Chapter 2: A Father's Worst Mistake
“Tell me she didn't just say what I think she said.””
Daniel's voice was barely recognizable.
He stood between his mother and his daughter, his eyes moving from Zoe's tear-streaked face to Margaret's suddenly pale expression.
Margaret recovered quickly.
“Daniel, darling, you're misunderstanding the situation.””
Zoe shook her head violently.
“No, Daddy! Grandma pushed me!””
“Zoe, sweetheart, are you sure?””
The little girl began crying harder.
“She held my arm. I said sorry. Then she pushed me!””
Daniel looked at his mother.
“Mom?””
Margaret placed one hand against her chest.
“She was behaving terribly. I was trying to teach her a lesson.””
“A lesson?””
“She refused to obey me. She was playing beside the pool after I told her not to.””
Daniel stared at her.
“So you pushed her into the water?””
Margaret lifted her chin.
“I barely touched her.””
Natalie, still holding her cheek, spoke quietly.
“I saw the whole thing.””
Margaret spun toward her.
“You stay out of this!””
Daniel turned to Natalie.
“You saw my mother push Zoe?””
“Yes.””
“And why didn't you stop her?””
Natalie stared at him.
For a moment, she couldn't find the words.
Then she pointed toward her wet clothes.
“Because I was the one who jumped into the pool to save your daughter.””
Daniel looked at the water dripping from her sleeves.
His expression faltered.
Natalie continued.
“She was underwater when I reached her. I pulled her out, checked that she was breathing, and called for medical help. Your mother told me to stop making a scene.””
Daniel looked down at Zoe.
His daughter was still clinging to Natalie's arm.
“Daddy, Natalie saved me.””
Daniel felt something heavy settle in his chest.
He looked at the woman he had just struck.
Her cheek was red.
Her hair was dripping.
Her hands were trembling.
And one of those hands was still protecting her unborn child.
“Mrs. Collins...”” he began.
Natalie shook her head.
“Don't.””
Daniel stopped.
“I was worried about Zoe.””
“So was I.””
“I thought—”
“You thought I had hurt her because you saw me holding her after she came out of the water.””
Daniel had no answer.
Natalie slowly stood.
Her knees were shaking.
“I've spent eleven months making sure your daughter feels safe in this house. And the first time something terrible happens, you hit me without even asking what happened.””
“I'm sorry.””
The apology came too quickly.
Too quietly.
Natalie looked at him.
“Your daughter just watched her grandmother push her into a swimming pool. Then she watched her father hit the woman who saved her.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
Those words hurt more than anything she could have said.
The emergency medical team arrived twelve minutes later.
Daniel carried Zoe into the house while Natalie followed behind them.
Margaret attempted to take the lead.
“I'll explain everything to the paramedics.””
But Zoe immediately buried her face in Daniel's shoulder.
“No, Daddy. I don't want Grandma.””
Daniel looked at his mother.
“Stay here.””
Margaret's mouth fell open.
“Excuse me?””
“I said stay here.””
“Daniel, I'm your mother.””
“And she's my daughter.””
For once, Margaret had nothing to say.
Inside the villa, one paramedic examined Zoe while another spoke to Daniel.
“She's alert, but we need to evaluate her because she swallowed water and experienced a frightening incident,” the paramedic explained.
“We'll take her in for further assessment.””
Daniel nodded.
“Do whatever you need.””
Zoe reached for Natalie's hand.
“Can she come?””
The paramedic glanced at Daniel.
Daniel looked toward Natalie.
“Of course.””
Natalie hesitated.
She wasn't sure she should stay.
But Zoe's little fingers tightened around hers.
“Please,” the girl whispered.
Natalie sat beside her.
“I'm right here.””
Daniel watched them.
He noticed the way Zoe's breathing gradually slowed when Natalie spoke to her.
He noticed how the little girl kept looking at the caregiver to make sure she hadn't disappeared.
And he realized something uncomfortable.
His daughter trusted Natalie more than she trusted him.
He had spent so much time building his business, attending meetings, and protecting his family's wealth that he hadn't noticed how lonely Zoe had become.
He had hired Natalie to look after his daughter.
But somewhere along the way, he had stopped looking after her himself.
At the hospital, Zoe was taken for observation.
The doctor explained that she was fortunate to have been rescued quickly.
“She appears stable at the moment,” the doctor said.
“We'll continue monitoring her breathing and oxygen levels.””
Daniel nodded repeatedly.
“Thank you, Doctor.””
When the physician left, Daniel found Natalie sitting alone near the window.
Her wet dress had been replaced with a hospital blanket.
Her cheek was still red.
He approached slowly.
“Can I sit down?””
Natalie didn't look at him.
“It's your hospital.””
Daniel pulled a chair closer.
“That's not what I meant.””
Silence stretched between them.
Finally, he spoke.
“I shouldn't have hit you.””
“No. You shouldn't have.””
“I saw Zoe crying, and I panicked.””
Natalie turned toward him.
“And you decided I was guilty before asking a question?””
Daniel lowered his eyes.
“I made a terrible mistake.””
