Lily flinched.
“Dad… I have to go. If she sees me talking before I finish, she’ll get angry.”
Something inside Daniel snapped.
“No,” he said quietly. “You stay here. I’ll talk to her.”
“She’ll say I’m causing problems…”
“You’re not,” Daniel said firmly. “She is.”
Daniel slowly walked up the stairs to the balcony.
Caroline was still laughing into her phone.
“I’m telling you, Megan, it’s so—”
She stopped mid-sentence when she saw him.
“Daniel?!”
Shock flashed across her face.
Then panic.
Then a forced smile.
“Oh my God! You’re home early! You should’ve told me — I would’ve prepared something special.”
Daniel’s expression remained unchanged.
“I’m sure you would have,” he said coldly. “Though you probably would’ve made Lily do it.”
Caroline’s smile tightened.
“She was just helping. Kids need discipline.”
“Discipline?” Daniel raised his phone, showing the photo he had just taken of Lily’s blistered hands. “These are injuries.”
Caroline swallowed.
“You’re misunderstanding—”
“No,” Daniel cut in calmly. “I heard everything. You called my daughter a servant. And you called me a fool.”
Her face turned pale.
“That was taken out of context.”
“Then explain something to me,” Daniel continued. “Why did you fire the housekeeper and the nanny?”
“They were wasting money.”
“They were protecting my daughter.”
Caroline’s voice sharpened.
“You’ve always spoiled her. She’s dramatic.”
Daniel looked at her as if he were seeing a stranger.
