Chapter 3

Inside the public elementary school's multipurpose hall.

Half an hour ago, the brooch pinned to Grace's high-end cashmere coat went missing.

It was a gift Mark had given her to help her integrate into her new school.

Hiding behind Mark, Grace pointed her trembling finger at Lily, who was standing to the side: "I... I remember Lily holding my coat earlier, and then the brooch was gone."

"I didn't!" Eight-year-old Lily turned pale, her hands tightly clutching the hem of her clothes. "I didn't even touch Grace's coat!"

I immediately pulled Lily behind me, looking up straight at her homeroom teacher, Mrs. Miller, and the dean.

"Mrs. Miller, without any evidence, you cannot accuse Lily based on a child's wild guess."

"Lily never takes things that belong to others."

"Elena, don't be so sensitive." Mark lowered his voice, grabbing my wrist tightly and forcefully yanking me to the side.

"Grace isn't a child who lies. If we can't find it, she's going to spiral again tonight, which is terrible for her mental health."

"And what about Lily!" I shook with rage, flinging his hand off me.

"You would rather believe a child who just entered our house than your biological daughter whom you raised for eight years!"

"Now is not the time to argue about trust!" Mark knit his brows, a flash of impatience passing through his eyes.

He turned his head around, and in front of several surrounding parents and students who had stopped to watch, he said loudly to Mrs. Miller: "Mrs. Miller, let's handle this according to school protocol."

"To prove the child's innocence, you can check Lily's backpack. We aren't afraid of a search."

Lily looked at her father in complete disbelief.

"Mark, she is your daughter! If you let the teacher search her bag in public, how is she supposed to build trust with other classmates at school in the future?"

I cried out, trying to step forward to block them.

"Elena! Calm down!" Mark grabbed my arms tightly, using his weight advantage to pin me in place.

"Let the teacher search! Only by searching thoroughly can we clear Lily's name! The more you protect her, the more people will think we have a guilty conscience!"

Lily looked at her father in sheer despair.

The man who had once lifted her above his head and promised to protect her for a lifetime was now holding her mother back, personally shoving her right into the center of everyone's suspicious and contemptuous gazes.

Mrs. Miller let out a sigh and squatted down: "Lily, open your backpack, sweetie."

The surrounding parents were whispering in hushed tones, and a few passing fifth-graders even let out snickers of disdain.

Lily cried silently, her hands shaking violently as she unzipped her backpack.

Mrs. Miller took out the textbooks, pencil case, and crayon box from the bag one by one.

There was no crystal brooch at all.

The crowd of onlookers let out a round of awkward coughs, and several parents looked away.

"Look! I told you Lily didn't take it!" I shoved Mark away forcefully, rushing over to pull Lily tightly into my arms.

Lily's small body shuddered in waves within my embrace.

Mark's expression froze for a moment, and then he looked at Grace with a somewhat complicated gaze.

"S... sorry, maybe I got it wrong." Grace lowered her head, her voice barely audible.

"Hold on." The dean, who hadn't spoken the entire time, stepped forward, pointing at the oversized cashmere coat Grace was wearing. "Grace, please take your hands out of your pockets, and turn your pockets inside out."

Grace's body trembled violently.

"Grace?" Mark froze.

Under the dean's stern gaze, Grace hesitantly pulled her right hand out.

That crystal brooch was pinched right inside her sweaty palm.

The way the surrounding teachers and parents looked at Mark instantly shifted from seeing a "fair parent" to seeing a "foolish and cruel, biased father."