Cameron stayed silent, his expression unreadable.

Seeing this, Anne put on a look of gentle surprise, lightly patted Reese’s head, and smiled softly, "Reese likes Teacher, and Teacher likes Reese too. But you only have one mommy, okay? You shouldn’t say things like that."

But Reese shook her head stubbornly. "I don’t want to! I just like Teacher Anne! I want her to be my mommy!"

Anne cast a sidelong glance at Julia, her eyes filled with contempt and disdain.

Julia let out a bitter laugh, turned around, and walked away without another word.

She was leaving soon anyway. Just a little longer. She didn’t want anything to mess up her plan.

Julia forced herself to clear her mind and soon drifted off to sleep.

But in the middle of the night, a noise stirred her awake. She caught a glimpse of her daughter’s small figure slipping past the doorway.

She didn’t think much of it. Feeling thirsty, she reached for the calming tea on her nightstand and drank it in one gulp.

The taste seemed off, but she didn’t dwell on it.

Moments later, heat rushed through her body, and her breathing grew shallow, labored, and tight.

Julia switched on the light and gasped. Her reflection in the mirror was covered in horrifying red rashes.

She was having an allergic reaction.

Without hesitation, she rushed to the room where the medical supplies were kept. That door had never been locked, but tonight, no matter how hard she tried, it wouldn’t budge.

She tried to call for help, but no sound came out. Her throat burned, her head throbbed, and the rashes spread like fire beneath her skin.

Desperate, she pounded on Cameron’s bedroom door.

No answer.

Not a sound.

In a panic, she staggered down the stairs, clutched the car keys, and drove herself to the hospital.

The doctors rushed to perform emergency treatment. Her stomach had to be pumped. The violent vomiting tore through every nerve in her body.

The attending doctor frowned, his tone laced with irritation. "Miss, you know you’re severely allergic to walnuts. Even a trace can be fatal. Why did you eat them?"

Julia froze. Her whole body trembled.

She hadn’t eaten anything with walnuts that night.

How could this have happened?

Then it hit her, that brief moment, that fleeting glimpse of her daughter’s figure at the door.

By the time Cameron arrived with Reese, Julia was already hooked up to an IV.

Cameron frowned, his voice edged with impatience. “What are you making a fuss about in the middle of the night? What now?”

Julia clenched her fists, struggling to stay calm. “What happened? Ask your precious daughter.”

“Why did she put walnut powder in my drink? You both know I’m allergic.”

She couldn’t hold back anymore; tears of bitter disappointment streamed silently down her face.

Cameron froze for a beat, a flicker of shock passing through his eyes. He looked down at Reese.

“Reese, is that true?”

The girl pouted, her cheeks turning red. She said nothing.

Cameron’s face darkened. “Why would you do something like that?”

Suddenly, Reese burst into tears.

“Waaah, because then Mommy would leave, and Daddy could be with Teacher Anne more!”

Cameron’s expression shifted, softening with a mix of surprise and guilt.

He let out a sigh, part indulgent, part helpless. “Reese, you can’t ever do that again.”

Julia watched the scene unfold, father and daughter in their own world, and felt a cold chill rise from deep within her bones.

Julia’s body trembled uncontrollably. “Cameron! Didn’t you hear me? Your daughter drugged me again! Just to make space for another woman!”

“I could’ve died from that walnut allergy! Do you not understand? If you don’t correct her now, what kind of person will she grow up to be?!”

“Enough!”

Cameron’s face tensed with irritation. “She’s just a child. What could she possibly know? It was a harmless prank. Why are you overreacting? She’s your daughter, too. Stop scaring her.”

Julia almost laughed in disbelief, her anger boiling over. “I’m scaring her? She almost killed me!”

Just then, Cameron’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen, and his expression softened. Answering the call, his tone instantly shifted.

“Teacher Anne? What’s wrong?”

Anne’s voice floated gently through the speaker, soft and unsure.

“Mr. Cruise, I’m so sorry to bother you… I can’t figure out the water heater at your place. I’ve tried everything, but there’s only cold water. I just wanted to take a shower…”

Her voice faded, trailing into silence.

But before she could finish, Cameron cut in, his voice warm and reassuring. “Don’t worry, I’ll come back and fix it for you.”

The daughter who had just been crying suddenly stopped. She grabbed Cameron’s arm excitedly.

"Daddy, was that Teacher Anne? Is she asking us to go back? Let’s go! I want to be with Teacher Anne!"

Julia stared at Cameron in disbelief.

