"Mr. Zachman..." Aaron's expression darkened with unease, his tone heavy with reluctance. "You probably understand the situation here. If Ms. Salford leaves, what's going to happen to these kids?"

It seemed like Aaron had made up his mind. He pushed the donation agreement back toward Wren.

"If you're donating in hopes that we'll pressure her to leave and go home, I'm afraid I can't agree to that. Ms. Salford is a good person. I can tell she genuinely cares about the kids here and wants to make a difference.noveldrama

"If I betrayed her dedication to money, I'd only be breaking her spirit and her passion for teaching."

Aaron smiled faintly, his resolve clear. He said, "Even though the school's conditions are tough, we've managed to hold on for so many years. It doesn't matter if we can't improve things. What's important is that the children keep learning. I trust you understand that, don't you, Mr. Zachman?"

Wren listened intently, the words stirring something in him. His mind flashed back to the scene he'd witnessed in the classroom just moments ago.

Clara's face had been warm with a genuine smile, her eyes bright and filled with a sense of purpose and contentment. Was he really going to be selfish enough to force her to come back with him?

Wren shook his head. Truthfully, he'd already started to let go of that idea when Clara had firmly rejected him before. Seeing her in her element today, confidently teaching her students, confirmed it for him. He couldn't bring himself to pull her away from this.

At the very least, he had to respect her choice. He didn't want to damage their already fragile relationship any further. Maybe supporting her was what Clara truly needed from him.

With that thought, Wren raised his head and looked at Aaron as he said, "You misunderstood me. I have no intention of taking her back home. I'm just worried about her. I was hoping you could look out for her while she's here.

"She doesn't have any family around, and I can't stay here for long. If something happened to her, I wouldn't know. That's why I'd like to ask that if anything comes up, you contact me right away and help her if needed. That's all I ask."

This wasn't the first time Wren had done something like this. His life was too packed with obligations and responsibilities. After he turned 18 years old, Carlisle forbade him from devoting too much time and energy to Clara.

Over the years, Wren had donated to every school Clara taught at and funded buildings in her name, all to make sure he could stay informed about her. This time, though, he'd done it without her knowing.

Aaron and Ethan were both surprised by Wren's request. They had assumed his generous donation was meant to convince Clara to leave, but it turned out his only concern was her well-being. Aaron's face flushed with embarrassment. He felt guilty for having misjudged Wren.

"I owe you an apology, Mr. Zachman. I misunderstood your intentions," he said with sincerity.

"As for your request, I would've

agreed to it even if you hadn't

donated a cent. Ms. Salford is part of our school now, and it's our responsibility to ensure her safety. If anything happens to her, I promise to notify her emergency contact immediately. You have my word."

Wren nodded, though he wasn't entirely reassured. He knew Clara too well. Since she was determined to cut ties with him, there was no way she'd list him as her emergency contact. If his guess was right, she had probably put down Katrina's name instead.

He took out a small piece of paper with two phone numbers written on it and handed it to Aaron. "Here's my number and my assistant's. If anything happens, please don't hesitate to call. I'm counting on you

to take care of Clara."

Aaron accepted the paper with a serious nod. "You can rest assured, Mr. Zachman. We'll look after her."

"Thank you," Wren replied, his tone earnest.

He stood to leave, ready to say his goodbyes, but Aaron suddenly spoke up, "Mr. Zachman, you've come such a long way. Let me host you for lunch. It's the least I can do. Ethan, why don't you invite Ms. Salford to join us?"

Ethan glanced at Wren, waiting for his reaction, but Wren immediately declined, "There's no need, Mr. Johnson. I'd appreciate it if you kept my visit here private. She doesn't need to know I was here."

The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!