Bella's POV
The venom in Linda's voice cut through me like a blade as she pointed her finger at my daughter.
"Look at her child! That little girl is nothing but a liar, just like her mother."
Leah's face crumpled, tears streaming down her cheeks as Zack pressed himself against my side, his small body trembling. The sight of my children being attacked made my blood boil, but I forced myself to stay calm.
"You will not speak to my daughter that way," I said, my voice barely controlled despite the rage building inside me.
"She's just a child. Children don't fabricate stories," Hugo interjected, turning toward his mother with an expression I'd never seen before.
His defense caught everyone off guard, including me. After everything that had happened, seeing him stand up for us felt surreal.
"Why did you wait until I left the room to confront her? What did you even say to her?"
