Vivian leaned against the doorframe of the Lincoln. A flawless, entirely fake smile was plastered across her face.
Behind her, Leo kicked the expensive tire of the car with his dirty sneaker. His eyes darted into the cabin, fixing on Serena with a mean, predatory glint.
"Hazel, darling," Vivian cooed, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness. "The paparazzi outside City Hall are absolute animals. It's much too dangerous for a little girl. Why don't you let Leo take Serena to the playroom?"
Hazel's breath caught in her throat.
A violent, bloody memory crashed into her brain. In her past life, Leo had pushed Serena down a flight of marble stairs. The sickening crack of her daughter's arm breaking echoed in Hazel's ears.
Her lungs stopped working. Her hands, resting on her lap, curled into tight fists. Her knuckles turned bone-white.
While Vivian was talking, Leo suddenly lunged forward. He shoved half his body into the car, his hand reaching out aggressively to pinch Serena's cheek.
Serena shrieked, scrambling backward against the leather seat, her eyes wide with panic.
The memory was a jagged shard of ice in Hazel's gut, instantly extinguishing every rational thought except for a cold, murderous rage. Never again. Not in this lifetime.
Hazel moved on pure, violent instinct.
Her hand shot out like a whip. She caught Leo's wrist in mid-air. Her fingers clamped down on his bones with the force of a steel vice.
Leo let out a sharp yelp of pain. He yanked his arm, trying to pull away, but Hazel's grip was immovable.
Vivian's fake smile vanished instantly. "Let go of my son!" she shrieked, stepping forward.
Hazel's eyes were black with rage. She didn't let go. Instead, she slowly, deliberately twisted Leo's wrist outward, applying a sharp, agonizing pressure to the joint.
She leaned in close, her face inches from the boy's ear. "If you ever touch her again," Hazel whispered, her voice a terrifying, raspy hiss, "I will break your fingers."
Leo, who was used to terrorizing the entire household without consequence, froze. The raw, murderous intent in Hazel's eyes paralyzed him. He started to tremble uncontrollably.
Satisfied the message was received, Hazel released her grip. She shoved his chest hard, pushing him backward out of the car.
Leo stumbled, falling back into Vivian's legs. He immediately burst into loud, theatrical wails. "She's crazy! The crazy lady hurt me!"
Vivian dropped to her knees, clutching her son. She glared up at Hazel, her face contorted with hatred. "You piece of trash! How dare you assault a child!"
Hazel calmly reached into her designer bag. She pulled out an antibacterial wet wipe. She slowly, meticulously wiped the fingers that had touched Leo, her face a mask of absolute disgust.
"I am simply teaching the young master basic social boundaries," Hazel said, her voice crisp and cold. "Consider it a favor so he doesn't embarrass the family in public."
Vivian choked on her rage. She spun her head toward the Maybach parked ahead, hoping to scream loud enough for Karson to intervene.
The tinted windows of the Maybach remained rolled up. Karson didn't even turn his head. He was completely ignoring the chaos.
Realizing she had no backup, Vivian stood up, her chest heaving. "You will pay for this," she hissed. "Watch your back in this house."
Hazel tossed the used wet wipe perfectly into the small trash receptacle built into the car door. She smiled, a cold, empty expression.
"Thank you for the offer, Vivian, but my daughter doesn't need a babysitter."
The butler, sensing the escalating disaster, stepped between them. "Madam Vivian, please step back. We are on a strict schedule."
Vivian shot the butler a venomous look, grabbed the crying Leo by the arm, and dragged him up the front steps.
Hazel pressed the button on the armrest. The heavy, bulletproof door glided shut, sealing with a solid, reassuring click.
The moment the door locked, the tension drained from Hazel's shoulders. She exhaled a long, shaky breath and pulled Serena tightly into her chest.
Serena wrapped her arms around Hazel's neck. "Mommy, you were like a superhero," she whispered, her voice still a little shaky.
Hazel kissed the top of her daughter's head, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. "I will always protect you," she promised silently.
The Lincoln lurched forward, following the Maybach out of the iron gates, merging onto the highway toward Manhattan.