“You didn't just make a mistake, Mr. Hawthorne. You made me feel unsafe.””
He looked at her stomach.
“Is the baby okay?””
“I don't know.””
His expression changed.
“What do you mean?””
“I was hit. I stumbled. I've been frightened and shaken since it happened. I need to get checked.””
Daniel stood immediately.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
Natalie gave him a look of disbelief.
“Because you've been busy apologizing to yourself.””
He stopped.
She looked away.
“I don't want your money. I don't want special treatment. I just want to know that my baby is safe.””
Daniel called the nurse.
Within minutes, arrangements were made for Natalie to receive an examination.
He remained outside the room while she was checked.
For the first time in a long while, he felt completely powerless.
Meanwhile, Margaret was pacing in the villa's living room.
She had changed into a fresh white blouse and was speaking on the phone.
“I need you to come over,” she whispered.
A man's voice answered.
“What's happened?””
“There's been an incident.””
“What kind?””
“Daniel saw the girl in the pool. Natalie has been making accusations.””
The man sighed.
“Margaret, what did you do?””
“Nothing that matters. The problem is that little girl has become attached to that employee.””
“You told me you were handling it.””
“I was!””
Margaret glanced toward the hallway.
“I need you to get the documents.””
“What documents?””
“The guardianship papers. The ones we discussed.””
There was a pause.
“Are you sure you want to do this now?””
Margaret's voice dropped.
“Daniel is beginning to question me. If that woman stays in the house, everything could fall apart.””
She ended the call.
Then she opened a drawer in her bedroom and removed a thick brown envelope.
Inside were documents she had carefully prepared over several months.
Documents concerning Daniel's late wife's estate.
Documents that Natalie knew nothing about.
And documents that, if revealed, could change the entire future of the Hawthorne family.
An hour later, Natalie emerged from the examination room.
Daniel immediately stood.
“Is everything okay?””
She nodded slowly.
“The doctor says the baby appears stable. They want me to rest and return if I notice any concerning symptoms.””
Daniel exhaled.
“Thank God.””
Natalie adjusted her bag.
“I need to go home.””
Daniel looked surprised.
“Back to the villa?””
“No. My apartment.””
He hesitated.
“You don't have to leave tonight.””
Natalie stared at him.
“You fired me?””
“I didn't.””
“Your mother did.””
“I'll deal with her.””
Natalie shook her head.
“I can't keep working in a house where your mother can hurt a child and you can hit an employee because you don't bother to ask what happened.””
Daniel swallowed.
“I understand.””
“No, I don't think you do.””
She walked toward Zoe's room.
The little girl was awake.
“Are you leaving?”” Zoe asked.
Natalie sat beside her.
“I'm going to rest, sweetheart.””
“Did Daddy make you sad?””
Natalie looked at Daniel standing in the doorway.
Then she gently touched Zoe's hair.
“Sometimes grown-ups make mistakes. But that doesn't mean you did anything wrong.””
Zoe's eyes filled with tears.
“Will you come back?””
Natalie couldn't promise.
“I'll always care about you.””
Zoe hugged her.
Daniel watched the embrace, his jaw tightening.
He knew he couldn't force Natalie to stay.
But he also knew he couldn't allow his daughter to grow up believing that what had happened was normal.
Later that evening, Daniel returned to the villa alone.
Margaret was waiting in the living room.
She had prepared tea and arranged the cushions as if nothing had happened.
“Daniel, darling. Sit down. We need to talk.””
He remained standing.
“Why did you push Zoe?””
Margaret sighed.
“I didn't push her the way that woman is describing.””
“I asked you a question.””
“She was disobedient.””
“She is six!””
“And you're never here!””
The accusation landed harder than Daniel expected.
Margaret stood.
“Who takes care of her when you disappear for days? Who makes sure she eats properly? Who teaches her manners? Me!””
Daniel looked at her.
“You could have called me. You could have brought her inside. You could have done a hundred things other than push her into a pool.””
Margaret's lips tightened.
“You're choosing that employee over your own mother?””
“I'm choosing my daughter.””
Margaret looked away.
Then she said something that made Daniel's blood run cold.
“You have no idea what that woman is really doing in this house.””
Daniel narrowed his eyes.
“What does that mean?””
“She has been filling Zoe's head with stories. Making the child dependent on her. Turning her against me.””
“That's not true.””
“You don't know that.””
Daniel took a step closer.
“Mom, stop.””
Margaret opened her mouth.
But before she could continue, Daniel's phone vibrated.
It was a message from the hospital.
The nurse had found something unusual in Zoe's belongings.
A small digital voice recorder had been tucked inside the pocket of her backpack.
Zoe had apparently been using it for a school assignment.
The nurse had listened to a short recording while identifying the owner.
Daniel opened the attached audio file.
A child's voice came through first.
Then Margaret's.
And then a sentence that made his entire body go still.
“Your mother isn't coming back, Zoe. And if you keep telling people what happened that night, your father will lose everything.””
Daniel slowly raised his eyes.
May you like
Margaret was staring at his phone.
And she knew exactly what he had just heard.
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