"There are maids at home. Why didn’t she call them? She had to call you?"

Cameron’s voice turned cold. "Don’t speak ill of others behind their backs. Teacher Anne has a kind heart. She didn’t want to trouble the maids this late."

He picked up Reese, casting a glance at Julia.

"Just focus on finishing your IV. When it’s done, press the nurse call button. I’ll come back for you later."

He left the hospital room without a word, not even bothering to close the door behind him.

From the hallway, her daughter’s cheerful voice rang out, full of joy.

Julia stared at the IV drip, watching each drop fall, time slipping by, second by second.

When the last bottle was emptied, she climbed out of bed again to press the nurse call button.

A nurse came in quietly and removed the needle.

Late into the night, Julia lay alone in the sterile quiet of the hospital room.

A bitter smile tugged at her lips.

Mustering what little strength she had left, she stood up, peeled the tape off the back of her hand, and called a car to take her home.

When Julia opened the door, the house was a complete mess. The lights in the living room were on, yet not a soul was in sight.

She headed upstairs, about to push open her bedroom door, when she noticed it was already ajar.

Inside, Cameron and Anne were tightly wrapped in each other’s arms.

Anne lay beneath him, her eyes hazy with desire. In the next second, Cameron lowered his head and kissed her deeply.

A deafening roar filled Julia’s ears. Her stomach twisted violently.

They were doing this on her bed.

On her bed.

Julia turned and bolted, heart pounding, wanting nothing more than to escape that room.

She had just reached the living room when her daughter came barreling at her on a child’s tricycle.

Before she could move, the front wheel slammed into her. She crashed to the floor, pain shooting through her body.

Her daughter stopped on the pedals, face twisted with malice. "You stupid fat woman! Who told you to come back and ruin Daddy and Teacher Anne’s date?"

Julia struggled to get up, only to see her daughter spin the tricycle around and ram into her again, the wheels rolling straight over her calf.

"Ahhh—!"

A sharp, searing pain shot through her leg, soaking her in cold sweat. Her scream echoed in agony.

"You deserved it! That’s what you get for ruining the date! You shameless fat witch! Homewrecker! Get out of our house!"

The shrill, venomous voice cut deep. Julia’s heart sank. She was only five, where had she learned to speak like that?

But the pain was unbearable. She had no time to think.

Upstairs, the noise had clearly reached the bedroom. After a brief pause, Cameron finally came down.

He took one look at her sprawled on the floor and frowned in irritation. "What now? You just got back, and you're already making a scene. Can’t you stay quiet for one second?"

His daughter immediately switched to a pitiful tone, pointing at Julia with wide, accusing eyes. "Daddy, she ran into my bike on purpose! She tried to scare me! She’s bad!"

Cameron’s gaze darkened, but seeing Julia writhing in pain, he reluctantly walked over and extended a hand. "You okay?"

Julia shook her head and spoke weakly, "Reese is lying. Take me to the hospital… my leg… I can’t stand."

Cameron withdrew his hand, then knelt to support her. "Don’t talk right now. I’ll take you to the hospital."

At that moment, Anne stepped out, still wrapped in Cameron’s bathrobe.

She held her forehead and leaned against the doorframe, her voice soft and fragile. "Mr. Cruise… my head feels dizzy… I can’t stand…"

Her body swayed as if she would collapse at any second.

Without hesitation, Cameron rushed to her and swept her into his arms.

"Dizzy? Don’t worry. I’ll take you to the hospital right now."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he stepped over Julia, trembling in pain on the floor, and headed straight for the door.

"Reese, open the door for Daddy. Then go back to your room and sleep."

The girl looked anxiously at Anne, cradled in his arms. "What happened to Teacher Anne? I want to go too!"

Cameron shook his head.

"It’s too late. Go to sleep. You’ve got kindergarten tomorrow."

Though reluctant, Reese still did as Cameron said. As she passed by Julia, she snorted and kicked her hard in the stomach.

The once lively living room now held only Julia, curled on the floor in silence.

Beside her sat her daughter’s tiny tricycle. As her eyes drifted across the cold, empty space, every memory she’d clung to shattered quietly inside her.

With trembling fingers, she reached into her pocket, pulled out her phone, and called the housekeeper.

Her voice was barely audible.

“Hello… send someone to the living room… take me to the hospital…”

Julia spent three long hours at the hospital, completely alone.

“Severe soft tissue contusion, possible bone fracture. Surgery is necessary. You’ll need a family member to handle the payments and sign the consent forms,” the masked doctor said, handing her a slip.

