Nate was no longer smiling. He started scolding me with a serious expression.

“Lila, you’re being difficult. I’ve worked hard in the past three years to placate the mob boss. After dealing with that, the first thing I thought of was getting you back. Why are you acting so snarky?”

Emma added fuel to the fire, saying, “Nate, I bet Lila’s blaming you for not sending her any good food. But all that dog food was expensive! It was high in nutritional value. It always goes out of stock.”

I was triggered by her words.

“Since it’s so nutritious, why don’t you save it for yourself?”

Emma’s expression changed, and she immediately teared up.

“Nate, look at her…”

Nate immediately hugged her lovingly.

“Lila! I’ll immediately bring you and Poppy back on my private jet. You have to apologize to Emma once we’re there!”

I ended the call and tossed my phone aside.

The man behind me turned around and wrapped his strong arm around my waist.

He rested his chin on my shoulder.

“Who called you?”

I patted the back of his hand.

“A lunatic!”

Liam White did not question me any further.

He tightened his arm around me and hugged me.

“It’s Poppy’s birthday tomorrow. I got someone to put up the party decorations.”

I turned around and met his eyes.

Three years ago, I got lost in the desert while carrying Poppy in my arms. She was feverish.

She was having an asthma attack, and her breathing was shallow.

I cried desperately on the sand dune with her in my arms.

I only had the “dried food” that Nate sent me.

I opened the packages and saw that they were filled with dog food.

Just when we thought that we were about to die in the desert, Liam passed by with his team.

He brought us back to the oasis.

He got us the best doctor and saved Poppy’s life.

Over the last three years, he had been treating us very well.

He even became a father figure for Poppy. He gave Poppy and me a true home.

The next morning, at the Oasis Resort, I was about to head down to the lobby to retrieve the custom-made birthday cake for Poppy.

When I walked toward the lift, I heard a female voice screeching.

She complained, “What lousy place is this? The wind is so strong, and there is so much sand! My new bag is dirty now!”

I paused and looked over.

Nate was holding his luggage in one hand. With his other hand, he held the hand of a three-year-old boy.

Emma was walking beside them as she patted the dust off her body in disdain.

I did not expect them to find me.

Nate was stunned when he looked up. Then, he strode over.

“Lila, what are you doing here?”

He sized me up.

I was wearing a casual outfit, and I had no jewelry on.

“I work here,” I simply said.

Emma stepped forward and swept her critical gaze over me.

“Nate, just like I said, Lila must be having a terrible life here. I can’t believe she’s working as an attendant at such a lousy hotel.”

She emphasized the word “lousy”.

Nate frowned.

“Lila, go quit your job right now. I’m here to take you home today. We need someone to take care of Emma’s child. You can go back home and take care of both Emma and her child.”

I almost laughed incredulously.

“Nate, if there’s something wrong with your head, you should go see a doctor. Why would I go back with you and serve you?”

Nate’s expression sank.

“Lila, how can you say that about me? Back then, I only sent you here to protect you. Over the last three years, I was under so much pressure and I worked so hard. Things finally calmed down. Once I settled everything, I immediately came to you. Why are you throwing a tantrum?”

I felt disgusted when I saw how unapologetic he was.

“Protect me? You gave Poppy and me the unsold dog food from Emma’s shop. Is that how you protected us?”

Nate’s eyes flashed.

Emma immediately said, “Lila, how can you mistake our kindness for ill intent? That dog food was imported. If it weren’t for the fact that Nate felt bad for you, you would’ve already starved to death in the desert.”

She brought that young boy to me.

“Say hi to Lila.”

The young boy, Olly Anderson, rolled his eyes and spat at me.

“Ugly witch! I don’t want to say hi to you!”

Emma did not chastise his bad behavior. Instead, she giggled.

“Please don’t take offence. Kids always say the funniest things.”

I looked at her coldly.

“You’d better keep an eye on your son. Otherwise, I don’t mind teaching him a lesson on your behalf.”

Nate shielded Emma.

“Lila, why are you making things difficult for a child? Have you lost your manners after spending three years in the desert?”

I was about to refute him when Poppy’s bright voice called out from the lift.

“Mommy!”

She ran to me while holding a balloon.

Nate’s eyes brightened when he saw Poppy.

“Poppy, come over here and let Daddy have a good look at you.”

Poppy hid behind me and looked at Nate vigilantly.

“You’re not my Daddy. My Daddy is Liam.”

Nate’s expression fell.

“Lila! What nonsense are you teaching our child? Don’t tell me that you really found another man!”

I was too lazy to argue with him. I sneered and did not answer him. I was about to bring my daughter away, but Olly stopped us.

He stared at Poppy for a while. His gaze fell on the pink diamond necklace around Poppy’s neck.

It was a customized birthday present that Liam gave her.

A hint of jealousy flashed in Emma’s eyes when she saw Olly staring at the necklace.

“Nate, look at Poppy’s necklace. It’s a limited-edition pink diamond. How can Lila afford it on an attendant’s salary?”

Nate followed her gaze.

He sneered.

“Lila, are you willing to stoop so low for money? Are you selling yourself here?”

