Megan leapt to her feet in rage as it was the first time she heard Janet speak with such a rude tone. “Why can’t you make a compromise for Emily’s sake? I can barely take care of the both of you at the same time!”
With an impassive expression, Janet suggested, “Honestly, it will save you a lot of trouble by just severing your ties with me and kicking me out of the family.”
As soon as she said that, Brian stepped forward to mediate the dispute and proposed, “Well, we shouldn’t have hard feelings for each other over such a trivial matter. The parent-teacher conference isn’t too big a deal.”
Janet glanced at Brian. Her gaze was so penetrating and deep that he couldn’t help but feel guilty because he had a feeling that she could read his mind.
After a few seconds of silence, Janet said indifferently, “I’m going to my room.”
Emily too returned to her room to come up with ways to stop her mother from knowing the fact that Janet had topped the batch with her exam results. She had to do something.
The following day, Star High School held the parent-teacher conference. All the parents of the Class A students were there except for Gordon and Janet’s. It was easy to see why Gordon’s parents were not there because they worked and resided abroad, and only came home a few times in a year.
A short while after all the parents had gathered at the classroom, Mr. Smith arrived. Just then, Madelaine and Emily happened to walk past Janet.
At the sight of Janet, Madelaine couldn’t help but mock, “Janet, why aren’t your village parents here?”
Janet merely looked at her, not bothering to say anything. Thinking that Janet was a pushover, Madelaine pressed on, “Is it because they don’t have enough money to pay for the cab fares for the trip from the village?”
Several classmates nearby, who also deemed Janet an eyesore, chimed in, “That might be true. It’s a very long journey from the village and it can easily cost over a thousand bucks.”
“I’m sure her parents have no idea how to take a train or a plane.”
“Her whole family is so out of it that they don’t even know how to take a train or a plane.”
“How pathetic is she because her parents are the only one who are absent!”
The girls’ eyes were laden with disdain and contempt as they voiced out their comments.
Abby, who was offended by their remarks, was just about to lash out at the girls but was stopped by Janet. Janet chortled before she glanced at them. “Do you girls even know the purpose of having a parent-teacher conference? It’s held so that your parents can keep abreast with your exam results but since my result is the top of the class, I don’t really see the point of them being here.”
The girls wanted to make a brilliant comeback but they couldn’t come up with anything to say because Janet’s result really was the top of the batch this time. Exasperated, Madelaine snapped, “Janet Jackson, everyone knows what dirty tricks you used to score well in the exam. If you are really this good, try topping the whole school in the college entrance exam!”
It was all Janet’s fault that Emily now had something on Madelaine because everytime she had a disagreement with Emily, Emily would always bring up how she never honored her promise to eat shit when Janet passed the exam.
“Oh? If you think I only managed to score well using some dirty tricks, why don’t you try to do the same thing?” Janet stared at her with a sly smile.
“You—” Madelaine was so frustrated by what she said that she pointed at Janet, at a loss for words.
As the conference was going to begin soon, Madelaine decided to stop her argument with Janet. “Let’s go, Emily!” Madelaine persuaded Emily to leave.
At that moment, resentment was surging deep down inside Emily not only because of Janet but because of Madelaine too. Madelaine’s stupidity was driving her mad as the girl almost never thought things through before she spoke and the rubbish she said would always piss herself off rather than the other way round.
Impatience was written all over Emily’s face but she still spoke gently, “Madelaine, you may go first because I still have something to discuss with Janet.”
Madelaine glanced at Janet before muttering, “Emily, let me know if she bullies you.”
Emily felt like rolling her eyes at her but she didn’t. “Okay, I will.”
It was only after Madelaine walked away did Emily reveal her true colors. She approached Janet and whispered to her, “You know what, Janet? Even though you’re staying with the Jacksons, using our things and living in our mansion, you still can’t get rid of the shabbiness in your bones. Mom will never recognize you as her daughter and you won’t be able to take anything from me!”
