The line went dead, leaving Haynes staring at his phone in disbelief. He tried calling Ste a few more times, but she still wasn''t picking up.


    Haynes'' grip tightened around his phone, knuckles bleaching white. This was his own damn fault-he''d gone too easy on Ste, let her push boundaries when he should''ve crushed them under his heel. Fine. If she wanted to y games, he''d teach her a lesson she wouldn''t forget. When Ste finally arrived at the kindergarten, it was no surprise to see Haynes and Rachel already there. Rachel was cradling Keen, whispering softly to him, while Marvin stood alone, looking pitiful.


    "Sorry, I''mte," Ste said as she walked in. She had been practicing violin with Antoney Watson and the studio was quite a distance away, making her thest to arrive.


    Haynes'' expression darkened as he saw her. "Ste, why didn''t you pick up your phone?"


    Ste''s face was a mask of indifference. "I didn''t want to talk, so I didn''t. Does there always have to be a reason?"


    His gaze turned icy. "Ste, you''re Keen''s mother. If something happened and you didn''t answer your phone, how do you think that looks?"


    Rachel chimed in, adding fuel to the fire. "Exactly, Ms. Cameron. What if Keen had an emergency? Your refusal to answer could put him at risk."


    A frosty glint shed in Ste''s eyes. "Tell me, Father of the Year-how many times did you actually answer when the hospital called? If missing one call makes me a monster, your negligence should''ve buried Keen months ago."


    Haynes'' eyes narrowed, a dangerous edge creeping into his voice. "Are you seriously cursing your own child, Ste?"


    "Oh, Haynes," Ste retorted, "not only are you blind, but you''re deaf too? It was your oh-so-pure Ms. Pearce who suggested something so ridiculous, and you''re trying to pin it on me. Truly, your ability to pass the buck is unmatched."


    "Isn''t there a talent showing up at the kindergarten? Maybe you and Ms. Pearce can debut as a non-stick duo," she added sarcastically.


    Turning her attention to Marvin, Ste''s tone softened. "Marvin, sweetheart, what happened?"


    Marvin hesitated, ncing nervously at Keen, unsure whether to speak up.


    Ste knelt down beside him, her voice gentle yet firm. "Marvin, tell me what happened. I promise I''ll make things right for you."


    "I''m fine," Marvin mumbled, casting another wary nce at Keen. "Ste, maybe we shouldn''t participate in the talent show this weekend..."


    Before Ste could respond, Rachel''s voice cut in,ced with reproach. "Ms. Cameron, as Keen''s mother, shouldn''t you be supporting him in the show instead of helping another child?"


    Feigning ignorance, Ste replied, "So, is Keen withdrawing from the show?"


    "Without you, Ms. Cameron, Keen has no choice but to rely on me," Rachel interjected smugly.


    Ste raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "And did Keen tell you that himself, or are you just guessing?"


    Rachel hesitated, her words faltering, but Keen spoke up with a defiant tilt of his chin. "I asked Rachel to help! This is a talent show, and you can''t do anything useful. If youe, I''ll just be aughingstock!"