Claudia was furious as her interests had been compromised. She could no longer contain her frustration. "That useless man is a curse! He's vile and has lost all sense of decency. I swear he's here to ruin us! He shouldn't drag us with him even if he wants to bring us down! He truly is unbearable! No, you must tell your sister to divorce him immediately before your grandfather blames us! Quickly, call your sister and urge her to come home at once!"
In a panic, Claudia pushed Charlotte, who stamped her foot in frustration and shouted, "It's pointless, Mother. Grandfather said Anastasia and that loser must complete the task together; otherwise, we'll all be thrown out."
Claudia, furious, stamped her feet and hurled a torrent of insults at Ethan. When she finished, she turned her ire on Anastasia. Having learned they might be expelled from the Reed family, Charles was no longer in the mood to read the newspaper. Claudia's incessant yelling grated on his nerves, prompting him to exclaim, "My eardrums are about to burst from your screeching. Can you lower your voice a bit? You're driving me mad!"
"How dare you speak to me like that?" Claudia responded, her voice even louder, astonished by Charles's outburst. "This is all your fault! If you weren't Thaddeus's biological child, he wouldn't be so quick to throw us out. You're a worthless burden. All you do is snap at me at home! Why don't you find a job where you can earn millions? If you have any guts, take it out on your father! I'm unfortunate to have married a loser like you. If only I have known that this will be my future to this family, huh! What will we do if we're genuinely thrown out? Do you have any idea if that happened? Do you know where we are going to find a decent home? How are we going to enjoy life and live harmoniously? Tell me!" Claudia continued to berate Charles.
Charlotte, feeling exasperated, thought, "I can't stay in this house any longer. Parents can be so annoying." She opened the front door and headed out to pick up Sophia from kindergarten.
Arriving at Wise Kids Kindergarten, Charlotte's mood improved as she drove the elegant luxury sports car, drawing envious glances from passersby. At least here, at the kindergarten, she felt admired.
It was peak hour at the kindergarten. After waiting at the entrance and not seeing Sophia, Charlotte went inside. She spotted Sophia near a slide and was about to call out to her when she heard a boy's clear, mocking voice.
"You're an unwanted brat! Boo! Your daddy left you because he doesn't want to see you. Boo!" A small boy opposite Sophia stuck out his tongue and made a face at her.
Sophia's cheeks flushed with heat, and tears welled up in her eyes. "I have a daddy. My daddy is back home!"
"Boo, my mum says your dad is a criminal and a good-for-nothing who the police arrest. Bang! Bang! He'll be shot dead! You're just a little pest. You should be shot, too! Bang! Bang!" The boy extended his finger like a gun and moved to poke Sophia.
"Stop it!" Charlotte shouted, rushing over and pulling Sophia behind her. The boy, seeing Charlotte, tried to run but tripped and fell.
The boy began to cry loudly. Sophia clung to Charlotte, tears streaming down her face. "Auntie, I have a daddy. My daddy is back. He's a good man. He's not like what that boy said. And I did not do anything to this boy. He always bullied me since this morning."
Charlotte's heart ached to hear Sophia's cries. "Yes, Sophia. Be brave. Your daddy is back, and they won't dare to bully you anymore. Your daddy will always be with you when you need him most this time." She gently patted Sophia's back to comfort her.
"What's wrong, darling?" A couple rushed over, hearing the boy's cries, and lifted him, visibly upset.
"Mummy, she hit me!" The boy pointed at Charlotte, wailing even louder. His parents glared at Charlotte with hostility. "You're an adult, and you hit my child. Find someone in your size! Have you no shame? "
Charlotte, feeling wronged, retorted, "Your son bullied my niece! He ran away in fear when I approached and tripped on his own. I didn't hit him! You should have taught your boy some manners instead of bullying girls!"
The stout woman in her thirties ignored Charlotte's explanation and charged at her. "You hit a child, did you? Since you are a brave woman, try hitting him again in front of me!" She raised her hand, ready to slap Charlotte.
Charlotte, surprised and wearing stilettos while holding Sophia, didn't dare to move. She closed her eyes, bracing to shield Sophia from the blow.
Suddenly, a firm hand caught the woman's wrist. "Ah! Who are you? What do you think you're doing? You have the guts to interfere with our matters! Ahh!"
Expecting pain, Charlotte instead heard the woman's angry and frustrated cries. She slowly opened her eyes to see a tall figure standing protectively before her.
Charlotte gasped in surprise. It was Ethan, the so-called good-for-nothing, looking strong and determined!
Ethan released the woman's wrist and turned to check on Charlotte and Sophia. "Are you alright? What did this boy do to you, Sophia?" he asked.
"Daddy!" Sophia exclaimed in astonishment, looking at Ethan with tearful eyes. Just before the woman could strike Charlotte, her daddy appeared like a hero from a storybook. His daddy is awesome!