Chapter 118

Keen’s voice, dripping with disdain, 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 embarrassment.”

The teachers, who initially thought Keen was polite, began to see him differently. Their gazes subtly shifted 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 blankly at Stella.

Stella’s long lashes cast a shadow over her eyes, making it impossible to read her emotions. The video jostled a bit before ending abruptly.

Silence fell over the room like a heavy blanket. But Rachel’s eyes gleamed with barely contained excitement. Perfect. This was exactly what she’d hoped for—every bitter exchange between Stella and Keen, every crack in their relationship, created another opening for her.

Stella 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 Stella, not uttering a word, his quiet compliance 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 Stella and Marvin reached the door, a deep, cool voice called out from behind. “Wait.”

Stella 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, completely 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 Stella. “His phone only has these two videos that happen to make Keen look bad… especially the last one. It seems like he’s deliberately misleading Keen.”

Stella’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. ‘Ells 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 relationship with Keen has grown more distant?”

Sensing Marvin’s unease, Stella 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 blame to a child? Isn’t that a bit beneath you?”

“Shifting blame?” Haynes chuckled, but the chill in his eyes remained. “So, you don’t believe Keen when he says he’s being bullied?”

“Not really,” Stella replied, her tone icy. “After all, he doesn’t like me enough to claim 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?”