Julia took the form with steady hands and gave a faint shake of her head. “Doctor, I came alone. I’ll take care of everything myself.”

The doctor frowned. “You came here alone with injuries like that? No family? There’s a whole list of procedures…”

Julia forced a tired smile. The people who had hurt her most were the ones who should’ve stood by her side.

She managed every step on her own, paperwork, payments, everything. By the time the surgery ended, dawn had already begun to break.

Still groggy, she wheeled herself slowly toward the bathroom, only to stop short.

Anne, dressed in a hospital gown, was strolling casually down the hallway. Her complexion glowed, and Cameron’s tailored jacket hung elegantly over her shoulders.

When Anne spotted her, she offered a slow, deliberate smile. “What a coincidence, Mrs. Cruise,” she said, drawing out the last three words with syrupy sweetness.

“Mr. Cruise is arranging a private doctor for my follow-up. He can’t leave just yet.”

Julia frowned and tried to wheel past, but Anne stepped in front of her, leaning down with a smirk.

"How did it feel… watching your husband carry me away?"

She lowered her voice, lips curling with triumph. "Julia, I’ll be the new Mrs. Cruise soon enough."

With that, she pulled out her phone and held it in front of Julia’s face.

Onscreen, inside Julia’s own bedroom, Cameron leaned in and kissed Anne, his hands roaming slowly over her body.

Then came his voice, gentle and intimate. "Reese really likes you, Miss Lawrence. Would you be willing… to become her other mother?"

Julia’s eyes widened. Humiliation crashed over her like a tidal wave.

She smacked the phone aside and let out a cold laugh.

"An unfaithful man who can’t keep it in his pants, and a backstabbing child who drugged her own mother…"

"Take them. I tossed them away. If picking up trash makes you feel powerful, be my guest."

"You—!"

Anne’s expression twisted with fury. She raised her hand.

Julia’s head snapped to the side. Her cheek burned from the force of the slap.

Still unsatisfied, Anne raised her hand again. But this time, Julia instinctively caught her wrist.

Anne struggled to pull free until, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Cameron approaching from the far end of the hallway. Her expression shifted. With a sudden smile, she grabbed the heavy metal base of the nearby blood pressure stand and slammed it hard against her own wrist, right where Julia’s hand held her.

“Ah—my hand!” Anne cried out, staggering backward before collapsing to the floor.

Cameron rushed over, immediately crouching beside her. “Miss Lawrence, are you alright?”

Tears welled in Anne’s eyes as she clutched her wrist. “It hurts so badly… Why does Mrs. Cruise always target me?”

“I only came to check on her, but she suddenly grabbed my hand and smashed it with the machine. She told me I wasn’t fit to teach Reese piano anymore… and ordered me to leave.”

Cameron froze, stunned by her words. Then his face twisted with fury as he turned to Julia and shouted, “Julia, what the hell are you trying to do?!”

Julia stared at them coldly, too drained to explain anything.

Cameron’s gaze turned sharp. "Apologize. Apologize to Miss Lawrence right now."

Julia finally spoke, her voice steady. "Apologize? To her?"

Cameron’s expression darkened. He let out a cold laugh.

"Fine. Won’t apologize? Then I’ll punish you until you do."

He pulled out his phone, and within moments, two bodyguards arrived.

"Take my wife to the third floor," he ordered flatly.

Julia’s eyes widened. She tried to wheel herself away, but the guards grabbed her on the spot.

"Cameron! What are you doing?!"

They lifted her out of the chair, dragging her up the stairs as she struggled.

"Let go of me! Let go!"

Behind her, Cameron’s voice was cruel and venomous. "You love hurting people… especially where it counts."

"Your precious ballet? You’ll never dance again. Those legs they’re useless now. This is your punishment."

"Throw her off the third floor. Let her remember this lesson for the rest of her life."

Julia’s mind went blank.

She couldn’t believe what she’d just heard.

Rage exploded from her throat. "Cameron, you can’t do this! Don’t you dare!"

He frowned. “Why wouldn’t I? I’m teaching you a lesson. You hurt someone—this is your consequence, Julia.”

The bodyguards dragged her up to the third floor. Before she could even react, Cameron’s voice echoed from below.

“Do it!”

They didn’t hesitate.

“Ah—!”

Her scream barely lasted a second. The wind roared in her ears as the ground rushed up to meet her. That split second of weightlessness turned into horror.