The housekeeper had obviously dealt with Bowena before and knew the latter liked to pick on faults even when there were none. Without explaining, she turned off the television and rose from the couch, saying, "Willow's already asleep " Rowena burned and made her way to Willow's room after that.

Willow was an angel at bedtime and got into bed at 9:00 pm sharp every night. Tonight was no different.

After pulling the blanket over her, she gazed up at me and said, "Mommy, I don't want another princess story."Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

I blinked in surprise. "Why not?" She used to adore beautiful and delicately made-up princesses.

"The princesses in those fairytales are always waiting for someone to save them." Willow had realized today that waiting for others to rescue her meant she had to suffer in silence for a while. She couldn't even express her frustration and anger until somebody asked her a But things would be different if she learned martial arts. She could live fearlessly and stand up for herself.

She continued, "And I think it's weak of them. I don't like it."

I was shocked. It took me over 20 years, during which time I had endured my fair share of hardship, to learn such lessons. And yet, my five-year-old daughter understood then.

I stared at her chubby cheeks. Relieved, I bent to kiss her forehead and said, "All right." I set the book of fairytales aside and picked up a book on life lessons for children. After that, I began to read to her.

Just then, loud knocks sounded from the door.

Willow frowned and said, "That must be Grandma "Rowena was the only person in the family who knocked like that.

She might not like Rowena, but she got out of bed to open the door anyway.

"Stay put," I said, patting Willow. "I'll get the door."

Willow obediently pulled the blanket over her but could not fall asleep,

I opened the bedroom door to reveal Rowena. "Do you need Willow for something?" I asked courteously.

Rowena assessed me warily. "Who are you? Why are you in my son's house?"

I chose my words carefully. "I'm here to look after Willow"

The woman quirked her lips. "Oh, so you're a nanny."

I was technically "Mommy" to Willow, but my job was not all that different from a babysitter, so I didn't bother correcting her. Rowena grumbled, "I don't know what Zane is thinking, hiring two nannies for Willow. It's like he's got nothing better to spend his money on!" She loo This was the woman Willow hated. I couldn't let her through and risk affecting Willow's mood, nor did I intend to step aside.

Just as I was about to make up an excuse to turn her away, Zane's voice rang out. "Mom!"

I glanced in the direction of his voice and found Zane walking over to us, the lights bright above him. He had one hand in his pocket as he drawled, "Don't bother Willow while she's sleeping."

Rowena argued, "I'm her grandmother. Do I not have the right to see her?

"No," Zane bit out without hesitation.

Rowena glowered at him. "What did you just say?"

"I don't wish to repeat myself." Then, he warned darkly, "Leave before I run out of patience, Mom, or else."

scurried off.

Rowena bristled at his tone, but she thought about how he had so readily acted on his threat to cut her off and held her tongue. She then

I stared at Zane, but all he did was pat me on the shoulder as he said, call me. I'll take care of it."

"Go tuck Willow in. If you ever run into a situation like t

There was something warns and sincere about Zane's low voice as he spoke into the quietude of the night. I nodded. "Okay,"

When I returned to the bedroom, Willow watched me approach her and said softly, "She's always doing that, coming in to talk to me just as I'm about to sleep. I can't speak, so she'd call me names..." Resentment filled her voice as she added, "She'd call me a deadweight and said Daddy would have been more willing to settle down if it weren't for me.

Tears began to roll down her cheeks. I rubbed them away gently and reassured her, "Your dad isn't married yet because he doesn't want to be." Willow looked up at me. "Really?"

"Of course."I chuckled as I comforted her, "Trust me, he'd be rushing to the altar if 1 he hasn't married yet, okay?"

the altar if ben

met someone he truly loved. It's not your fault

She nodded.

I picked up the storybook from earlier and continued reading it to her. Perhaps she found the story interesting, or perhaps the weight

in her chest had finally lifted, for she fell asleep with a smile on her face tonight.

I watched her for a while and whispered, "You'll always be my baby, Willow. Goodnight."

I was surprised to find Zane standing not too far away when I walked out of Willow's bedroom. I reckoned he was deep in thought, so I did not bother him. I tumed to head to my room and get some sleep. "Annalise

I stopped when I heard him calling me and looked at him..

"Did she scare you just now?" Zane asked casually.

This sounded like the start of a long conversation, so I walked over to him and said, "No."

"Good." He gazed into the distant night sky. "And what about Willow?"

I pondered on what to say before deciding to tell him the truth. "She doesn't like her grandmother very much."

He didn't seem surprised. "She hasn't been the nicest to Willow. When Willow's parents died in the car crash, she had been in a state of shock for a couple of days, but she could still talk

"I don't know what my mom said to her after that, but from that moment on, Willow refused to utter another word."

Willow's trauma had hit its peak during her parents' passing. As her grandmother, not only had Rowena not comforted the child, but

caused her further emotional turmoil.

Disbelieving, I asked, "Isn't Willow her biological granddaughter?"

Logically speaking, shouldn't a grandmother date on her granddaughter?I couldn't wrap my head around Rowena's cruelty toward the little girl.

"My mom prefers sons to daughters," Zane explained. "She never liked Willow, and since Willow was born, she kept saying how it would have been better if Willow were a boy,

"Willow's parents loved her very much. They argued with my mom whenever she made comments like those but to no avail. They didn't want her picking on Willow, so they made sure to keep their meetings to a minimum." Having heard the reason behind Rowena's dislike for Willow, I was at a loss.

Zane gave me a deadpan look. "I'd bring Willow to get her psyche checked if she liked my mom after what she did to her."

"Can't argue with you there." I met his gaze.

He elaborated calmly, "To give Willow a safe living space, I've actually banned my mom from coming to the house. She promised me she wouldn't come by, but she would sneak in. If I confronted her about it, she'd say she missed Willow." There was no emotion in this voice, but I heard his displeasure. I patted him on the s shoulder. "You're already doing your best. If she