While presiding over a transnational meeting, I received a distressing call from my daughter's kindergarten teacher. "Mrs. Payton, a kid drew a massive clown on Anna's face during nap time! No matter how much I try to wash it off, it won't come off!"

I immediately rushed to the kindergarten. My daughter, Anna Payton, was sobbing at the door. Her usually fair and tender face was now red and swollen. The clown drawing on it was particularly eye-catching.

The new teacher was so panicked that she was crying herself, her voice trembling. "The parent of the other child is in the office. They said they're willing to compensate any amount, but... But there's no way you can make their son apologize."

My anger surged as I kicked open the office door.

However, I instantly froze in place.

In the office, my husband, Arlo Payton, who was supposed to be in Swizor for a year of intensive studies, was holding up the bully.

The next second, the little boy in his arms pointed at Anna and laughed. "Look, Dad. Clownface is here!"

While presiding over a transnational meeting, I received a distressing call from my daughter's kindergarten teacher. "Mrs. Payton, a kid drew a massive clown on Anna's face during nap time! No matter how much I try to wash it off, it won't come off!"

I immediately rushed to the kindergarten. My daughter, Anna Payton, was sobbing at the door. Her usually fair and tender face was now red and swollen. The clown drawing on it was particularly eye-catching.

The new teacher was so panicked that she was crying herself, her voice trembling with emotion. "The parent of the other child is in the office. They said they're willing to compensate any amount, but... But there's no way you can make their son apologize."

My anger surged as I kicked open the office door.

However, I instantly froze in place.

In the office, my husband, Arlo Payton, who was supposed to be in Swizor for a year of intensive studies, was holding up the bully.

The next second, the little boy in his arms pointed at Anna and laughed. "Look, Dad. Clownface is here!"

...

The little boy in Arlo's arms was chubby and still clutching a black marker pen in his hand. He pointed at the trembling Anna behind me, laughing so hard that he was doubled over. "Clownface! Ugly freak!"

Anna clung tightly to my clothes, burying her face behind my legs. She was too afraid to make a sound.

Arlo looked up at the sound. When he saw me, the loving expression on his face quickly turned to shock and then contorted into a comical expression. "L-Leia? What are you doing here?"

Seeing me holding Anna's hand, he was even more shocked. "The other girl is Anna?"

He instinctively tried to put the boy down, but the boy clung to him like a koala, whining, "Daddy, I don't want to come down! I want a ride!"

Arlo was momentarily embarrassed as he hurriedly explained to me, "Hayden usually calls me Mr. Payton..."

Before he could finish, the woman beside him said, "Hayden is immature and was joking around with Anna. Kids will be kids; it's normal for them to play around. Someone as important as you shouldn't hold a grudge against a child, right?" Her voice was gentle, yet her words were harsh.

I finally turned to look at her.

Simone Lourde was Arlo's first love during their graduate school years.

I stepped forward, staring intently at Arlo. "Arlo, explain yourself. Does your intensive study abroad include taking care of someone else's son in a Jacobville kindergarten? And why is this child calling you 'Daddy'? Is he your illegitimate child?"

Arlo's expression instantly turned grim. "Leia, can you please not be so harsh? What illegitimate child? Hayden is Simone's child! The study program changed at the last minute, so I came back two days early. Simone happened to have a problem, so I helped out. Simone just returned to the country. Being a single mother isn't easy, and her child lacks a father's love. What's wrong with me letting him call me 'Daddy'?"

I scoffed. "You're even allowing someone else's son to bully your own daughter? Look at Anna; she still has marks on her face!"

Arlo frowned and glanced at Anna. There was no pity in his eyes, only impatience. "Alright, it's not a big deal. Hayden's only five and is at that mischievous age. What's wrong with him drawing things? It's just kids playing around!"

Simone peeked out from behind Arlo at just the right moment. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her voice barely audible. "Ms. Jordan, it's all my fault. Please don't blame Arlo. If you're angry, I'll kneel and apologize, okay? Please don't scare Hayden."

As she spoke, she bent her knees as if she were going to kneel.

Arlo grabbed her, feeling extremely heartbroken. "Simone! What are you doing?"

Then, he turned his head around and glared at me, his eyes full of disgust. "Hayden just drew on Anna's face. Why are you making such a big deal out of this? Just wash it off. How dramatic!"

"Wash it off?" I turned around to pull Anna over and pointed at her red and swollen face. "The teacher scrubbed her skin raw, but it still can't be washed off! You're a chemical materials scientist. Shouldn't you be able to tell what kind of marker was used?"

Arlo paused for a moment before looking down.

Hayden was clutching a custom-made industrial permanent marker. It was the latest product from Arlo's laboratory. It had a special ink used to mark experimental equipment in extreme environments. It was waterproof, anti-corrosive, and resistant to high temperatures. Once it dried, it was extremely difficult to remove.

Arlo's expression changed. Subconsciously, he looked at Hayden. He asked in a gentle tone, "Hayden, how did you get this?"

Hayden shouted, "Daddy, you forgot? It's the gift you gave me last month on my birthday. You said it's a scientist's pen, and only smart kids can use it! That ugly fool is so stupid that I had to draw a clown on her face!"

