Serena Fox's voice cut through the air, her face twisted with smug triumph.

Several tall security guards flanked her, sizing up me and my nephew with open contempt.

"Well, well. I was wondering who'd be arrogant enough to cause trouble on Miss Fox's turf. Turns out it's a shameless homewrecker."

"What a pity. I'd advise you to read the room—Mr. Weiss only has eyes for Miss Fox."

"But Miss Fox is generous. Kneel and apologize right now, and maybe she'll forgive you."

The guards burst into raucous laughter, acting like they owned the place.

My nephew was young, but he wasn't stupid.

Furious, he lifted his head from my arms and waved his little fists at Serena. "You bad woman! My dad would never like you. I hate you!"

He squirmed, fighting to get down. In a moment of carelessness, I lost my grip—and watched him charge straight at her.

"Noah!"

He had no idea what was coming. Before he could even get close, a guard snatched him up like he weighed nothing.

"A little bastard throwing a tantrum at me?"

Serena sneered and slapped him hard. A handprint bloomed across his cheek, the skin already swelling red.

I rushed forward to grab him back, but she gave a sharp nod. The next second, several guards pinned me down. I couldn't move.

Serena looked my nephew up and down with disgust. Then her eyes locked onto something, and her expression shifted—first recognition, then fury.

She yanked something from his neck. Noah cried out in pain, and my heart shattered.

"Well, well. A big gold locket on a little brat like you. So vain—your mom must've been bleeding Jason dry."

Her face twisted with rage. "Jason told me everything he has will be mine. Don't think you'll ever see another cent!"

"You're lying! My dad would never abandon me! You witch!"

Serena laughed, high and mocking. "I own this kindergarten. I'm Jason's girlfriend. We're getting married."

"Jason's too kind—supporting a woman and child who have nothing to do with him. But soon enough, you'll both be kicked out."

Her gaze cut to me, sharp as a blade. "Don't think I don't know what you're plotting. Whatever happened between you and Jason before—starting today, stay away from him."

"You ugly freak! Put me down!"

Noah screamed and thrashed.

Smack.

Another slap. His whole face was swollen now, and panic clawed at my chest.

But worse was coming. Noah had asthma. Dangling from the guard's grip, he was already struggling to breathe. With his face swelling, his skin was turning bluish.

"Noah!"

"Let me go!"

I threw myself forward like a madwoman, but two guards held me fast. I fought with everything I had.

It was useless.

"Serena Fox! Stop! Noah is my brother's son!"

"If anything happens to him, I guarantee Jason Weiss won't let you off!"

I was raised by my brother's own hands. No one knows better than I do how much he loved Elena Abbott.

Back then, if Elena hadn't threatened to kill herself, my brother never would have agreed to the divorce. After she left, Noah became his only emotional anchor.

Given how much my brother cares about Noah, if he ever found out what Serena did to him today, he wouldn't let it go.

Serena stiffened at my words. The security guards exchanged glances, hesitation creeping onto their faces.

"Principal Fox, this kid… he isn't really Mr. Weiss's son, is he? He does look a little like him."

"Impossible! Jason told me himself—this kid is from Alex sleeping around. Some bastard whose father she doesn't even know!"

Serena glared at me.

"Don't think I don't know what you're trying to pull! This brat isn't Jason's. He took you in out of kindness, and you coached the kid to call him 'Dad'?"

Hearing her words, meeting her mocking gaze, my heart sank.

So this is how my brother introduced me and my child to outsiders?

Before I could even process the hurt, Noah started convulsing. I thrashed against the guards, pointing desperately at him.

"No—he's having an asthma attack!"

I spotted my bag on the ground nearby.

"Medicine! There's medicine in my bag. Hurry—save him!"

Serena covered her ears, annoyed.

"Gag this woman. I'm calling Jason myself."

A large hand clamped over my mouth. I could only whimper, watching my nephew's small body seize, praying Serena would get through to my brother fast.

"Jason, when are you taking me to meet your son? I got him so many gifts."

My brother's voice came through the speaker.

