Blurb：
Embark on an epic journey with Luna, the Moonlit Sorceress, as she battles dark forces in a magical fantasy realm. Discover her allies like warrior Kael and rogue Elara, while unraveling secrets of ancient prophecies and enchanted artifacts. Perfect for fans of fantasy novels with strong female leads and mystical adventures.
Content：
It’s Family Day at my daughter, Hannah Neel’s, preschool, but my wife, Samantha Miller, says she has to work and tells both Hannah and me not to go.
Seeing the disappointment on Hannah’s face breaks my heart, so I bring her to school anyway.
As soon as we step through the gates, I see Samantha. She’s holding her childhood friend—Oscar Barnett’s—hand, with a little boy clutching her other.
The three of them look like a perfect family, laughing and chatting, as if they belong together.
When Samantha sees us, her smile fades, and she lets go of Oscar’s hand.
“Zach, it’s not what you think. Oscar’s raising his son alone. Today’s his fifth birthday, and he just wanted to give him a little taste of a mother’s love,” she says quickly.
I study her for a moment, then kneel and gently take Hannah’s hand in mine. “Sweetheart, say hello to the lady.”
Chapter 1
Oscar Barnett quickly scooped the boy into his arms, his expression apologetic.
“Zach, don’t be mad. Samantha meant well. The kid’s grown up without a mom, and today’s his fifth birthday. Samantha was just trying to help him live out the dream of having a mom for a day, nothing more.”
I gave him a look, wearing half a smile and half a sneer. “If that’s the case, now that Hannah and I are here, shouldn’t you be giving Samantha back? We’re the real family of three, after all.”
Oscar froze, but his son wasn’t having it. “Mommy, you promised you’d spend the whole day together with Daddy and me!”
The five-year-old, Neville Barnett, glared at me with surprising fury.
I raised an eyebrow. Mommy, huh?
Before I could respond, Samantha Miller stepped protectively in front of them, as if ready to shield them.
Her voice was already tinged with irritation. “Zach, you’re a parent, too. Don’t you have any empathy? Oscar and I grew up together, and I’m just spending one day with them. One day! Do you seriously have to make a big deal out of it?”
I let out a bitter laugh. It was as if Oscar’s misfortune was somehow my fault.
Just then, other parents and kids started arriving at the preschool. A couple of them walked over to say hi.
“Morning, Mr. and Mrs. Barnett. You two always come together for Neville’s Family Day. It’s so lovely to see such a tight-knit little family, unlike my husband, who’s always ‘too busy with work.’ He doesn’t even care about our kid’s growth.”
Oscar offered an awkward smile and mumbled a quick greeting, while a flash of panic crossed Samantha’s face.
I couldn’t hold it in. “Samantha, is this what you meant by just ‘one day?'”
Her face flushed red with anger before she grabbed my arm, sharp and firm. “Zach, this isn’t the place to cause a scene.”
She looked down at Hannah, her voice lowering. “Making a fuss won’t be good for Hannah, right?”
At the mention of her name, Hannah Neel looked up, confused.
She still didn’t seem to understand what was going on. She just clung tightly to me, her hand wrapped around mine, already warm and sweaty.
I could sense her unease. So, I crouched down, gently tousled her high ponytail, and whispered, “As long as Daddy’s here, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Then, I stood and watched Samantha walk off with Oscar and Neville. It didn’t take long before a small crowd formed around them.
Someone approached with a flattering smile, showering Samantha with compliments. It was the usual spiel—praising her as a successful career woman, who was one of the city’s top power players and already a billion-dollar company’s manager in her early 30s.
Samantha, naturally, looked unrelievably smug, practically strutting like a peacock with its tail held high. Meanwhile, Oscar gazed at her with stars in his eyes, basking in borrowed glory.
Then, right in the middle of it all, Neville turned in Samantha’s arms and shot me a look, sticking out his tongue in a smug challenge.
I couldn’t help the cold smile tugging at my lips. It seemed like Samantha thought she was untouchable now.