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Arlo's face, but it quickly vanished, replaced by defiance. "Yes, it was a gift for Hayden. It's Anna's fault for being so gloomy all the time. Hayden just wanted to play with her to help her be more outgoing. What's wrong with that?"

Without giving me a chance to speak, he added, "Since you're here, take Anna home. Next week is the kindergarten's parent-child day, and Simone wants to buy Hayden a matching outfit. I'll go shopping with them at the mall."

I looked at him in disbelief. "Next week is also parent-child day for Anna. You were abroad all year, and Anna has been looking forward to your return so that you could accompany her to this event. Now that you're back, you're going to accompany someone else's son to buy matching outfits for the event?"

Arlo waved his hand impatiently. "Anna has you, doesn't she? You're wealthy and can buy her anything. Hayden is different; he's never worn new clothes in his life. Can't you have a little sympathy? Besides, I didn't say I wouldn't accompany Anna on parent-child day. I'll go home after shopping with Simone."

With that said, he picked up Hayden with one arm, supported Simone with the other, and turned around to leave.

Perched on Arlo's shoulder, Hayden smugly waved the black marker at Anna. "Clownface! Fatherless!"

Anna finally could not hold back and burst into tears. She chased a few steps, trying to tug at Arlo's clothes. "Daddy... Daddy, don't go..."

Arlo seemed not to hear her and quickened his pace instead.

Simone turned around and gave me a quick, defiant smirk. It was pure provocation.

"Mommy..." Anna sobbed so hard that she was out of breath. She pointed to the clown on her face. "Am I ugly? Does Daddy dislike me because I'm ugly?"

My heart ached. I reached out and wiped away Anna's tears. "Anna, it's not your fault. Your dad’s blind in the heart and eyes; he can’t see how good you are. He's mistaken trash for treasure. We don't need a blind guy to define what's beautiful and what's ugly."

Anna looked at me with a puzzled expression, but the sorrow in her eyes slowly faded.

When I got home, the family doctor was already waiting. Seeing the marks on Anna's face, the doctor gasped in horror. "This ink has extreme permeability. Ordinary cleaning agents won't work. Forceful washing will only corrode the skin."

My hands and feet were icy cold. "What should we do?"

The doctor frowned and took out a special solvent. "The only way is to use a laser combined with this solvent to slowly get it off, but the process will be very painful, and... it might leave scars."

The treatment process was torture. Anna trembled with pain, and cold sweat dampened her hair, but she stubbornly bit her lip and refused to cry out because Arlo had said he disliked spoiled children.

I watched my daughter suffer, my nails digging deeply into my palm.

Just then, there was movement downstairs. Arlo had come back. He even brought several movers with him. He sternly commanded the movers to head straight for the piano room. "Be gentle. This piano is expensive. Don't bump it into anything."

I rushed downstairs and stood in front of the piano room door. "Arlo, what are you doing?"

Arlo remained calm. "Oh, Hayden is musically talented. The teacher said he's a genius, but his family is poor and can't afford a piano. Anna doesn't play the piano much anyway. It's just collecting dust here. I might as well move it to Hayden's place. We shouldn't let his talent be wasted."

I trembled with anger.

This piano was a gift from me to Anna on her fifth birthday. It was a custom-made model with Anna's name engraved on it. Anna practiced the piano two hours every day, treating it as a precious treasure. However, Arlo said she did not play it often and that it was collecting dust.

"This is Anna's piano! I will never allow you to steal Anna's things to please your mistress!"

Arlo's face turned livid. "You're wealthy. Why don't you just buy Anna another one? Can you bear to watch a genius be ruined because of such a tacky reason? Just consider it charity, okay?"

I looked at him coldly. "No. My charity is only for those who deserve it, not for thieves and robbers."

Arlo was completely furious. "They say people in business value profit over anything else. You're completely blinded by money! I'm taking this piano today! I'll see who dares to stop me!"

He waved his hand, and several movers tried to barge in.

Suddenly, a scream came from upstairs. "Don't touch my piano!"

Anna had run downstairs at one point. Her face was still covered in ointment, red and swollen. She rushed over, spread her small arms, and fiercely protected the piano.

"This is a gift from Mommy! It's mine! Daddy, you're a bad person! You helped that naughty boy bully me, and now, you're trying to steal my piano!"

Arlo's eyes flickered as he looked at Anna's horribly disfigured face.

However, his phone soon rang.

Arlo answered the phone, his tone instantly softening. "Hello? Simone, what's wrong? Don't cry. Don't cry... What? Hayden has a fever? I'm coming right away!"

Arlo hung up, and the guilt in his eyes vanished instantly. He anxiously watched the movers. "Hurry up and move it! Hayden's sick and wants to fall asleep to piano music!"

He then went over and shoved Anna aside. "Anna, can't you be reasonable? Hayden's sick. What's wrong with you giving in to him? It's just a stupid piano. Do you have to be so stingy?"

Anna was pushed onto the carpet. She stared blankly at Arlo as he left the house, her eyes instantly dimming.

I went over and picked Anna up. She did not cry and only buried her head in the crook of my neck, her voice almost inaudible. "Mommy. Is Daddy... never coming back?"

I kissed her forehead, tears finally streaming down my face. "Anna, don't be afraid. I'll give you something better. As for the people who took our things..."

I looked out at the night, my eyes slowly turning icy. "I'll make them pay back multiple fold."