Chapter 2

Brenda exploded.

"Are you insane, Nora?! You're pressing charges over this?! A criminal record will ruin the rest of my life! How can you be so vicious?!"

I looked her dead in the eye, my voice ice-cold. "Were you being vicious when you dug your nails into my three-year-old? When you called him selfish, did you remember he's just a baby?"

Brenda choked on her words, but dug her heels in. "I never pinched him! Where's your proof?!"

I pointed calmly toward the upper corner of the bookshelf. "There's a camera right there."

Every drop of blood vanished from Brenda's face.

She had lived in my home for nearly a year and had never paid attention to that small, dome-shaped lens, probably assuming it was a smoke detector or a Wi-Fi booster.

I had originally installed it for home security while I was away. I never imagined it would catch this.

The two officers exchanged a glance. The female officer spoke up:

"Since there's video evidence, let's head down to the precinct for formal statements. Ms. Vance, would you like to bring your son along, or have someone watch him at home?"

"He's coming with me." I stood up with Leo in my arms.

Panic seized Brenda completely. She grabbed my arm, her voice trembling.

"Nora... Nora, listen to me! I'll apologize, okay? I shouldn't have yelled at Leo. I'll get on my knees right now if you want!"

She genuinely dropped toward the floor.

I sidestepped, refusing to let her touch me.

"Brenda, save your energy. You can explain it all to the officers."

Brenda stared in disbelief as I walked out the door with my son. Stunned for several seconds, she collapsed onto the floor, howling at the top of her lungs.

Toby screamed in terror alongside her.

The male officer sighed, pulling her up by the arm. "Get up, ma'am. You can do your talking at the precinct."

That evening at the station, I pulled up the cloud footage on my phone.

The video was crystal clear.

Toby had tried to wrench the toy from Leo's grip. When Leo resisted, Brenda stepped in, violently shoving Leo backward onto the floor.

When Leo began to cry, she poked him harshly on the forehead: "Stop crying! What's the big deal if your brother plays with one of your toys? Look at how your mother raised you—so selfish!"

Apparently that wasn't enough. She then grabbed Leo's forearm and twisted the skin with brutal force.

He was three. His skin was soft and delicate. How could he possibly withstand a grown woman's pinch?

By the time we left the precinct, it was well past midnight. Leo had fallen asleep in my arms, tears still dried against his long eyelashes.

My parents lived abroad, and my ex-husband had vanished from our lives years ago. For a long time, it had just been me and my boy.

I had hired Brenda hoping to give Leo a warm, steady presence and a playmate.

Instead, I had let a wolf straight through my front door.

Early the next morning, the nanny agency called.

Their tone was excessively apologetic. They assured me Brenda had been permanently blacklisted, offered financial compensation, and promised a top-tier replacement free of charge.

I declined. I would care for my son myself.

Unfortunately, the nightmare was far from over.

Brenda's son, Greg Cox, and his wife, Amber, showed up at my doorstep that very afternoon.