"That’s enough!" Zachary Preston couldn’t take it anymore. "I give you my entire salary every month. What more could you possibly want?"
"What do you an, ’what more could I want’?" Rona Langdon flared up. "With that pathetic salary of yours? After we pay for water, electricity, gas, and cable every month, take out living expenses, cover social obligations, and pay tuition for the three kids, you do the math! What’s left?"
Zachary Preston’s brow furrowed. Rona Langdon started to cry. "You promised you’d give a good life when you married . But look at you! What kind of life is this? Every single man who proposed to back then was better than you!"
At the ntion of the past, Zachary Preston felt a pang of guilt. He gritted his teeth and said, "I don’t care how other people live their lives. I have my principles!"
With that, he slamd his bowl down and stord upstairs.
The mont Rona Langdon saw this, she started wailing again, complaining from every conceivable angle about her bitter fate and Zachary’s incompetence.
Vera Xavier ate in silence, a bitter taste in her mouth.
In her past life, Rona Langdon had also pestered Zachary Preston daily, urging him to take bribes. He refused to listen, and they spent their days in a cycle of constant argunts—a small one every day, a big one every three.
Later, Rona Langdon accepted a huge bribe behind Zachary’s back. When he was reported and investigated, she had already taken the money and married an old male classmate of hers...
Vera thought of Zachary’s tragic end in her past life and clenched her jaw. ’Thankfully, that hasn’t happened yet. But since I’ve been reborn, I don’t know if the butterfly effect will change how things unfold.’
’Once I finish my college entrance exams,’ she decided, ’I have to help Zachary solve this family ss.’
The next day was Friday, the day of the mock exam. Before Vera left the house, Zachary Preston handed her a fountain pen. "Do well on your test," he said gently. "I’ll stew a chicken for you tonight to help you recover."
Zachary had seen how hard Vera was working these past few days. From staying up late to study, she had developed dark circles under her eyes and seed to have lost so weight. It pained him to see.
Seeing that Cara Preston, who was walking ahead, wasn’t looking, Vera quickly glanced at the pen before stuffing it into her schoolbag.
’It’s a new fountain pen, a Hero brand.’ It wasn’t the best pen of the era, but it was a heartfelt gift from Zachary. The corners of her mouth lifted. "Thanks, Dad. I’ll do my best."
Zachary smiled, gratified, and nodded.
Cara Preston, however, was in a very good mood. After today, Vera would be expelled from school and never be able to study again. Then, all Cara had to do was stir up so trouble with Rona Langdon, and Vera would have to obediently go work in a factory and earn money for her to spend.
Because she was in such a good mood, Cara Preston had a slight smile for everyone she saw. She even offered Vera a reminder, "You have to do your best, Sister! You really have to test well. If you do as poorly as you always do, I guess I’ll have to walk to school by myself."
Vera smiled faintly. "I’ll do my best. I wouldn’t want to disappoint you."
"Good luck!" Cara Preston said, pumping her fist with an encouraging look on her face.
Vera’s smile was serene. She knew exactly why Cara was in such a good mood.
As the bell rang for class, Juliana Taylor walked in with a stack of papers. "Today is the mock exam. I expect all of you to take this seriously. The school leadership has decided that after this test, class seating will be reassigned based on your results. You may begin."
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