Chapter 489

"Grace, come here!"

"Emily, stay away from her!"

"Oliver..."

"Sophia!"

Mrs. Dawson joined in, her voice sharp as she pulled her daughter back. The parents were united in their disapproval, warning their children not to play with Lily.

But the children didn’t understand.

"Mom, the snake wasn’t Lily’s fault. It was Sophia’s toy first," Grace whispered, tugging at her mother’s sleeve.

Sophia Wilson nodded eagerly. "It’s mine! I traded for it with my other toys. All the kids in class love it. It’s just a toy snake—it’s fun!"

"Sophia Wilson!" Her mother’s face twisted in fury. She grabbed Sophia’s arm and yanked her back. "You never did things like this before! Ever since you started playing with that Blackwood girl, you’ve turned into a wild child!" She raised her hand as if to slap her.

Sophia burst into tears.

Lily clung to Sophia Montgomery’s leg, her small fingers digging into the fabric of her mother’s pants. "Mommy, I want to go home..."

She was perceptive for her age. She saw the way the other mothers looked at her—like she was something dirty, something unwanted.

"You’re not going anywhere!" Mrs. Dawson snapped, stepping forward. "Mrs. Montgomery, since you’re part of this group, you’ll stay and face this. Either you prove your sincerity today, or admit you’re just like that other woman—the one who pretended to be something she wasn’t. And your daughter will suffer the same fate—expelled from this kindergarten!"

Mrs. Thompson chimed in, her voice shrill. "Lily needs to apologize right now! She needs to confess what she’s done! We can’t let this fatherless brat get away with corrupting our children!"

Lily flinched, pressing herself harder against Sophia’s leg.

Sophia’s chest tightened. She set her bag down slowly, then rolled up her sleeves.

Mrs. Wilson stumbled back, eyes wide. "W-What are you doing? You wouldn’t dare hit me! I’ll call the police—"

Sophia didn’t bother responding. She scooped Lily into her arms and strode toward the exit.

Before leaving, she turned back, her voice icy. "My child did nothing wrong. She won’t apologize. And as for your plan? I came here to tell you this—I don’t think that other mother did anything wrong either. Did she hurt you? Did she interfere with your lives? She paid for her child’s education just like you did. Who gave you the right to dictate who belongs here?"

Her gaze swept over them, disgust curling her lip. "Your little clique isn’t noble. It’s pathetic. And frankly, I’d rather my daughter not learn anything from people like you."

With that, she walked out, leaving the women gaping behind her.

She barely made it a few steps before colliding with a man’s chest.

"Oof—"

The impact sent her stumbling back, but Lily, quick on her feet, managed to stay upright. Sophia wasn’t so lucky. She nearly fell—until strong arms caught her.

"Careful there," a smooth voice murmured.

Sophia recoiled. The man reeked of cheap cologne, his smile oily. She shoved him away. "Sorry. My fault."

He chuckled. "No harm done. A beautiful woman running into me? I consider that good luck."

Sophia ignored him, grabbing Lily’s hand and hurrying away.

Lily pouted. "Mommy, I didn’t like that man."

"Neither did I," Sophia muttered. She quickened her pace. "Let’s go home. I need to write a letter."

"To who?" Lily asked.

Sophia exhaled. "To the school director. So you can keep going to this kindergarten."

What she didn’t say was that the letter was really for Ethan Blackwood.

She needed to stay. For Lily.

Because she didn’t know what tomorrow would bring—not when Cassandra Montgomery held all the cards.

Meanwhile, back in the room, two women entered.

The mothers froze.

"Who are they?" Mrs. Dawson whispered.

No one recognized them.

Cassandra Montgomery smirked, stepping forward. "You don’t know me? That’s understandable. I’m from Kingsbury. My surname is Kensington."

Kensington.

The name sent a ripple through the room.

Cassandra’s gaze swept over them, unimpressed.

"That fur coat?" She pointed at Mrs. Dawson. "Southern Zhejiang, right? Seventeen thousand. I know because it’s scrap from my private tailor."

Mrs. Dawson’s face paled.

"And you." Cassandra turned to Mrs. Thompson. "That ruby ring? There’s a flaw on the side. See it now?"

Mrs. Thompson yanked her hand back, staring at the gem in horror.

Cassandra just smiled.