"No rush. We'll talk after this busy stretch."

Serena glanced at Noah and softened her tone.

"He's not that young anymore. Shouldn't he be starting kindergarten? How about sending him to mine?"

A pause on the other end.

"Sure. He's home right now. I'll bring him to enroll in a few days."

After she hung up, Serena let out a strange, snorting laugh. She studied me with an unreadable expression—then slapped me hard across the face.

The world spun. I hit the ground, blood pooling at the back of my throat.

"You slut! Can't take you anywhere—every word out of your mouth is a lie. You really think I'm that stupid?"

I forced myself to crawl up. My cheek burned, but I swallowed my rage. I grabbed her pant leg, begging.

"Serena, you can't just watch him die. Please—just give him the medicine first."

"What an actress! If Jason hadn't already told me that little bastard is perfectly healthy, I might've actually believed you."

She jerked her leg free and kicked me for good measure.

"Enough. You've wasted enough of my time today. That gold locket is my compensation."

She turned to the guards.

"Throw this woman and the bastard out. Far away. They're bad luck."

"If my dad finds out you treated me like this, he won't let you off!"

Noah's face was deathly pale. He barely got the words out before his breathing seized up entirely.

Smack!

Serena backhanded him without hesitation. His head snapped to the side. His body went limp.

And a panic I'd never known flooded through me.

"Noah!"

My eyes burned, bloodshot. I lunged forward, but the guards held me back. All I could do was watch.

They threw me at the kindergarten entrance. I didn't register the pain—just crawled toward my nephew.

Serena scanned the crowd, a vicious smile spreading across her face.

"Everyone, I'm so sorry. Today is the children's first day of check-in—such an important day—but someone had no sense and brought a bastard child here, crying and making a scene. For the kindergarten's reputation, I had no choice but to have them removed."

The sympathy in the onlookers' eyes curdled into contempt.

"Shameless. She has a bastard and still shows her face in public—probably a mistress herself."

"Get out already. If her kid stays, what if mine gets influenced?"

"Exactly. Trash like this shouldn't be here embarrassing themselves."

"Bad enough the adult has no shame—now she's teaching the kid to act."

The voices piled on top of each other. I knelt beside my nephew, on the verge of shattering.

"Noah! Please—someone save him!"

I looked desperately at the crowd. A few calmer parents finally noticed something was wrong.

"This kid's color isn't right!"

A woman pushed through and crouched beside him. Her face went pale.

"Severe asthma. Where's his medicine? Give it to him—now."

It hit me. I wiped my tears and rushed toward the kindergarten, but the guards blocked me.

"Please. Have mercy. His medicine is in my bag. Just let me get it."

I begged. They didn't even blink—just looked to Serena.

She covered her nose in disgust.

"How unlucky. We can't let you in. What if you disturb our feng shui?"

I had no choice but to go back to my nephew. The woman had already called an ambulance.

I watched them load him into the vehicle. The guards exchanged glances, guilt flickering across their faces.

"Principal Fox, what if… what if something actually happens to him? Then we—"

Serena laughed.

"This kind of trick only fools idiots like you."

She twirled a strand of hair, utterly indifferent.

"Besides, I have Jason. If something happens, he'll cover for me. What's there to be afraid of?"

I'd been about to follow the ambulance, frantic. But her words ignited something in me that couldn't be suppressed anymore.

I turned and walked toward her. She glanced at me, her smile taunting.

"A perfectly good kid, and you raised him into this. What kindergarten would want him?"

I didn't hesitate. I slapped her across the face.

She stood there, stunned, for a long moment.

"Alex Weiss! What are you doing?"

My brother appeared out of nowhere. He rushed to Serena's side, shielding her.

I stared at him, eyes bloodshot.

"Jason, Serena hurt a child so badly an ambulance had to come. And you're still protecting her?"

My voice cracked. He froze, then glanced at the ambulance still parked nearby.

"Jason, I just didn't want a bastard affecting the school's reputation." Serena's voice turned pitiful. "How was I supposed to know she'd have the kid fake being sick to frame me?"