Little Nina didn''t have school that day.


    Briony took her out for a little shopping spree at the mall. They picked out some toys boys would love, along with a few shirts and pants.


    As they walked through the toy aisle, Little Nina looked up at her and asked, "Mom, can''t we bring little Mario home to stay with us for a few days?"


    Briony gently smoothed her daughter''s hair and answered softly, "Mario has daily tasks he needs to finish, sweetheart. He probably can''te and stay at Skybreeze Retreat for now."


    Little Nina blinked, thinking it over. "So does that mean he doesn''t even get to sleep in on weekends?"


    Briony smiled. "Well, when we see him, you can ask him yourself."


    Little Nina beamed and nodded. "Okay!"


    Briony hadn''t told anyone-not even Carol-that she was bringing Little Nina along to visit Mario.


    At the security gate of Southcreek Manor, the guard wouldn''t let them through. Sitting in the car, Briony pulled out her phone and called Carol.


    Carol picked up and rushed outside, flustered. "This is Master Mario''s biological mother. Who told you to keep her out?"


    "I''m sorry, Ms. Carol," the guard replied helplessly. "Ms. Riley specifically instructed us not to let strangers in."


    The word "strangers" made Carol''s expression falter. She nced anxiously at Briony.


    Briony sat behind the wheel, hands on the steering wheel, her face expressionless.


    She and Stewart were divorced now. Technically, she was an outsider.


    If not for Mario, she would have no desire to set foot here ever again.


    The car rolled slowly through the gates of Southcreek Manor and came to a stop. Briony switched off the engine, stepped out, and opened the back door to help Little Nina down.


    Then she popped open the trunk and took out the toys and clothes she''d bought.


    Carol hurried over to help, her arms soon loaded with shopping bags. "Ms. Kensington, please, let me carry those."


    Briony took her daughter''s hand and followed Carol inside.


    Footsteps echoed from the staircase, followed by Lorna''s voice-


    "Ms. Kensington, you''re here!"


    Briony paused and looked up.


    Lorna descended thest few steps and walked over.


    "Why didn''t you let me know you wereing?" Lorna asked. "I could have told Mario''s tutor to give him the morning off."


    She nced at the watch on her wrist. "It''s only ten. Mario''s boxing lesson won''t be over until eleven thirty!"


    Briony met her gaze, cool andposed. "I took my daughter shopping and


    picked up a few things for Mario. Thought I''d drop them by."


    Lorna''s eyes flickered over Briony''s face, then turned to Carol.


    Carol quickly added, "These are all gifts from Ms. Kensington for Mario."


    Lorna arched a brow and went to inspect the bags, her expression tightening with disapproval.


    "These toys aren''t suitable-Mario doesn''t y with things like these."


    She looked at Briony, her tone exasperated. "Ms. Kensington, Mario isn''t a toddler anymore. These are too childish for him, and they''re a distraction from his studies. I''m sorry, but you''ll probably need to take them back and return them." Cóntent belongs to swnóvel


    Briony wasn''t the least bit surprised by Lorna''s reaction.


    She''d prepared herself for this beforeing.


    She wouldn''t let herself be provoked, but she wasn''t going to back down either.


    "Ms. Riley, I bought these for my son. I''ll ask him if he wants them—no need for you to worry yourself."


    Lorna''s lips curled. “Now, Ms.


    Kensington, that''s not fair. I''m Stewart''s fiancée, and Mario''s stepmother-to-be. It''s my


    responsibility to look after him and


    do what''s best for him."


    Briony let out a soft, dismissiveugh. "Fiancée, yes. But from the way you act,


    one might think you and Stewart are already married."


    Lorna froze.


    Briony''s voice turned cold. "Let me remind you. Biologically, you have no connection to Mario. Legally, you''re not even family."


    She looked Lorna straight in the eye, her lips curling with icy disdain. "Mario''s


    stepmother? You don''t have that right, Ms. Riley."


    Lorna stared back, arching an


    eyebrow with a faint, mocking smile. "Such hostility, Ms. Kensington Are you regretting your divorce from Stewart? Thinking of crawling back?"