They called me bastard

Alice's car glided to a stop in front of the prestigious Elite High School, the weight of the principal's unexpected call gnawing at her mind. Emily was usually a well-behaved child, polite to everyone she met, but Alice knew her daughter had a fierce tongue when provoked. The sight that greeted her when she entered the building did little to ease her concern. In front of the principal's office stood a woman, tall and impeccably dressed in designer clothes, whose face twisted with fury.She had her arms, crossed over her chest with her lips pressed into a thin line. Beside herr, a young girl, Helena, about the same age as Emily, was sniffling and wiping her eyes. Helena's tears streamed down her cheeks, her expression that of a wounded victim. Emily, on the other hand, sat quietly with her head held high, her small body perfectly still.

The contrast between the two children clear as daylight, one was calm and the other sobbed uncontrollably portraying the victim.

Alice's eyes narrowed as she took in the scene. She knew her daughter wasn't one to bully others without reason; something about this situation felt off, and she wasn't about to jump to conclusions based on appearances alone. As she moved to step inside the office, the woman Helena's mother blocked her way, her face contorting with rage.

"So, you're the mother of that little terror!" the woman spat, her voice dripping with disdain. "No wonder your daughter's a brat, with a mother like you! It's clear you've raised her with no manners, just a nasty little troublemaker who thinks high of herself."

Alice's expression remained impassive, though a dangerous light flickered in her eyes. "Careful,There" she replied icily, her tone as cold as a winter's chill. "I'd suggest you rein in that mouth before you embarrass yourself further. It seems your daughter's tantrums aren't the only thing out of control in your household instead of raising a daughter who sobs, at the slightest sign of discomfort raise a dog instead..cause if this is how you trained your daughter, then your not worth to be called a mother"

Mandy Moore's face flushed with shock and indignation, but before she could respond, Alice brushed past her, ignoring her increasingly desperate shouts. "You....""how dare....."

With an unyielding stride, Alice pushed open the door to the principal's office, her aura icy and unapproachable. The principal, a heavyset man with a stern face, barely glanced up from the papers in front of him. His dismissive attitude was clear from the way he held himself, a slight sneer on his lips.

"Miss Wilson, your daughter's behavior today is unacceptable," the principal said without preamble. "She has bullied another child something we do not tolerate here at Elite High. And, let me remind you, Helena is the daughter of a significant investor in our school." His gaze was condescending, treating Alice as if she were beneath his notice. "Frankly, considering the seriousness of this matter, I'm prepared to dismiss Emily from our school. This is not a place for children who don't know how to act."

Mandy, who had followed them into the room, jumped in immediately, her voice shrill. "That's right! Expel her! She's nothing but trouble, and it's clear where she gets it from. Your brat hurt my daughter, and now you'll face the consequences of crossing me."

 "How do you know that my daughter bullied her?.

"Well.... can't you see?" The principal asked cunningly 

Alice's eyes darkened at the blatant hostility, but she maintained her icy demeanor. Without a word, she walked over to where Emily sat, crouching down to look her daughter in the eye. "Emily," she said gently, her voice softening for the first time, "tell me exactly what happened."

Emily's eyes were wide but steady as she responded, in her cute childlike voice her tone clear and without hesitation. "It was Helena and her friends who started it, Mommy. They were making fun of me and calling me names. I ignored them at first, but then Helena said something really mean." Emily's face tightened with a flicker of hurt.

"She called me a bastard child... and I couldn't take it anymore. I told her to stop, but she just kept saying it, so I yelled back and pushed her when she got too close."

Alice listened carefully, her expression growing colder with every word. She rose to her feet and turned to face the principal, her tone calm but firm. 

"What do you have to say?" 

The principal smugly replied immediately "Nothing more than I've said before"

"If my daughter's version of events is accurate, then I want to see the footage from the school's surveillance cameras. That should clear up any misunderstandings."

The principal's lips twisted into a disdainful smile, waving her off dismissively. "I'm afraid we can't just allow anyone to access the surveillance footage. We have policies, and besides, Mrs. Moore's complaint carries significant weight here."

Alice's expression didn't change, but a dangerous edge sharpened in her gaze. She pulled out her phone, her fingers moving rapidly across the screen lazily. "Very well," she said coolly, "if you won't do it, I will."

The principal's brow furrowed in confusion as Alice continued to tap away, seemingly ignoring the gravity of the situation. Mandy, who had been watching the interaction, grew red with fury. "How dare you! Are you just going to play with your phone while my daughter is in tears? Sign the withdrawal papers for your brat and be done with it, before we have to throw you both out!"

Ignoring Mandy's taunts, Alice continued her work, her fingers never pausing. It took less than a minute before she looked up, her expression unreadable. "You know," she said softly, her tone laced with a cold fury, "people like you are why we always need to be prepared." 

The video was exactly what Emily had explained they had messed with her first and here they were acting as victims, her eyes turn terrifyingly dark these people dared mess with her daughter....

With a final tap, she placed the phone on the principal's desk. The screen showed the surveillance footage, clear and undeniable.

The principal's face drained of color as the video played, Helena and her friends clearly taunting Emily, calling her names, and pushing her to the brink. It was only after Helena uttered the word "bastard" that Emily finally retaliated, defending herself against the cruel assault. Alice's expression hardened further. "This," she said, her voice like ice, "is what really happened. Yet you were quick to condemn my daughter without even finding out the truth."

Caught off guard, the principal stammered, but he quickly regained his composure, a stubborn look settling over his features. "It doesn't change the fact that Emily retaliated. She should have reported it to a teacher instead of responding. That's the rule. The fault still lies with her for not following proper protocol."

Alice's eyes flared with a chilling light, and she took a step closer, her presence dominating the room. "So, what you're saying is that standing up for herself makes her the guilty party here? Even when she's clearly the victim?"

The principal shifted uncomfortably but remained resolute, driven by his desire to appease Mandy Moore. "That's the way it is. The rules are clear, and they've been broken. Emily is at fault."

Alice's patience snapped, and a dangerous calm settled over her features. She pulled out her phone again, this time with a clear purpose. "Fine," she said evenly. "If that's how you choose to handle things here, then I'll handle matters my way." She dialed a number and waited, her gaze never leaving the principal's. "I want the principal of Elite High fired immediately," she said sharply into the phone, her voice carrying an unyielding authority.