Keen''s voice, dripping with disdain, still hung in the air.


    "She''s just some housewife-can''t even do anything besides cook. Why are you defending her like she''s somebody important? Everything she does, my nanny does it too. If you think she''s so great, you can have her as your mom. Rachel''s a hundred times better anyway, and I wouldn''t want such an embarrassing mom."


    The teachers, who initially thought Keen was polite, began to see him differently. Their gazes carried a subtle shift as they looked at him.


    Keen opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but faced with the undeniable truth, he found no words. His face flushed red, he could only stare nkly at Ste.


    Ste''s longshes cast a shadow over her eyes, making it impossible to read her emotions. The video jostled a bit before it ended abruptly.


    Silence fell over the room like a heavy nket.


    But Rachel''s eyes gleamed with barely-contained excitement. Perfect. This was exactly what she''d hoped for-every bitter exchange between Ste and Keen, every crack in their rtionship, created another opening for her.


    Ste turned off the screen share and said calmly, "Since there''s nothing on Marvin''s phone, we''ll be on our way." With that, she took Marvin''s hand and headed for the door.


    Marvin followed close to Ste, not uttering a word, his quietpliance tugging at the heartstrings.


    The kindergarten teachers watched them leave with eyes full of sympathy and pity. Here were two people-one without a mother, the other spurned by her husband and child. What a sad sight.


    Just as Ste and Marvin reached the door, a deep, cool voice called out from behind. "Wait."


    Ste stopped and turned to face him. "Do you need something?"


    Her face was calm as still water, showing neither anger nor sorrow. She looked like an outsider,pletely detached from everything happening around her.


    Haynes'' voice was steady, "Don''t you find these two videos a bit too coincidental?"


    "Coincidental?"


    Haynes'' piercing gaze fell on Marvin, standing beside Ste.


    "His phone only has these two videos that happen to make Keen look bad...


    especially thest one. It seems like he''s deliberately misleading Keen."


    Ste''s eyes narrowed slightly. "What are you implying? You think Marvin did it on purpose?"


    Haynes countered, "Isn''t it possible?"


    His words drew the attention of everyone in the room.


    Ste was taken aback. "Haynes, are you seriously suspecting a five-year-old child?"


    Haynes'' cool, dark eyes remained fixed on Marvin.


    "Have you not noticed that ever since he came along, your rtionship with Keen has grown more distant?"


    Sensing Marvin''s unease, Ste stepped between him and Haynes'' gaze.


    "And why has it grown distant, Mr. O''Brien? Surely, you must know. Are you covering for your lover by shifting the me to a child? Isn''t that a bit beneath you?"


    "Shifting me?" Haynes chuckled, but the chill in his eyes remained. "So, you don''t believe Keen when he says he''s being bullied?"


    "Not really," Ste replied, her tone icy. "After all, he doesn''t like me enough to im I''m not his mother. Hating Marvin and spinning a few lies isn''t much of a stretch, is it?"


    Haynes'' eyes narrowed. "Is that how you see Keen?"