I slapped him, and it was so loud it echoed in the hall.

Nate’s face turned sideways from the impact.

He clutched his cheek and stared at me in disbelief.

“Lila, how dare you slap me?”

Emma screamed, “Lila, you’re insane! How can you simply hit Nate?”

Olly, who was in Emma’s arms, suddenly rushed over and rammed into me.

“Witch! How dare you hit my daddy! Get lost!”

I was furious as I pushed him away.

I did not use much strength, but Olly fell onto the floor and started wailing.

Emma cradled Olly in her arms pitifully.

“Lila, are you insane? How can you hit a three-year-old child? Nate, look at what Lila has become!”

Nate was furious. He looked at me with disappointment plain on his face.

“Lila, immediately apologize to Emma and Olly! Then, take the necklace from Poppy and give it to Emma as a token of your remorse. You shouldn’t let a child wear what you’ve stolen.”

I shielded Poppy.

“Nate, please don’t accuse me of stealing. The necklace was given to Poppy as a gift. I can’t give it to Emma.”

Nate ran out of patience when he saw how stubborn I was.

His expression darkened.

“Lila, it seems that I’m still too nice to you. If I don’t teach you a lesson, you won’t learn!”

Nate reached out and grabbed my wrist tightly. He ignored my struggles and Poppy’s cries as he dragged me to the outdoor swimming pool.

It was early spring, and the wind was still chilly. The swimming pool was extremely cold.

“Nate, let me go! If you dare to touch me, Liam won’t let you off the hook!”

Emma laughed.

“Nate, I bet some random man must have scammed Lila. How dare she use Liam from the most affluent White family in this city, to scare you? Everyone knows that Mr. White is a stoic man. I bet he doesn’t even know what Lila looks like.”

Nate sneered as he peered down at me in disdain.

“Lila, you should think twice before you lie. You’re almost thirty years old, and you have a child. Why do you think Liam will like you? Did you come up with these lies just to make me angry?”

I stumbled as he kept dragging me. With much difficulty, I freed one of my hands and took out my phone.

“Nate, if you don’t believe what I said, I’m going to give Liam a call now!”

Emma snatched my phone from me and sneered. She said, “Lila, don’t even think of getting a rogue man to save you!”

After she spoke, she raised her hand and threw my phone into the swimming pool. My phone immediately sank to the bottom of the pool.

“Emma, what are you doing?”

Emma covered her mouth in fake naivety.

“Oh no, it slipped. But Lila, it’s just a phone. Who cares if it’s gone? I’ll get Nate to buy you a new one.”

At the same time, Olly, who was staring at Poppy in hatred, pushed Poppy forcefully.

“Bad girl, he’s my daddy, not yours! Die!”

Poppy lost her balance immediately and fell into the cold swimming pool.

Poppy was flailing fearfully in the water. She had asthma. In the cold water, she could barely even cry for help.

“Poppy!”

I grabbed Nate’s sleeve. My voice was hoarse from extreme fear.

“Nate, please save her! Poppy’s your daughter! I don’t know how to swim, please save her!”

Nate seemed like he was persuaded. He was just about to take off his shirt to jump into the pool when Emma suddenly said, “Nate, don’t believe her lies. Olly just wanted to play with Poppy. How deep can the pool be? I bet she’s using this opportunity to make you feel sorry for them.”

Nate flung my hand away. He looked at me coldly again.

“Lila, this is what you and Poppy deserve. Let Poppy learn her lesson in the pool!”

I watched as Poppy’s struggling started to slow. Her head was submerged underwater. I could no longer think straight anymore. I leaped into the cold swimming pool.

The bone-chilling cold overwhelmed me, and I immediately lost all my air.

I did not know how to swim. I could only follow my motherly instinct and flail in the water as I tried my best to swim toward Poppy.

Water kept gushing into my nose and mouth. It felt excruciating every time I tried to breathe.

After more than ten minutes, I finally managed to grab Poppy’s tiny, cold hand. With my very last breath, I pushed her upwards and toward the edge of the swimming pool.

Poppy lay by the pool and coughed furiously. Her face was purplish from the cold as she panted.

I grabbed onto the edge of the swimming pool with much difficulty. I was about to climb out of the pool when a long broomstick appeared before me all of a sudden.

Emma was holding the other end of the broomstick as she smiled viciously.

“Lila, let me help you!”

She fiercely poked my hand with the stick.

“Ah!” I screamed in pain and let go involuntarily.

“Since you like water that much, you should spend a little more time in the pool! Use that time to reflect on the attitude you’ve been giving Nate!”

Emma used the stick to poke my shoulder and pushed me back to the deeper end of the pool.

I was once again submerged under the ice-cold water. I felt suffocated.

As I desperately struggled underwater, I heard Nate’s indifferent voice.

“Emma, this is enough to scare her. Don’t accidentally kill her.”

“Don’t worry, Nate. I know what I’m doing!”

Even though she said that, she kept hitting my head with the broomstick.

I kept sinking from pain, and the cold numbed my consciousness.

At the same time, an angry voice shouted, “Who are you? How dare you harass my wife?”