Marvin didn''t deny it; instead, he eximed, "That''s because you called me a motherless stray! And you were badmouthing Ste!"


    Keen was still fuming. "Ste is my mom. I can say whatever I want about her!"


    Marvin defended loudly, "She''s my dear Ste, not just a nanny! I won''t let you talk about her like that in front of me!"


    "What can you do about it? No matter what you say, she''s my mom and always will be. You..."


    Keen red at Marvin with malice, "You''ll always be a motherless stray!"


    "Keen."


    "Enough!"


    Haynes and Ste''s voices rang out in unison.


    The two boys instinctively nced at each other and then turned away with stubborn expressions.


    Haynes'' gaze was cold andmanding. "Where are your manners?"


    Keen was destined to inherit The O''Brien Group one day, and Haynes had always been strict with him. Keen held both respect and fear for Haynes. He could throw tantrums at Ste but never dared to show any disrespect towards Haynes.


    But today''s sh was different-Keen, who usually never dared to argue with Haynes, refused to back down.


    "I''m not wrong!" Keen raised his chin, his eyes burning with jealousy as he watched Ste speak softly to Marvin.


    He pointed at Marvin, "This stray says his dad will marry my mom, and she''ll be his mom too. He said she won''t be my mom anymore and won''t care about me!"


    "He also said she''ll cook for him every day, give him baths, tell him stories, and tuck him in at night. That I''ll be the stray instead!"


    "Every day he''s been telling me how great she treats him, as if having a mom doesn''t make any difference..."


    As he spoke, Keen''s voice caught with the hint of tears, and he looked pitiful.


    Rachel, seeing this, quickly interjected, "Haynie, this isn''t entirely Keen''s fault. Ms. Cameron isn''t paying attention to him but is busy caring for someone else''s child..."


    She hesitated, "Keen just wants his mom''s attention. Is that so wrong? Maybe it''s Ms. Cameron who isn''t fulfilling her role as a mother?"


    With a slightly usatory nce at Ste, she continued, "Ms. Cameron, Keen is your child. Why are you helping an outsider?"


    Ste looked at Rachel and said, "Yes, Keen is my child, and Haynes is my husband. Why would they help an outsider?"


    Keen didn''t catch the undertone in Ste''s words and shouted, "That''s because you''ve been bullying Rachel!"


    Ste fixed her gaze on Keen and asked, "So you''re iming that you and your father arepletely fair, treating everyone the same is that it?"


    "Of course!"


    The people present, who had been silently judging Ste as an unfit mother, now looked at Rachel with curiosity and suspicion.


    Those few sentences carried a lot of weight.


    Regardless of whether Ste had bullied Rachel, Keen had just revealed that he and his father indeed helped an outsider.


    Rachel''s expression faltered, and just as she was about to speak, Ste''s amused voice interrupted.


    "So, I''m just like you. Because you''ve been bullying Marvin, I''m fair and impartial, treating everyone equally. Is that wrong?"


    Keen was left speechless.