prove who started it. But here in the infirmary, there was no doubt-it was Parker who struck first.


    M pressed her lips together, took a steadying breath, and patted Adrian''s back as he sobbed quietly in her arms. Once she''d calmed herself, she looked up at Randall, her eyes cold. "Mr. Grant, what do you have to say for yourself now?"


    Randall looked furious.


    Ignoring M, he turned on his son, his voice sharp with anger. "Parker, did you hit him?"


    "No, Dad!" Parker sobbed. "He said you were dead, and that you had another kid somewhere else and didn''t want me anymore. That''s the only reason I hit him. I didn''t think he wouldn''t dodge. I didn''t mean to―he called me names first..."


    Randall''s expression darkened.


    Adrian, still crying, tugged at M''s sleeve and tried to speak through the gap where his tooth used to be. "That''s not true! Mom, don''t listen to him, he''s lying. He said my dad was gone, and that I was some worthless orphan, and that you and Dad were divorced and nobody wanted me anymore. I just wanted to ask him why he said that, but he wouldn''t exin and then he hit me. It hurts, Mom..."


    M''s heart twisted painfully.


    She cradled Adrian tighter, whispering soothing words.


    Parker, voice shrill, shouted back, "That''s not true! You-you-" He couldn''t find the words, his little fists balled up in frustration as he tried to lunge forward, but Randall caught him and held him back.


    "Parker! That''s enough!"


    Parker blinked away tears, looking up at his father''s disappointed face. “Dad, I swear I''m telling the truth-please believe me!"


    "We''ll discuss this at home."


    Randall handed his son off to a waiting security guard, then turned back to M, who was kneeling tofort Adrian. His tone was frosty. "Ms. Suthend, both our kids were in the wrong. Let''s just call it even."


    Call it even?


    M stroked Adrian''s hair.


    al.n


    She rose slowly, ready to argue, but caught sight of Parker huddled in the security guard''s arms, his own face bruised and blotchy from crying She frowned, then looked Randall in the eye. "Absolutely not. You owe Adrian an apology."


    The things Parker had said no child coulde up with that on his own. Clearly,


    those words hade from an adult, probably repeated at home.


    This wasn''t just the children''s fault. The root was with the parents.


    Randall''s jaw tightened. He wasn''t about to apologize-not here, not in front of


    everyone, not even to set an example for his own son.


    "No way," he snapped. "Don''t push


    your luck, M. Your kid isn''t meless either. He started this! And I know my son-he''s always well-behaved, he doesn''t lie. Can you say your kid didn''t insult mine?"


    He added, "Either we both drop it, or we get the hospital to check the injuries and


    let thew decide. What, you think you can throw your weight around here?"


    "Fine," M shot back without hesitation.


    Randall froze, taken aback.


    M grabbed Adrian''s hand and headed for the door, ncing coldly at Randall as


    she passed. “Let''s go. To the hospital."


    Randall''s face darkened.


    Fine, then. What if Parker''s injuries turned out to be worse?


    At the hospital, after the exams, M anxiously questioned the doctor about the


    severity of Adrian''s injuries and whether his tooth would grow back.


    She finally breathed easier when she heard it was just a minor injury.


    If they hadn''t wasted time arguing at school, she would have brought Adrian to the doctor much sooner.


    Thank goodness it wasn''t serious.


    "Next time something like this


    happens, youe straight to me,"


    M said softly as she dabbed ointment on Adrian''s scrapes, her tone a little scolding. "If you can''t find me, go to Grandpa, or MD Leonard, or your teacher. Violence is the absolutest resort. It hurts others and yourself. Do you understand?"


    "Yes, Mom. I was wrong."


    Adrian admitted his mistake, but when the medicine stung his skin, he winced and tried to squirm away, tears spilling over again. M quickly soothed him.


    When she finished tending his wounds, M continued, "No matter what, hitting someone is wrong. You owe Parker an apology too."


    "Why should I? He started it!" Adrian protested, his voice rising. But under his mother''s gentle gaze, his resolve crumbled. He turned away, grumbling, "Well, only if he apologizes first! He insulted me first!"


    M stroked his hair in silence.


    Just then, the hospital room door swung open. Randall appeared, clutching a crumpled exam report. He red at Adrian, muttered a stiff "Sorry," and stalked out without another word, disappearing down the hall.