His innocent wife is a dangerous hacker.

Chapter 904: Chapter 904 Ungrateful brat

The other cleaners, however, were surprisingly friendly toward him. One elderly woman smiled at him during his first break and tried to start a conversation.

"You must be new here. I’m Maria. If you need help understanding the schedule, just ask me."

Jack barely looked at her.

"I’m fine."

She paused, slightly taken aback by his cold tone.

Another cleaner later tried to joke with him while they were carrying supplies.

"It’s your first week, right? Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. The work looks difficult at first, but once you know the routine, it’s easy."

Jack gave him an irritated glance.

"I know how to work."

The man smiled awkwardly and walked away.

Jack watched him leave with an expression of disdain.

He couldn’t understand why these people were so comfortable talking to him.

In his mind, he wasn’t supposed to belong among them. He believed he was destined for something much better and the only reason he was standing there in a cleaner’s uniform was because he had been forced to take this humiliating route temporarily.

These people can stay here if they want. I’m different.

He didn’t bother learning anyone’s name after that. Whenever another cleaner tried to speak to him, he either ignored them completely or responded with a dismissive nod before walking away. He kept to himself during breaks, sitting alone in the corner, eating his food without looking at anyone. He had no interest in making friends or building relationships with people he considered beneath him.

To Jack, wealth wasn’t simply about having money. It was about being above other people. And he had already started imagining the day when he would leave this place for good, dressed in expensive clothes, with enough money in his pocket that he would never again have to clean someone else’s bathroom.

For now, however, he picked up the mop and continued working. The work was tiring, his back ached constantly and his hands had developed blisters from gripping the cleaning tools, but he endured it all because he knew it was temporary. Every time his arms grew tired, he reminded himself of why he was there.

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After working at the kindergarten for nearly a week, Jack had quietly memorized Eli’s daily routine. He knew when the children went outside, when they returned to their classroom, when they had lunch and which parts of the day were busiest for the teachers. He had begun paying attention to details he had never cared about before, simply because now every little thing could potentially give him an opportunity to approach the boy.

He had learned that Eli was always one of the first to finish his lunch, that he loved playing with a certain group of friends, and that he usually walked near the back of the line when the children were being led to the playground. Jack filed away every piece of information, waiting for the right moment.

What irritated him most was that Eli didn’t recognize him at all.

Jack had seen him several times from a distance, yet the little boy had never once looked at him with recognition. Instead, Eli happily continued with his friends, laughing and talking as though Jack didn’t exist.

"Ungrateful brat..." Jack muttered bitterly under his breath.

He had expected at least some reaction from the child. He had imagined Eli staring at him with wide fearful eyes, perhaps even running away from him. But he didn’t even recognize him!

That only made Jack more determined.

One afternoon, the teachers organized an activity that kept the children occupied inside the classroom. They were gathered around several tables, busy with crafts and colorful papers, while the teachers moved around helping them. The classroom was noisy enough that nobody immediately noticed Jack standing near the entrance with his broom.

He watched for a moment.

Then his eyes settled on Eli.

The little boy was sitting at a small table, concentrating on a drawing. His tiny tongue peeked out from the corner of his mouth as he carefully colored a flower. He looked peaceful, happy, completely unaware of the man watching him.

Jack slowly approached.

He kept the broom in one hand and pulled his mask higher over his face as he walked closer, making sure he wasn’t immediately recognizable to anyone watching. His heart was pounding but he forced himself to stay calm.

Finally, when he was close enough, he stopped beside Eli.

"Hi, Eli."

Eli looked up.

His little brows immediately furrowed.

He stared at the strange cleaner standing beside him, then glanced briefly at the broom in his hand. He tilted his head, studying the man with the curious expression of a child who had encountered something slightly unusual.

Jack waited.

But the kid still didn’t recognize him. He didn’t even have curiosity beyond the ordinary kind a child might have toward a stranger.

Jack’s irritation grew.

"You didn’t recognize me?"

Eli blinked.

Jack slowly pulled down the mask covering the lower half of his face, expecting the boy to suddenly remember him.

"Look carefully."

Eli stared at him.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then he tilted his head.

His expression became even more confused.

He had absolutely no idea who this strange man was. His small face scrunched up as he studied the man’s features, searching for something familiar but nothing came.

To Eli, he was simply a weird-looking uncle holding a broom.

Jack’s face tightened.

"Eli... it’s me."

Eli looked at him cautiously.

"Do I know you?"

The question made Jack’s jaw clench.

Eli quietly leaned a little away from him, his small body instinctively moving back. There was something in the man’s eyes that made him feel uncomfortable, though he couldn’t explain why.

Then, without giving Jack another thought, Eli turned back toward his colorful paper.

Jack stood there, stunned and increasingly furious.

His fingers tightened around the broom handle. He wanted to grab the boy, shake him, force him to remember. He wanted to shout that he was his father, that he had every right to be there. But he couldn’t. Not here. Not with the teacher nearby.

Jack’s irritation flared, but he had no choice except to swallow it. The teacher was moving between the tables, helping the children with their activity and he could hear her footsteps getting closer. If she noticed him standing beside Eli for too long, she might start wondering why a cleaner was speaking to one particular child.

Jack quickly pulled his mask back over his face and tightened his grip around the broom.

"Fine," he muttered under his breath, forcing himself to step away. "I’ll talk to you later."

Eli barely looked up from his drawing.

"Okay, uncle."