Chapter 547: Utterly Unrepentant

Liam Fairchild immediately put on his most well-behaved act, serving Evan a cup of tea. “Uncle, have some tea. What brings you here? I missed you like crazy.”

“Looking for a beating? The kind that leaves you half-dead.”

“No, no, no, Uncle! Let’s talk this out! Just tell me what I did wrong, and I’ll fix it. I’ll fix it right now.”

“Why is your hair yellow? Shave it off.”

Liam immediately clutched his head. “I—I’ll dye it back tomorrow. No, I’ll go get it dyed back tonight.”

“Tattoos?”

“No, no, no, they’re stick-ons! See? They peel right off.”

“What’s in your pocket?”

“Chewing gum.”

“Take it out.”

‘His uncle’s commands were always this firm and beyond question.’

‘His uncle’s gaze was always so piercing.’

Liam took the item out of his pocket.

Evan Fairchild shot to his feet. “Cigarettes? Where did you get cigarettes?! You’re smoking! How old are you?!”

“Dad, let me explain! They’re not mine, a buddy of mine left them here! I swear I didn’t smoke any!”

Evan Fairchild was about to explode with anger. He tugged at his collar, pointing at Liam, ready to launch into a lecture.

“How old even are you? Why do you always pick up these bad habits! If you keep this up, this school will expel you too! How many schools do you plan on attending during your three years of middle school? When your mother finds out, who knows how upset she’ll be with you…”

Liam hung his head, looking thoroughly repentant.

“Have you learned your lesson?” Evan suddenly asked.

“I have, Uncle!”

“You’ve ‘learned,’ which means you’ll never actually change.”

“I’ll change! I swear I’ll change!” The moment Liam looked up and saw the feather duster that had appeared in Evan’s hand, he knew he was in deep trouble!

‘His uncle was the one person who wasn’t afraid of Grandma and Grandpa; he was the Fairchild family’s ultimate tyrant!’

‘And when he, the little tyrant, came face to face with the ultimate one, his only option was to cower!’

“Uncle, don’t! Grandma and Grandpa are upstairs. If they hear my blood-curdling screams, it’ll ruin their mood. And what if it affects their health? It would be terrible if it made their conditions worse!”

“How thoughtful of you.”

“So… no beating?”

“To the basement. It’s soundproof.”

“No! Please! Uncle! Dad, do something! Do you want to be left without an heir? Uncle’s going to kill me!”

“Your mother and I can just have another one.”

“Holy shit!” Liam’s face was a picture of utter despair.

Ten minutes later, he truly knew the meaning of despair.

He also came to a few realizations:

The basement was really damn dark!

Getting hit with a feather duster hurt like hell!

His butt might be fleshy, but it couldn’t take much of a beating.

Liam’s eyes were brimming with tears, but he stubbornly held them back, not letting a single one fall. Now, he stood in the living room clutching his butt. The matter wasn’t over yet. ‘If I’d known Uncle was back, I never would have come!’

Evan Fairchild turned his face away, not wanting to spare him another disgusted glance.

“How are your grades?” Evan asked.

“First.” The moment he met Evan’s gaze, he quickly added, “From the bottom.”

“In the whole class?”

“In the whole grade.”

“Was there a genetic mutation?”

Evan Fairchild was speechless. ‘Could you spare me a little dignity here?’

“If it’s not a genetic mutation, then maybe he’s not your biological son. You should check if he was switched at birth at the hospital,” Evan suggested helpfully.

Evan Fairchild was speechless.

“Uncle, you already beat me, can’t you cut me some slack! If you keep talking like that, my parents might actually disown me!”

“Make it into the top thirty of your grade by the final exams. Otherwise, I’m sending you abroad.”

“To Britain?”

“No. Zimbara.”

“Zimbara? Where’s that?”

“You can look it up.”

Liam pulled out his phone and looked it up. Instantly, all the color drained from his face.