Chapter 111

The video, posted from Edward's account, showed Edward and Michael wearing sunglasses. Michael danced, wiggling his hips cutely. "This is not the time to comment on how cute Michael is," Teresa thought. But then, puzzled, she asked Miriam, "How did he end up with Edward at the university?"

After several attempts, Teresa finally reached Miriam.

Miriam asked, "Teresa, were you looking for me?"

Teresa took a deep breath. "Guess who I saw on video. Edward was dancing with Michael at the university entrance. I thought I was imagining things. Did he go there by himself?"

Miriam was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Oh dear. Listen, let me explain—"

Teresa interrupted, "Explain now. I'll give you ten seconds. Start now."

Miriam quickly explained that she'd bumped into Edward while shopping with Michael. Edward mentioned that her bracelet had accidentally ended up in his bag during his last trip to Jarisburg, and he hadn't had a chance to return it. Miriam took Edward to the university because he'd left his bag there. Regarding Michael, she said, "Do you remember the last time we went to Jarisburg? You said Mike was my nephew. Now I can only keep pretending."

Teresa chuckled. "I fast-forwarded the video, and Edward has been filming Michael dancing for four days straight. I only asked you to take care of him for five days."

She thought, Did she take him out for four days, all the way to Edward's university?

Miriam felt a pang in her heart. "Okay, I admit it. I had already given up on him, but when I saw him smile like that—so handsome, so charming—I started falling for him again."

Teresa thought, Oh God. Then what? What has that got to do with Michael?

Miriam said, "Every time Edward sees me, he gets nervous and runs away! With Mike around, Edward isn't afraid, and he even teaches him to dance. We've been having so much fun these few days."

Teresa watched another video. Edward loved breakdancing in a hip-hop style. His solo videos didn't get many likes, but when he danced with Michael, each one received over 500,000 likes. People in the comments even mistook them for father and son.

"Nareigh University, here we come," Edward said, making a cross gesture to the camera.

"Nareigh University, here we come," Michael mimicked Edward.

Then, the music started playing, and with sunglasses on, the two began to dance as if no one else existed. The more Teresa watched, the more her anger flared. What kind of relatives does Jonathan have? Each one is stranger than the last, she thought.

"Mommy, Mommy," Teresa arrived home to find Michael being nudged toward her by Miriam, who used him as a shield.

Taking a deep breath, Teresa said, "Michael, move. I need to teach Miriam a lesson."

Michael clung to Teresa's leg. "Mommy, don't scold Miriam. I wanted to dance with Edward because he said he'd give me money if I helped him gain followers."

Teresa thought, Give him money? What does that mean?

At this moment, Miriam chimed in, "Edward gained 200,000 followers in four days, thanks to Mike. He gave him some money and put it in his backpack."

Teresa opened Michael's backpack, and there was indeed a stack of cash inside, totaling 3,000 dollars.

Michael started crying again, hugging Teresa's leg. "Mommy, I can earn money by myself now. Please don't abandon me."