Chapter 1

My mom favors my brother's wife, Vivian, and forced my sick daughter to donate bone marrow to her son.

I was furious and posted online a video of them dragging my daughter to the hospital, exposing them to massive cyberbullying.

Mom cried and grabbed my hand, apologizing:

"I'm sorry, we were wrong!"

"Vivian was just worried about her son. Please don't hold it against her."

As a mother myself, I understood Vivian's feelings.

I even posted a video online to clear her name and bought gifts for her and my nephew as an apology.

Just as I was about to visit them in person, my daughter's kindergarten teacher called.

"Hello, two women claiming to be your family picked up your daughter."

"They said you asked them to take her to the hospital for a checkup."

My body went rigid, and all the blood in my veins turned ice cold.

The teacher on the other end was still seeking confirmation:

"These two seemed really urgent. Lily's mom, do you know them?"

The teacher sent me a video.

Mom was standing at the kindergarten entrance, arguing with the security guard.

"I'm here to pick up my granddaughter from school. What gives you the right to stop me?"

"Why do you need to notify my daughter? We wouldn't hurt the child, would we?"

Vivian was on her tiptoes, peering into the kindergarten, her face full of barely concealed urgency.

I suppressed the unease churning in my gut.

"Mrs. Carter, please don't let them take the child. I'm coming right now."

I slammed on the gas, calling Mom over and over while driving.

Every time, all I got was the busy tone of an unanswered call.

Anxiety consumed me. I could only rush toward the kindergarten at top speed.

But just as I was about to reach the kindergarten entrance.

A pitch-black car shot out from a corner and slammed directly into my front end.

When I saw the license plate, my heart went completely cold.

My brother Jackson opened his door and walked over to tap on my window.

"Rachel, get out and let's handle this accident."

"I've already called the police and the insurance company. We'll follow the proper procedures."

My body froze, my entire heart clenching tight.

He did this on purpose.

He hit my car and insisted on going through the accident claim procedures.

By the time everything was processed, it would be hours later.

That much time was more than enough for Mom and Vivian to take my daughter.

I bit down hard, my eyes burning with unshed tears.

"Did you do this on purpose?"

"Lily is your niece!"

Jackson lit a cigarette and exhaled a puff of smoke.

"My son is still lying in a hospital bed."

"Rachel, your daughter is a son of a bitch who doesn't even know who her father is. What's the point of caring about her so much?"

My ears rang.

I stared at my brother in disbelief.

I knew Vivian hated me. I knew she spread divisive rumors.

The rumor that I slept around with dozens of men and gave birth to a daughter came from her mouth.

But I never imagined my own brother—born from the same mother—would believe it so easily.

And now he was humiliating me and my daughter in broad daylight.

I clenched my teeth until my eyes turned red with rage.

"Jackson, you think blocking me here means they can take my daughter?"

"You're dreaming."

The moment I finished speaking, Jackson's phone rang.

His expression changed, and his sharp gaze pierced straight through me.

"Rachel, you're a bastard!"

"You sent people after your own mother and Vivian. If anything happens to them, I'll never forgive you!"

With that, he turned, yanked open his car door, slammed on the gas, and sped away.

Seeing his reaction, I breathed a sigh of relief.

My daughter's kindergarten was the best I could find after extensive research.

Without my permission, there was no way anyone could take the child.

After arranging for my car to be towed, I hailed a cab to the kindergarten.

It was exactly dismissal time.

I pushed through the crowd and rushed to my daughter's teacher.

"Mrs. Carter, I'm here to pick up Lily."

The teacher unconsciously avoided my eyes, speaking haltingly.

"Lily? Lily... your mother just picked her up."