“No,” I said firmly. “It was her hope. Her hard work. Her independence. You’ve taken something precious and crushed it without a second thought. And now, I’m going to make sure you both understand exactly what that feels like.”Rachel shot me a skeptical glance, attempting to reassert her authority, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to show you that actions have consequences,” I replied. “And that cruelty leaves a mark. But first, I’m taking Lily home. She needs to be around people who treasure her efforts.”I helped Lily to her feet, guiding her away from the pool. Each step felt heavy with the weight of my determination. I could hear Rachel protesting behind us, but the words were a distant murmur, drowned out by the roaring in my ears.