Sure, I’d been spending less time at the company lately to take care of Hannah, but I still owned 75 percent of Aviora Holdings. I was the one actually running the show.
As for Samantha, she was just someone who latched onto me back then. I’d given her that manager title out of courtesy, as a favor between spouses.
I pulled out my phone and texted the HR department. “Eugene, reassign Samantha from her manager position. Announce it internally next Monday.”
Then, I followed it up with a message to the legal department. “Terry, draft a divorce agreement between Samantha and me.”
Since Samantha was going to cheat on me, she should have started by asking whether I was willing to let her.
Chapter 2
Not long after, the preschool’s Family Day officially kicked off. Each family took their seats at the pre-assigned tables.
Hannah looked toward the front row, where Samantha was sitting, and asked, a little disheartened, “Why isn’t Mommy sitting with us?”
I gently pinched her chubby cheek. She was still so young, and she shouldn’t have to be part of this mess.
“Because Daddy’s a superhero. So, to be fair, Mommy went to help the other kids,” I said softly.
Just then, the teacher, Sophia Lane, stepped forward to announce the first activity—block-building. She smiled warmly. “There’s a prize for the winner—a LEGO spaceship!”
Hannah’s eyes lit up instantly. She pointed at the prize, her voice bursting with excitement. “Daddy, I want that one!”
“Alright. Then, let’s win it,” I replied, smiling.
Later, as the timer’s final grains of sand trickled down, Hannah’s hand shot into the air as she shouted, “Ms. Lane, we’re done!”
Sophia walked over, nodded in approval, and was just about to make the announcement when suddenly, a little boy darted over from the front row.
It was Neville. He rushed up and knocked down the tower we had just built, looking smug as he declared, “Now I’m in first place!”
Hannah stared at the collapsed blocks, her eyes filling with tears. In a burst of anger, she grabbed one of the large wooden pieces and hurled it at Neville.
Samantha came running over, and the first thing out of her mouth was, “Hannah! How could you hit someone? Say sorry to Neville right now!”
Hannah stood her ground. “No! He knocked over my tower first! He’s the bad guy!”
I stepped in behind her, backing her up. “Samantha, anyone with eyes can see who started it. Neville should be the one apologizing to Hannah.”
Oscar followed behind and tugged gently at Samantha’s arm. “Come on, Samantha. Let it go. They’re just kids, so there’s no need to make a big deal out of this.”
Sophia tried to step in and smooth things over, but before she could, Hannah suddenly burst into tears, her voice trembling with hurt.
“Mommy, why didn’t you protect me? Why were you mad at me?”
That one word—Mommy—sucked the air out of the room, and everyone froze. All eyes shifted between Samantha, Oscar, and me.
Samantha’s face flushed and paled in quick succession. Meanwhile, Oscar looked like he wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the words.
Then, Neville planted his hands on his hips and glared at Hannah, shouting sharply, “She’s not your mommy! Don’t call her that! She’s my mommy!”
Hannah hiccuped through her tears, her sobs breaking into high-pitched cries. “Mommy, say something!”
My heart broke for her. I shot Samantha a hard glare, my voice turning sharp. “Samantha, aren’t you going to explain? Are you going to let people misunderstand it forever?”
Samantha’s eyes snapped wide, and she scooped Neville into her arms.
“What am I supposed to explain? Today, I am Neville’s mom,” she said, and even patted the back of his head affectionately.
In an instant, the other parents began whispering, pointing at Hannah and me. “Why’s that little girl calling the wrong woman ‘Mommy?'”
“Hannah’s family never showed up to Family Day before, right? Now it’s just the father… Maybe he’s someone’s side piece.”
“Word is that Samantha’s some big corporation’s manager—she’s loaded. Maybe Mr. Neel’s just trying to marry into money. It looks like the kid saw something she wasn’t supposed to.”
As all that gossip swirled around us, Samantha didn’t say a word to stop it. She just stood there, gently rocking Neville in her arms.
Oscar stood beside her, barely hiding the smug smile on his face as he glanced over at me.
