Elise had no appetite whatsoever.

Her gaze drifted briefly over Quinn before she spoke in a cold, detached voice.

"Mrs. Lander, remember this. Whenever I’m here, Quinn—and any dogs she resembles—are not allowed inside this house."

Mrs. Lander froze for a moment, caught off guard by the bluntness of the remark. Then realization dawned, and she quickly nodded.

"Yes, Madam. Don’t worry, I’ll remember."

Quinn immediately stood from the sofa, her face filling with hurt and grievance.

"Elise, I know you don’t welcome me, but Robin depends on me so much."

Her eyes gradually reddened, shimmering with tears.

"Could you please think about Robin? Why do you have to make things so difficult for me?"

Elise couldn’t have cared less about her act.

She looked Quinn up and down with unconcealed contempt.

"Are you leaving on your own, or do I need to have Mrs. Lander fetch a broom and sweep you out?"

The expression on Quinn’s face instantly stiffened.

Her fingers curled tightly into fists at her sides, the veins on the backs of her hands standing out sharply.

Beneath those tear-filled eyes lurked a poisonous resentment she could no longer fully hide.

When it became obvious that Quinn had no intention of leaving, Elise turned toward the housekeeper.

"Mrs. Lander."

Her voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable chill in it.

"Get a broom and throw her out."

Mrs. Lander had been waiting to hear those words. The last time Quinn had visited, she had shamelessly ordered her around and even made her carry her shoes.

She had never forgotten the humiliation.

"Right away!"

Suppressing a grin, she set down the fruit tray and hurried enthusiastically toward the utility closet.

Quinn finally lost control.

Her face twisted with fury, all traces of vulnerability disappearing in an instant.

"Elise, don’t push things too far!"

She glared at her viciously.

"If you dare treat me like this, Dylan will never forgive you!"

Elise let out a short, mocking laugh.

"Who cares whether he forgives me?"

Her eyes were icy and razor-sharp.

"Today, I’m throwing you out of this house like a stray dog. Let’s see if Dylan dares to turn against me because of it."

She genuinely wanted to know.

Between Grandma and Quinn—who mattered more to Dylan?

The atmosphere in the living room instantly became tense. Neither woman was willing to back down.

At that moment, the sound of footsteps echoed from the staircase above. A flicker of malice flashed across Quinn’s eyes.

It appeared and vanished so quickly that it was nearly impossible to catch.

Then, without warning, she suddenly cried out.

"Oh my God! Elise, what are you doing?"

Her voice trembled with panic.

"Robin, no—!"

Before Elise could even process what was happening, Quinn lunged toward Robin, who was sitting on the floor nearby, happily stacking blocks.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

The next second, Robin’s tiny body was shoved violently forward. His forehead slammed directly into the sharp corner of the coffee table. The sickening impact echoed through the room.

Elise’s eyes widened in shock. For a moment, she simply stared. That action froze her where she stood. The entire incident had unfolded far too quickly for anyone to react.

"Waaah—!"

Robin’s heart-wrenching cries immediately rang throughout the villa. The sound pierced the air like a knife.

Almost simultaneously, rapid footsteps thundered from behind them.

Elise had barely turned around when she saw Dylan charging down the stairs.

His face was dark with alarm. Without slowing for even a second, he rushed straight toward Robin.

As he passed, his broad shoulder slammed heavily into Elise’s. The force caught her completely off guard. She staggered backward, losing her balance.

Before she could steady herself, she fell hard onto the sofa behind her.

Meanwhile, Dylan didn’t spare her a single glance. Every ounce of his attention was fixed on the crying child.

"Robin!"

The moment Dylan reached him, he scooped the child into his arms.

Robin immediately threw himself against his father’s chest, crying so hard his tiny body shook.

Dylan’s heart tightened.

Holding him securely, he carefully examined the boy from head to toe before his gaze settled on Robin’s forehead.

A swollen bump was already rising where he’d struck the coffee table. The sight was enough to make anyone’s heart skip a beat.

Fortunately, the corner of the table was rounded rather than sharp. Aside from the swelling, there was no blood.

Dylan quietly let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

"Daddy..." Robin’s voice broke between sobs. "It hurts... my head hurts..."

His small fingers clutched desperately at Dylan’s shirt. The pitiful sight made Dylan’s expression darken further.

"I’m here."

He tightened his hold on the child and gently stroked the back of his head.

"We’ll go see a doctor right away. Once the doctor checks you, it won’t hurt anymore."

His voice was unusually soft, filled with patience and reassurance. Yet beneath that calm exterior was a pain that couldn’t be hidden.

Robin was his kin. Seeing him injured like this felt as though someone had driven a knife straight into his chest.

Nearby, Quinn suddenly collapsed to her knees. Tears streamed down her cheeks as though a dam had burst. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Dylan, I’m sorry!" She choked on a sob, her voice trembling violently. "I failed to protect Robin!"

Her shoulders shook as tears continued to fall. The guilt and self-blame on her face appeared utterly genuine. Then, as though unable to bear it any longer, she looked up at him with reddened eyes.

"But please... please don’t blame Elise."

Her voice cracked with emotion.

"She’s still suffering because of the twins."

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Ever since she lost them, her emotions haven’t been stable."

She lowered her head, crying even harder.

"She couldn’t have meant to hurt Robin..."

Another sob escaped her lips.

"It’s my fault. I should have stopped it."

She covered her face with both hands.

"I’m the one who failed him. If I had reacted sooner, Robin wouldn’t have gotten hurt..."

Every word sounded sincere. Every tear fell at exactly the right moment. Every tremble seemed perfectly timed. The performance was flawless.

Elise sat motionless on the sofa, watching the entire spectacle unfold before her. A surge of disgust rose uncontrollably in her chest.

For the sake of winning a man’s affection... Quinn had actually shoved an innocent child hard enough to injure him.

The thought alone made Elise sick.

This... This was the woman Dylan had insisted was gentle, kind, and perfectly suited to raise Robin.

How blind could a person become when love clouded their judgment?

The irony was almost laughable. Yet there was nothing funny about it.

Quinn’s sobbing continued without pause.

One moment she was subtly accusing Elise. The next, she was drowning herself in self-blame.

Back and forth. Again and again.

Combined with Robin’s cries, the noise quickly became unbearable.

A dull ache began pounding behind Elise’s eyes. She raised a hand and pressed her fingers against her temple, feeling the headache worsen with every passing second.

At last, Dylan rose to his feet. Robin remained securely in his arms. The room seemed to grow colder.

Slowly, he turned toward Elise. His expression was glacial. The tenderness he had shown Robin vanished completely, replaced by something dark and frightening.

Rage burned beneath his eyes. Disappointment. Accusation. Condemnation.

All of it was directed at her.

For several long seconds, neither of them spoke. Then Dylan finally broke the silence.

"Elise." His voice was dangerously low. Each syllable carried a chilling weight.

"No matter how angry you are..."

His gaze hardened.

"You should never have laid a hand on a child."

The accusation landed like a blade. She couldn’t believe how little trust he actually had for her.