"Director Young, are you certain this is advisable?" the attending physician asked carefully, glancing between the discharge documents and the tall figure standing beside William's bed.Oliver adjusted his glasses and replied, "His vitals have remained stable for twenty-four hours. Organ function is normal, life-current circulation has resumed, and there are no signs of regression. Keeping him here longer would only invite unnecessary attention."The physician hesitated. "Attention… from where?""From people who would rather this recovery had never happened."Silence fell for a brief moment before the doctor cleared his throat. "Very well. The hospital officially authorizes Mr. Carter's discharge tomorrow morning."A nurse nodded. "It's still hard to believe… Vital Paralysis reversed completely."Oliver looked toward Callen. "Some things are difficult to believe... until they're witnessed."Callen said nothing, but the faint nod he gave was enough. The next morning, William stood at t

One of the fathers stepped forward and adjusted his expensive watch on purpose, making sure everyone could see the brand. His tone was calm, but full of contempt."You speak with a lot of confidence for someone who drops his child off on a bicycle!"Another mother folded her arms, the diamond bracelet on her wrist catching the light. She looked Lily up and down without hiding her disdain. "This is Crownhill Kindergarten. The families here have status. We don't just pay tuition. We have a reputation!""Yes," another parent said coldly. "Some of us built companies from nothing. Some of us hold government positions. We're careful about who our children mix with."She glanced at Callen with open judgment. "If your daughter doesn't understand how to behave around families of this level, perhaps this isn't the right place for her."William's face darkened at once. He almost stepped forward, but Callen stood still.The truth was simple. He could have ended the conversation with a single sent

The next morning, Crownhill Kindergarten was already in chaos.An emergency review session had been called before regular classes began. Parents gathered outside the administrative hall, whispering to one another and glancing at Ivy and Callen as they walked in with Lily between them. No one greeted them. No one even tried to hide their hostility.Inside the boardroom, the tension was thicker. The principal sat at the center, flanked by three board members. Across the long table were nearly ten parents, all well-dressed and clearly united."This session will determine whether Lily Vade may continue her enrollment," the principal announced."There's nothing to determine," one father said immediately. "She attacked our children!"Callen didn't take a seat. He stood beside Ivy and said calmly, "Your children pushed her first."A mother let out a short laugh. "You're saying our nice kids did that to your daughter?"Near the door, William's fists tightened. He was about to step in, but Ivy

The parents exchanged uneasy looks before the woman with the diamond brooch spoke. "We reflected. A child shouldn't suffer because adults disagree."Another parent nodded and added, "We feel responsible.""Yes. We were too harsh," the father admitted, then paused. "However, there are still concerns."Callen said nothing, simply waiting. The woman let out a soft sigh."Rumors spread quickly in Avenfall," she said. Her eyes held his steadily."About?" Callen asked.She hesitated for a second. "Your wife."Callen's gaze turned cold, though his posture remained relaxed. The air between them felt tighter."We've heard stories about her connection to Melissa Hayes's fiancé," she continued. "It was quite a scandal at the time."Another parent nodded. "If that resurfaces, it could affect Lily's ability to integrate anywhere.""And we also heard you have a history of confrontations," a mother added. "Fights. Violence."Silence settled over the garden. Callen looked at each of them slowly befor

Warm golden lights lit the Hayes family dining hall, and the marble floor reflected the chandelier above. Crystal glasses and silver utensils were arranged while servants stood silently along the walls, but the tension around the table was clear.Melissa finally broke the silence. "Father, why did we file a lawsuit against Ivy already? Lumira hasn't even released its product."Eleanor nodded slowly as she dabbed her lips with a silk napkin. "Melissa is right. It would've been better to wait until their product was released, then the public would destroy their reputation on its own," she added.She leaned back. "Right now, it makes us look like we attacked first."Richard didn't answer right away and only lifted his teacup. He took a slow sip."I did want to wait."His gaze shifted to the right and stopped on Sam. "But someone failed to do his job."Sam froze, the fork in his hand stopping midair before he lowered it back onto his plate. His shoulders stiffened, and a shadow passed ove