I pulled Hannah close, her sobs shaking her tiny body as I gently patted her back. The urge to slap these two selfish, pathetic excuses for adults boiled inside me, but now wasn’t the time. I couldn’t let Hannah get hurt any more than she already had.
That was when one of the suck-ups cozying up to Samantha said with a greasy grin, “Wow, the little prince looks like you, Ms. Miller. You can tell they’re related.”
I lifted my gaze toward Samantha. For just a second, guilt flickered in her eyes before she forced out a laugh. Oscar, on the other hand, looked like he was on top of the world.
I’d seen Oscar and Neville plenty of times before. So, why was I only now noticing that Samantha and Neville indeed shared some similar features?
Beside me, Hannah was still crying uncontrollably. Having no other choice, I asked Sophia to take us to the break room so I could calm her down.
Once there, I held her, rocking gently until she finally dozed off. Looking at her face, eyes swollen from crying, I felt my heart twist into a painful knot.
Quietly, I stepped out of the room and rounded the corner of the hallway. I pulled out my phone and made a quick call to the HR department and the legal department.
“Eugene, Terry, bring the marriage certificate, the drafted divorce papers, and her termination letter. Come to the preschool now. Quickly!”
As I continued discussing the details with them, a sharp, terrified scream suddenly tore through the air.
It was Hannah’s voice. In that instant, my heart dropped like a stone.
Chapter 3
At the end of the hallway, I found Hannah shoved over on the ground outside the bathroom, sobbing and shaking with pain.
Standing over her was Neville, his face twisted with anger. “That’s what you get for calling the wrong person ‘Mommy!’ I’m gonna beat you up for real this time!”
He kicked her square in the stomach.
Hannah let out a cry of pain and tried to crawl away, but one of the boys behind Neville grabbed her by the arms.
“Serves you right, you homewrecker’s kid!”
“My mommy said kids like you, the illegitimate trash, should’ve been strangled at birth!”
Hannah flailed, trying to fight them off and gasping between sobs. “You’re lying! She is my mommy! Daddy! Mommy! Help me! It hurts! Where are you?”
The second I saw what was happening, my mind went blank with a deafening roar. Rage flooded me, boiling in my blood and bursting through my veins.
When the boys caught sight of me and saw the fury in my face, they froze before scattering like rats.
I rushed over to scoop Hannah into my arms. She was trembling violently, so I immediately called 911.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. Daddy’s here. Daddy’s got you. You’re safe now.”
The ambulance came quickly. By then, a crowd of curious parents had started to gather, whispering and wondering what had happened.
I clutched Hannah tightly and sprinted toward the paramedics.
As I passed the play area, I saw Samantha happily building blocks with Neville, while Oscar stood by, wiping the sweat from her forehead like some loyal assistant.
She looked up at the commotion, her brows knitting in confusion, and started to walk toward me. “What happened? What’s wrong with Hannah?”
Before I could say a word, Oscar grabbed her wrist. “Samantha, you promised you’d spend the whole day with Neville. You don’t know how excited he was when I told him last night that you’d be with him the entire day.”
Samantha hesitated, her steps faltering. By then, I was already inside the ambulance with Hannah in my arms.
She had passed out, and the paramedics began working on her immediately.
One of the doctors gently lifted Hannah’s dress before she froze, her face draining of color. “Oh my god… Who could hurt a child this badly?”
Tears surged to my eyes. I was completely shaken.
Hannah’s pale skin was covered in bruises—angry purples and sickening blues. On her side was a massive welt the size of a fist.
She wouldn’t stop trembling, and the doctor’s tone suddenly turned urgent. “Get the monitor hooked up, now!”
Two hours passed before they stabilized Hannah. Those were two of the longest, most agonizing hours of my life.
Regret and fury twisted through me, crashing and surging like waves in my chest. They tore through me, wild and unstoppable.
My mom stood nearby, tears falling as she scolded me, her voice shaking. “Why weren’t you watching her? What kind of suffering did she have to go through for it to end up like this?”
Eventually, Hannah stirred on the hospital bed. The IV bag dripped quietly above her, slow and steady.
