Chapter 702: Zackary's Friend
At this point, Zackary's small face tightly scrunched up, and he let out a little sigh. Seeing this, Jennie said to Tina, "I know about this. Sally's mother is the daughter of a once prominent family in the capital. After the Dyer family went bankrupt and couldn't pay off their debts, her parents both jumped off a building. Later, she married a teacher. The living conditions are decent, and her in-laws are good to her."
Jennie paused and sighed, "I don't know if she offended someone, but her in-laws are teachers too. Ever since she married into their family, people have been causing trouble for them, either by accusing them of taking bribes or alleging her father-in-law of molesting students. These issues blew up, were all over the internet, and they even got doxxed. People threw paint on their house, tossed rotten eggs, and the neighborhood signed a petition to drive them out." "They called the police, but all the evidence was against them. The school fired the couple, and eventually, they had no choice but to sell their house. But before they could sell it, her husband was in a serious car accident and needed intensive care. She had to rent a place and spent all the money from the house sale on medical bills."
Jennie continued, "She studied management, but since her family went bankrupt, she couldn't find a job. For years, her husband supported them, and after he became disabled, with no income from the in-laws and steep school fees for their daughter, she had to take the hardest and most tiring jobs available."
Tina frowned, "Zackary's kindergarten isn't cheap, right? At least fifty thousand dollars a year in tuition. If they are struggling so much, why don't they transfer schools?"
Zackary's school wasn't an elite one. Hugo and Jennie didn't want Zackary to grow up feeling like a rich heir, so they chose a middle-tier kindergarten for him. But in the capital, everything is expensive. Even a middle-tier kindergarten costs fifty thousand dollars a year. For the Reed family, fifty thousand dollars for tuition was manageable, but for Sally's mother, it was a considerable expense.RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only
"Speaking of which, it's quite strange," Jennie said.
Tina raised an eyebrow, "How is it strange?"
"They thought about transferring Sally to another school, but when she found good schools and tried to talk to them, they all rejected Sally, saying she didn't meet their admission standards. All the kindergartens in the capital said the same thing, but she couldn't just not send her child to school, so she had to work multiple jobs."
Jennie sighed again, "When I went to pick up Zackary, I met Mrs. Dyer a few times. Zackary and Sophia really like Sally, and sometimes they chat for a bit. I was surprised to learn that Mrs. Dyer was delivering food and working as a waitress..." At first, Jennie didn't know about Mrs. Dyer's situation; it was only after Hugo did some digging that they understood the extent of it. Despite Mrs. Dyer's good looks, pleasant demeanor, and high education, she had to deliver food and wait tables, working three jobs a day, which Jennie found incomprehensible.
Given Mrs. Dyer's qualifications, she could easily earn more in one month at any company than she did working five jobs. Jennie asked Mrs. Dyer why she didn't pursue such opportunities, but Mrs. Dyer just gave a bitter smile and remained silent. It was, after all, her own business, and Jennie felt it wasn't her place to pry further.
On a particularly busy Friday, Jennie was delayed at work and arrived over an hour late to pick up her son Zackary from school. By the time she got there, only Zackary and another child, Sally, were left waiting without their parents. After taking Zackary, they realized he had forgotten his drawing book at school, so they turned back. To Jennie's surprise, Sally was still there, crying as the teacher tried to reach her mother.
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Jennie, unable to watch the distressed child, offered to take Sally to Mrs. Dyer's workplace. Having previously discussed where Mrs. Dyer worked, the teacher called again to get her consent, and then Jennie left with Sally.
Mrs. Dyer was a waitress at a fancy hotel-a place that seemed unlikely to hire someone struggling to find work elsewhere, yet they had employed her. When Jennie arrived with Zackary and Sally, she found Mrs. Dyer being harassed by a flamboyantly dressed woman who was demanding $500, 000 for a supposedly custom-made cup she accused Mrs. Dyer of breaking. The woman insisted not only on compensation but also demanded that Mrs. Dyer kneel in apology. Jennie stepped in to help, but the woman was relentless, threatening to call the police if she did not kneel and pay. Mrs. Dyer, terrified of the police, offered to sign a promissory note and pay monthly. The woman gave her a week to pay, or she would call the police.
After the woman left, Jennie learned that Mrs. Dyer had not actually broken the cup; the woman had set her up. Outraged, Jennie suggested calling the police, but Mrs. Dyer just smiled bitterly and said, "What good will calling the police do? No one in this world is going to bring us justice."
Feeling helpless, Jennie discussed with Hugo and offered Mrs. Dyer a job as a business manager at their company with a monthly salary of $20,000. However, Mrs. Dyer declined, grateful for the offer but explaining that the salary wouldn't cover her family's expenses.
Jennie never found out how Mrs. Dyer managed to repay the money, only hearing that she had collapsed from exhaustion and that no one was there to care for her home or Sally.
Jennie had planned to visit Mrs. Dyer in the next few days, and when Zackary brought it up, she discussed it more with Tina. Tina was just there to take Zackary out, but ended up hearing the whole story. After thinking it over, she said to Zackary, "Okay, then let's invite your friend too."
"Yay, you're the best!"
Zackary exclaimed, dancing around.
Tina patted his head and asked, "Shall we pick up Sophia first, then your friend?"
"Sure!"
Zackary replied.