Chapter 4 Pushback

Men naturally had more physical strength, so I was dead last. But Dora did not care about the rankings. She wiped the sweat off my forehead, looking worried about me.

While we were on the way back, she blurted, "Where's Daddy? He promised he'd take me to school today."

"He probably forgot."

Dora said nothing, but the disappointment in her eyes grew.

I looked at the darkening sky and hastened.

When I got home, Zack was on the couch looking displeased. "Why didn't you text me? Dad wants to see Dora, and I've been waiting."

Before I could say anything, Zack picked her up and went into the car. Dora had not seen him in a while, and she was looking at him with trepidation. He had a fierce look on his face, so she cried, even though she had missed him.

I spent the whole ride calming her down. We had arrived at the Shaws' estate. Philip only gave Dora a glance before giving her back to me, but he was concerned about Wendy.

Right before dinner, Wendy said she wanted to talk to me at the staircase. I did not want her pulling a fast one, so I changed it to the hallway.

"You heard last night's call. You know what Zack wants. I don't want you and that girl showing up in my life. You know what I can do, and children are fragile. They die easily."

She gave me a look of scorn, and her voice dripped with threat. I wanted to tell her I was no longer the servant she could lord around. No matter how powerful the Woods were, they were not the law.

But now I had a bigger weakness. Dora was my only family. I did not need Zack, but I could not live without Dora. "I'll leave and never show up in your life again."

Wendy smiled and said I knew my place as usual, then she left.

I composed myself and returned to the living room.

She was talking to Dora, and she had a smile on her face as she pinched Dora's cheeks. "You're the big sister, Dora. When my baby's here, you have to protect him, okay?"

She pretended to be a gentle lady, but Dora suddenly spread her arms and shoved Wendy.

Wendy fell to the ground. She clutched her stomach and screamed in pain. I wanted to grab Dora and leave this place, but Zack was faster.

He darted ahead and slapped Dora hard. It broke my heart. My eyes went red, and I shielded my girl. "Why did you hit my daughter?"

Zack had a cold expression on his face, and he looked at me darkly. "You're asking me? I saw Dora push Wendy!"

Wendy leaned on Zack's chest and held her imperceptible baby bump, then she tugged on the hem of his shirt like she was the victim here. "It's alright, Zack. She's just a child. Maybe someone taught her that."

This woman was trying to push me to the brink.

"This is how you teach your daughter, Cynthia?"

"She's your daughter too, Zack! You know she's not that kind of girl!"

I had known my daughter's heart from the moment she entered this world.

Dora had always been gentle. Always kind. She would never hurt someone for no reason.