While my daughter was being treated like this, Daniel sat at the wooden table with his mother, his brother, and the rest of the family, eating dinner.
As if none of this was happening.
I couldn't take another second. I charged forward, shoved Bryce off hard, and pulled Rose into my arms.
That kicked the hornet's nest.
The whole family, deaf and blind a moment ago, shot to their feet.
Daniel's mother rushed straight at me and scooped the wailing Bryce into her arms.
"My poor baby, my sweet boy, Grandma's here. Did she hurt you anywhere?"
"Let Grandma see, let Grandma see. Are you hurt? Why are you crying so hard?"
Daniel stepped forward and shoved me.
"Evelyn, have you lost your mind!"
"Bryce is only four! How could you use that kind of force on a child?"
I knocked his hand away so hard my palm stung. I wanted to tear him apart.
"Daniel, are you even human? She's your daughter—your blood! She was crying for you and you just sat there!"
"Bryce is only four? Rose is four too! You watched him do that to her and didn't move?"
"If Rose is hurt because of this, I swear to God your family will answer for it!"
His mother, satisfied Bryce was fine, strode over to me.
"Oh, you can't compare that. They're children—they shove, they scuffle, that's what kids do. What business does a grown-up have jumping in?"
"You're a grown woman. How could you put your hands on a child?"
"The day this family married you was the day our luck turned. Can't even bear a son, and now you want to hurt my grandson too?"
Daniel's brother sauntered over to Daniel's side, picking his teeth.
"Bro, this wife of yours is something else. Look at that face—ready to bite someone's head off. She's gonna be walking all over you any day now."
"I'm not one to talk, but come on—you're the eldest son of the Cox family. Forget that you haven't carried on the family name. You couldn't even find a wife who knows her place?"
"Take it from me—you can't give women an inch. You think my wife would dare open her mouth to me like that?"
Daniel's expression was getting uglier by the second. My heart slammed once, hard.
Rose was still in my arms. I couldn't fight all of them—not like this, not holding her.
I tightened my grip on my daughter and walked straight for the door.
Daniel's voice hit me from behind.
His jaw was clenched, every word forced through gritted teeth.
"Stop right there! Apologize to Bryce. Apologize to my mother!"