Chapter 252: Let’s see if you can handle my son
The next morning, the atmosphere in the breakfast area of the Kensington Mansion was unusually tense. The silence was broken when Maria, the second daughter of the family, spoke up.
"I heard the Sterling family called off Hannah’s engagement to Eric Stewart. Apparently, he was cheating on her."
Gloria paused for a moment, seemingly taking in the news, before calmly resuming her breakfast.
The Kensingtons and the Sterlings had once shared a close relationship, thanks to the alliance between Jonathan and Laila. However, everything had changed after Laila’s death and Jonathan’s subsequent marriage to Grace, the orphan Gloria had once taken under her wing. The events had driven a wedge between the two families, eventually leading them to sever all ties.
"Well, they deserve it," Gloria remarked after a long pause. "After all, that girl’s mother stole her best friend’s husband. What else did they expect? Karma has a way of catching up with people who hurt others the same way."
A knowing smirk appeared on Maria’s face at her mother’s response.
Gloria said nothing more. After finishing her breakfast, she rose from her seat and headed towards her room, supported by the family butler. With age catching up to her, the elderly matriarch spent most of her days confined to her room, increasingly aware that her time was running short.
Meanwhile, Maria remained seated at the table, lost in her thoughts.
The sound of a chair scraping against the floor pulled her attention back. Zane, her son, had finished his breakfast and was preparing to leave.
"I’ll take my leave now," he announced casually.
"Zane, wait a moment." Maria’s voice stopped him before he could take another step. "Don’t you think there’s something you need to tell me?"
Her words made Zane clench his fists. He slowly turned around, a hint of reluctance flashing across his face.
Maria narrowed her eyes at him.
"How long do you intend to keep behaving like this, Zane?" she demanded. "Your grades are getting worse with every semester, and you don’t seem to care at all!"
Zane’s expression immediately changed. He let out an impatient sigh, clearly tired of having the same conversation over and over again.
"Mom, I’ve already told you that I don’t understand any of it!" he protested. "The syllabus is just too difficult for me. No matter how much I study, nothing seems to make sense."
Zane was a high school student with notoriously poor academic performance. Despite the considerable amount of money Maria had spent hiring qualified tutors to help him improve, none had managed to last more than a few days.
Some quit out of frustration, while others simply admitted defeat after realizing how difficult it was to get Zane to concentrate.
For Maria, the situation had become an endless source of frustration. She had tried everything she could think of, yet her son remained stubbornly uninterested in his studies.
And judging by the look on his face, he had no intention of changing anytime soon.
Maria stared at her son, struggling to contain her frustration. She had never imagined that raising Zane would be this difficult. As the future successor of the Kensington family, he had access to the best education, the finest tutors, and every opportunity money could provide. Yet, he seemed determined to waste it all.
"Zane, do you have any idea how embarrassing it is when other people ask about your grades?" she asked, rubbing her temples. "You’re a Kensington. Do you understand what that means? This business is soon going to be yours."
Zane rolled his eyes.
"Here we go again. The Kensington name, the family reputation, and all that nonsense. Mom, I’m just trying to get through high school. Why does everything have to be such a big deal?"
"Because you refuse to take anything seriously!" Maria snapped. "Your cousins are doing well in their studies, and here you are, struggling to pass your exams. Do you expect me to sit quietly and watch you ruin your future?"
"Then stop hiring tutors for me!" Zane shot back. "Every time one of them leaves, you bring another one in. Do you think I enjoy having someone sit beside me all day, pointing out everything I don’t know?"
Maria stared at him in disbelief. "Are you saying this is my fault?"
"I didn’t say that." Zane exhaled sharply. "I’m saying I’m tired. I’m tired of being compared to everyone else, and I’m tired of pretending I understand things when I don’t."
For a brief moment, his voice lost its usual defiant edge. Beneath his frustration was something Maria rarely allowed herself to notice. But before she could respond, Zane looked away and shoved his hands into his pockets.
"I’m going to school. I’ll deal with my grades somehow."
"Zane!"
He stopped at the doorway but didn’t turn around.
"If you fail your next examination, don’t expect me to keep cleaning up your mess," Maria warned.
Zane let out a bitter laugh. "Fine. Maybe then you’ll finally stop expecting me to be someone I’m not."
With those words, he walked away, leaving Maria sitting alone at the breakfast table. She stared at the doorway, her anger slowly giving way to helplessness.
She had money, influence, and the resources to give her son everything he needed. So why was it that the one thing she wanted most—to see him become someone capable of standing on his own feet—seemed completely beyond her reach?
"No, there’s no way I’m letting you ruin your future, Zane," Maria muttered under her breath.
Taking out her phone, she dialed her assistant’s number and waited for him to answer.
"Have you prepared the list of tutors I asked for?" she asked the moment the call connected.
"Yes, Madam. I’ve shortlisted several candidates. I was planning to arrange their interviews for tomorrow," her assistant replied.
Maria immediately interrupted him.
"There’s no need for that. Have them all come to the Kensington Mansion instead. I’ll interview them myself this time."
There was a brief pause before her assistant responded.
"Understood, Madam. I’ll inform them and arrange everything accordingly."
"Good. Make sure none of them cancels at the last minute."
"Of course, Madam."
With that, Maria ended the call and placed her phone on the table.
She remained seated for a few seconds, contemplating her next move. She had already gone through countless tutors, and she wasn’t willing to let another one walk away without making a difference in her son’s life.
Just then, her phone pinged with a notification.
Her assistant had sent her the list of shortlisted candidates, along with their qualifications and professional backgrounds.
Maria picked up her phone and began scrolling through the profiles, examining each one carefully. Most of them failed to catch her attention until her gaze settled on a particular name.
She paused, reading the details once again.
A slow smile spread across her lips as the corners of her mouth curled upward.
"Let’s see if you can handle my son," she murmured, her eyes gleaming with renewed determination.