He thought hiring his late wife's sister to care for his children was the safest choice, until he came home early and caught her terrorizing his kids

The confrontation with the private investigator bought them exactly three days of nervous peace. The black sedan did not return to the school, and Julian began to hope that his aggressive warning had been enough to deter Sterling's ground surveillance. However, he severely underestimated the desperate, toxic audacity of his ex-wife.

It was Thursday afternoon. Lily was waiting near the school library for her father, who had texted that he was running ten minutes late due to a sudden executive board meeting. She was sitting on a stone bench, reading a novel, completely absorbed in the story.

"Hello, Lily."

The voice was soft, overly sweet, and terrifyingly familiar.

Lily froze. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she slowly lowered her book. Standing over her, wearing an expensive designer coat and a flawless, practiced smile, was Victoria. She looked glamorous, but her eyes held the same cold, manipulative calculation that Lily remembered perfectly.

"What are you doing here?" Lily asked, her voice trembling slightly before she forced herself to sit up straight and project strength.

"I came to see my beautiful daughter," Victoria cooed, taking a step closer and reaching out to touch Lily's hair.

Lily violently recoiled, swatting the woman's hand away with a fierce, definitive motion. "Don't touch me. You are not supposed to be here."

Victoria's fake smile faltered for a fraction of a second, a flash of genuine anger crossing her features before she masked it again. "Your father has poisoned your mind against me, hasn't he? He's keeping us apart because he knows how much I love you. I have a new home now, Lily. A beautiful penthouse in the city. You could have your own massive room, all the toys you want, and we could finally be a real family again."

"We are already a real family," Lily stated coldly, gripping the strap of her backpack. "My dad, my baby brother, and me. We don't need you. We never did. You only care about yourself."