She blinked her eyes open, confused, then looked at me. “Daddy, why did they say I’m a child abandoned by my mommy? But I have a mommy. Why didn’t she protect me?”
I bent down and kissed her forehead gently, holding back the sting in my eyes. “Daddy will always protect you, sweetheart. You’re my whole world. As for Mommy… we’re the ones who don’t want her anymore.”
…
When I returned to the preschool, Family Day was wrapping up.
The final activity was a collaborative family drawing, where everyone painted a picture of their “happy family”.
Samantha sat calmly, coloring in the picture with care, with Neville snuggling into her side. Oscar stood beside them, beaming and snapping pictures like it was his Christmas card come to life.
It was a perfect, peaceful little family portrait.
Why was Hannah lying in a hospital bed, bruised and broken, while the ones who hurt her got to sit here, enjoying their fairy-tale ending?
I stormed across the room without hesitation and slapped Oscar hard across the face. The force of the hit sent him stumbling back, slamming into the edge of the table behind him with a loud thud.
The entire room fell silent. Everyone stared, stunned by the sudden violence.
Samantha shouted, “Zach, what the hell is wrong with you?”
She rushed to Oscar, checking his face, her eyes full of concern. “Oscar, are you okay? Does it hurt?”
Oscar shook his head weakly, playing the victim. “Zach, maybe there’s been a misunderstanding… I’m sorry, alright?”
I let out a cold laugh. “Sorry? Is that it? It doesn’t feel very sincere to me.”
I cocked my fist again, ready for round two.
Samantha stepped in to block me, but instead of stopping, I turned and slammed my open palm straight across her face. A red handprint was already blooming across her cheek.
Samantha held her face, stunned for a second, before losing it. “Zach, are you out of your damn mind? Who the hell do you think you are?”
Before things could escalate further, Sophia rushed over, trying to break it up. “Mr. Neel, what’s going on?”
I jabbed a finger toward Neville, my voice practically shaking with rage. “That little brat and a couple of boys jumped my daughter while I wasn’t looking!”
The words had barely left my mouth before Oscar jumped in, desperate. “No way! Neville’s a good kid! Samantha, you have to believe me!”
I stepped forward, my voice cold. “No way? Then what the hell do you think the ambulance was here for?”
Samantha immediately stepped in front of Oscar and Neville like a human shield. “They’re just kids! Kids roughhouse sometimes, so what’s the big deal? But you? You came in here swinging, like a total psycho!”
Seeing me approach again, Samantha suddenly lunged, shoving me with all her strength.
I hit the ground hard. My palm scraped against the floor, blood already seeping from the fresh wound.
A few of the same parents who had been sucking up to Samantha all day now loomed over me, mockery gleaming in their eyes.
“What is this? Are you trying to stage a scam or something? Do you think you can squeeze money out of Ms. Miller because she’s loaded?”
“Clearly, he doesn’t know who he’s messing with. Wait till Aviora Holdings’ legal team deals with him—he’ll be crying in court.”
“I bet he hit on Ms. Miller and got rejected. Now he’s throwing a tantrum. Look at him—he’s a joke next to her husband.”
“He’s definitely a side-piece. He has no class at all.”
Just then, the screech of tires cut through the noise, and three sleek black SUVs pulled up outside the preschool.
Someone in the crowd gasped. “Those have the Aviora Holdings logo. That’s executive-level transport!”
Another brown-noser chimed in, loud and gleeful. “Ms. Miller’s no joke. She called in corporate backup.”
Then, he turned and spat in my direction. “You’re done, man. Everyone knows Aviora’s legal team is ruthless in Harttown. You’d better start saving for the payout or get ready for jail.”
One of the parents there, an influencer, was already filming, thrilled by the drama. “I did not expect to stumble into this kind of tea today! Alright, followers, smash that like button! We’re going live with this clown’s public meltdown!”
Meanwhile, Oscar suddenly lit up like it was Christmas morning. His eyes locked on Samantha with dramatic, teary admiration. Neville stood tall beside him, smirking like he’d already won.
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