Unmasking Mrs. Newton's Secret Identities novel Chapter 1737

Helen realized that Lincoln's assertiveness had crossed a line, prompting her to adopt a firmer stance. "Who started this? Would we even be in this situation if you had kept your promise? If you can't hold yourself accountable, how can you expect others to overlook your mistakes?"

Lincoln's expression shifted to one of shame, but he still defended his actions. "The reward for finishing the workbook was decided a few days ago. That's outdated now. People should aim for improvement, not settle for the bare minimum. I was just trying to help him understand that."

"But… you never told me that," Howard said, his eyes starting to brim with tears.

"That's because you aren't pushing yourself hard enough! Jeremiah is progressing at least twice as fast as you. Can't you see that?" Lincoln shot back, not holding back his words.

Howard fell silent, his head hanging low, and the atmosphere grew tense.

After a moment's thought, Helen decided to step in. "You both make good points. How about I help you find a resolution?"

The two boys remained quiet.

"If you're not going to speak up, I'll take that as agreement," Helen said with a playful grin, taking charge. "Here's the plan. Since Howard just completed the first phase of his tasks, he will receive a dessert as a reward.

"Starting today, he'll move on to the next learning phase, and if he completes his tasks within Lincoln's timeframe, he can earn another dessert!

"If he doesn't complete them, he won't get the treat, and Lincoln will adjust the learning tasks accordingly. There will be rewards for meeting the standards and minor penalties for falling short.

"The learning process will be open and transparent, with discussions handled calmly—no more arguing, got it?"

Howard nodded enthusiastically. "Got it!"

"What about you, Lincoln?" Helen asked, making a silly face in hopes of softening his stance.

However, Lincoln defiantly lifted his chin and turned away, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Still, his body language clearly conveyed his dissatisfaction.

"Alright then, I'll take Howard to pick out his reward!" Helen said, testing the waters as she stood up.

Seeing Lincoln remain unresponsive, she led Howard downstairs.

Chandler leaned down, resting a hand on Lincoln's shoulder, and looked him earnestly in the eyes. "You need to understand that it's not just those with high IQs who deserve friends. A person's character matters far more than how many math problems they can solve."

Lincoln considered his words thoughtfully. After a long pause, he nodded slightly. "I think I understand where I went wrong."

With that, he walked solemnly toward his study.

…

Half an hour later, the study door creaked open.

Howard peeked in, stretching his neck to assess the situation. Spotting Lincoln by the balcony, he pushed the door wider and slipped inside. Crouching low, he tiptoed toward his desk.

Just as Jeremiah was about to greet Howard, Howard quickly put a finger to his lips, signaling him to be quiet.