Vanessa’s pride snapped. She grabbed Maria by the collar, yanking her forward.
“Let her go!” Noah cried.
“Stop!” Ethan shouted.
That’s when Daniel moved.
He crossed the distance in seconds and seized Vanessa’s wrist. “Enough.”
Vanessa’s fury melted instantly into performance. Tears filled her eyes. “Daniel, thank goodness. She attacked me. I was correcting the boys and she lost control.”
Daniel didn’t answer. He looked at his sons instead.
“Ethan,” he said gently, ignoring Vanessa’s dramatic sobbing. “Tell me what happened.”
Vanessa’s eyes flashed a warning at the child.
Ethan swallowed hard. He glanced at Noah. His brother gave the smallest nod.
“She was going to hit me,” Ethan whispered. “Maria just stopped her.”
The words hung in the air like thunder.
“Lies!” Vanessa shrieked. “She’s manipulating them!”
Daniel’s jaw tightened. “Why would my sons lie?”
“They tried to ram me with their chairs!” Vanessa insisted.
The accusation was absurd. Even Daniel could hear it.
Maria took a breath. “Sir… before you decide anything, please look at this.”
She knelt beside Noah and gently rolled up his sleeve.
Daniel’s wallet slipped from his hand.