Chapter 2

My husband, Richard, walked in just in time to see Lucas apologizing, a fresh bruise swelling on his forehead.

Richard’s face darkened instantly. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Even if he is your kid, you shouldn't be beating him like that in front of Toby!"

Was he worried about Lucas?

Of course not.

He was worried about Toby.

He was terrified Toby would be corrupted by seeing such violence.

"Yes, of course, Mr. Vance. I'm sorry. The brat just has no manners, so I had to teach him a lesson.

Toby is so polite and cultured. This trash isn't worthy to even breathe the same air as him."

Brenda smiled obsequiously, then glared venomously at Lucas. The boy shrank back two steps, his face turning pale.

He huddled in the corner like a frightened bird, not daring to make a sound.

Brenda rolled her eyes at him, then turned back to Toby with a beaming smile. "Toby, tomorrow is your first day of preschool, right? Should I pack some homemade cookies and snacks for you to take?"

Toby nodded, offering a sweet, innocent smile. "Thanks, Brenda."

To him, this was just the nanny being nice. He didn't think anything of it.

Hearing this, Lucas cautiously reached out and tugged at Brenda’s apron, his voice trembling with hope. "Mom... I want to go to preschool too..."

It hit me then. Lucas and Toby were born on the same day. They should have been starting school together.

Even if it was just preschool.

But standing next to Toby, Lucas looked a full head shorter.

If someone told me he was only two years old instead of four, I would have believed them.

"Preschool? Who do you think you are? You think you're royalty? Kids where I come from play in the dirt, they don't go to fancy prep-schools! You've got cheap blood but rich desires!"

With that, Brenda began kicking and punching Lucas again.

Lucas couldn't hold it in anymore. He burst into loud, agonizing wails that echoed through the entire house.

Richard rushed over to stop her, and Toby tried to block her too. I was the only one who sat there, coldly watching the circus unfold.

Worried she might scare Toby, Brenda grabbed Lucas by his leg and dragged him down the hallway into the nanny's quarters.

The next morning, Toby put on his little backpack, and Brenda escorted him to the car.

Richard noticed the lack of a shadow behind Brenda today. "Where's your boy? Are you really not sending him to preschool?"

"Mr. Vance, I appreciate the thought, but Lucas is a country boy. He doesn't belong in a city school. I'll send him back to the country to study when he's older.

You know my ex-husband was an absolute monster. He beat me constantly. Every time I look at Lucas, I just see that beast's face..."

Brenda’s eyes welled with tears as she spoke.

Richard didn't want to hear it.

We had hired Brenda because she was a hard worker. When we found out she was pregnant, we didn't fire her because we knew her husband was a piece of trash.

The man drank, gambled, and smoked.

And when he got drunk, he beat his wife.

If Brenda didn't make money, he would have beaten her to death.

...

After Richard and Toby drove off, Brenda and I walked back into the living room.

As soon as we stepped inside, we saw Lucas kneeling on the floor, scrubbing the tiles.

His tiny body was hunched over. His hands were too small to even wring the rag dry.

Yet, he carefully and meticulously wiped down every single inch of the floor.

If you looked closely, you could see sweat pouring down his face, and his leg was visibly twitching.

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