Chapter 2

After we got home, my dad's phone kept ringing.

Most of them were:

"Engineer Head, what's going on online?"

My dad had no idea how to answer.

Because his side of it had no proof, and nobody believed him!

The student group chat my dad used to run was now as quiet as a grave.

Someone had posted that photo:

"Is this our Engineer Head? I can hardly believe it."

Below it were a dozen or so "shocked" emojis.

Some people had even quietly changed their nicknames.

One person's note used to read:

"My beloved teacher Aiden Head - his student forever."

Now it had been changed back to their own real name.

As if being tied to my dad's name would drag them down into the mud with him too.

I stared at the screen, my chest so tight I wanted to throw up.

My dad's phone suddenly rang.

It was Terry James, the deputy director in charge of personnel at Broadbridge Design Institute:

"Aiden, things have blown up so big now, the institute is in a tough spot too."

"Look... to keep the fallout down, why don't you resign first?"

"It's for everyone's good."

My dad hesitated:

"Director James, I hit retirement age next April."

"If I quit now, my whole life's work is for nothing."

There was silence on the other end.

"With public opinion the way it is, the institute is under pressure if it keeps shielding you."

"Try to understand. After doing something like that, you have to think about the institute's reputation too."

Understanding.

My dad had been slandered by a whole mob, gawked at by the entire internet like some circus animal.

The students he'd trained changed their nicknames overnight, and now his own workplace was telling him to clear out early.

And still, be understanding.

I grabbed my dad's phone and hung up.

When my mom heard, the hand holding her water glass shook.

"They're making your dad quit right now!"

"Twelve thousand a month! Your dad worked his whole life!"

She started crying as she talked.

"Aiden..."

She murmured:

"Why don't we just agree to what that parent wants and admit to it."

"As long as we settle privately and pay her off, she'll stop making trouble, and you'll keep your pension."

I shot to my feet.

"Mom, what are you saying? Why should we admit to something we never did?"

"You can't just reward whoever makes the biggest scene!"

My dad stared blankly at my mom:

"I didn't do it! Why should I admit to it!"

"You don't believe me either?"

My mom went on:

"With things blown up like this, does it matter whether I believe you or not?"

"Let's pay the money, get her to drop the lawsuit, and put it to rest."

"We'll scrape together $600,000 and mortgage the house..."

"Your dad can't afford this shame, our family can't afford this shame."

"He's been honest his whole life. If people point fingers at his back and curse him at the very end, he won't be able to take it."

"Reading those comments online... they say your dad is..."

"I can't stand it..."

I looked at her, then at the hunched-over old man on the sofa.

My dad's greatest fear his whole life was being a burden to anyone.

He'd rather bear it himself, work himself to the bone.

All he ever wanted was to peacefully work on his drawings and teach his students.

Retire honestly when the time came, live out his old age honestly. What had he done wrong?

Why should anyone get to throw mud at him.

Why should anyone get to say:

"Look at this old man, turns out he was that kind of person."

I took my dad's hand:

"Dad."

"Your whole life you taught others to carry themselves with dignity and honesty."

"Now someone's spreading lies about you, and you can't hide from it."

"I'll stand with you and get this whole thing sorted out."

"We're going to fight it in court!"