After a few days in the hospital, Devon was released. Reuben took him home. Everyone praised Reuben for doing the right thing by sending his evil wife to jail for what she did. Normally, married people didn't speak against their spouse, but Reuben had taken the side of the poor orphan boy.
"I hate those who hurt kids," Reuben answered when someone asked about the situation. "I never thought Livia was doing such a horrible thing to Devon. Of course, he's a troubled kid, but he didn't deserve to be punished like that," he said. Everyone accepted his words wholeheartedly.
"Do you miss your wife now?" some single women asked the handsome Reuben. He wasn't just handsome—he was rich, loved kids, and was honest. That's what those single women thought.
"She's evil. I don't think she even deserves to be remembered," Reuben said as he looked into their eyes. The women felt the loneliness in Reuben and pitied him. They wished they could sweep away his pain.
When Devon went down to his basement room, he was shocked to see Clara and Tommy there. It was obvious they had cried a lot. The bed was a mess, and it looked like they had slept in it. Even Clara and Tommy themselves looked disheveled.
Devon heard heavy footsteps behind him, and he knew exactly who it was. He felt an electric shock shoot through his spine, and his knees grew weak. He feared the punishment for the troubles he had caused was coming.
"From now on, you three will stay in the basement," Reuben said in his rough and scary tone. Tommy and Clara curled into a corner of the bed, trembling with fear.
"And Devon," Reuben stared at him, and Devon instinctively took a step back. "You know you deserve to be punished for what you did, right?" Reuben asked.
"Yes, sir, I know," Devon replied quietly, staring at the floor.
"I can't risk punishing you because you just came from the hospital, and they'll probably want to check on you a few more times," Reuben yelled, his voice echoing in the room.
"I'm sorry, sir," Devon said, shaking.
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! DID I ASK A DAMN QUESTION? DID I ASK A DAMN QUESTION? ANSWER ME, YOU FILTHY DOG!" Reuben bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"No, sir. I'm sorry," Devon said again, and Reuben slapped him hard across the face, sending Devon to the floor.
Reuben then turned toward Clara and Tommy, who were trembling, huddled together in the corner. "Now, you two can take the punishment. This is all your fault. It was your responsibility to keep everything hidden at school! YOU TWO RUINED EVERYTHING. IT'S YOUR FAULT YOUR MOTHER IS IN JAIL. IT'S YOUR FAULT!" Reuben screamed at them as they burst into tears.
Devon knew what was coming next. Reuben stormed into the room, and Devon quickly moved away from the door. He heard Clara and Tommy screaming in pain, begging for it to stop.
For a moment, Devon felt a strange sense of relief. It wasn't him getting punished this time—it was Tommy and Clara. They had bullied him before, and now they were the ones suffering. A small, unsettling sense of happiness crept into Devon's mind.
