Chapter 3

The Royal Swan Ballet Academy was located in the most expensive district downtown.

When I pushed open the heavy doors of the rehearsal hall, the room was already in absolute chaos.

"You need to give us an explanation today! My daughter is supposed to audition for top international companies, and now her leg is broken! Can you even afford to compensate for that?!"

A woman dripping in diamonds was pointing her finger and screaming at a man.

The man, who was bowing his head and repeatedly apologizing, was Julian. The very same Julian who, before leaving the house, had kissed my forehead and told me he had to work late at the office.

And hiding behind him was a little girl dressed in a custom white swan tutu.

She was clutching the hem of Julian's designer suit jacket, sobbing uncontrollably. "Daddy, I didn't mean to... I'm scared..."

"Don't be scared, Lily. Daddy's here. Daddy will protect you."

Julian knelt down, his heart clearly breaking for her. He pulled her into his arms, reached into his pocket, pulled out a strawberry gummy, unwrapped it, and popped it into her mouth.

Standing at the doorway, my stomach turned.

Julian had severe OCD and absolutely hated sweets. He would frown even if I ate a single piece of candy near him.

Yet, in the pocket of his hundred-thousand-dollar custom suit, he kept strawberry gummies just to comfort this little girl.

"Oh, my poor baby! Who dares to bully my sweet granddaughter!"

A familiar figure suddenly rushed in from the hallway.

My mother-in-law, Beatrice, who was supposed to be resting at a private high-end wellness clinic because she "couldn't handle the outside draft," was running like a track star.

She was holding a pink thermos and immediately threw her arms around Lily, kissing her face.

"Mom."

I walked forward, my heels clicking sharply against the hardwood floor. My voice was like ice.

The room fell into a dead silence.

Beatrice froze.

Julian snapped his head up. The moment his eyes met mine, every drop of color drained from his face, and his pupils shook with sheer terror.

"Cl... Claire? What are you doing here?"

He instinctively let go of the little girl and tried to stand up to walk toward me, but a fragile-looking woman next to him quickly grabbed his arm.

She was wearing a simple, elegant white dress, her eyes red and tearful.

It was Evelyn Ward.

"Claire..." Evelyn looked at me timidly, tears streaming down her face. "It's all my fault. Please don't blame Julian. The child is innocent..."

I ignored her completely and stared straight into Julian's eyes.

"Julian, weren't you working late at the office?" I took a step closer, backing him down. "Aren't you sterile? Didn't you say I was the only woman you'd ever have in this life?"

Panic took over Julian. He violently shook off Evelyn's hand and rushed over, trying to grab my shoulders.

"Claire, let me explain! It's not what you think! Lily is Evelyn's child with another man. That man ran out on them, and Evelyn was struggling so hard on her own.

I was just... just helping out an old classmate. I'm only her father on paper!"

"On paper?"

I let out a cold laugh and turned my gaze to the family showcase board on the rehearsal hall wall.

Right in the center hung a massive family portrait.

Julian was in casual wear, holding a beaming Lily, while Evelyn leaned her head happily on his shoulder.

Underneath the photo, the home address was clearly printed: "Malibu Mansion, Rose Garden No. 1."

That mansion was my pre-marital property. It was the only inheritance my late parents had left me!