“Two kids ganging up on one little girl is already crossing the line. They’re letting it slide, so really, you should be thankful.”
Rosalia saw the crowd siding with her and couldn’t hide a smug expression as she glanced at Camilla. She understood these so-called cultured types better than anyone. People like that never liked making a scene, and if the crowd ganged up and criticized them, they’d get embarrassed fast and probably back down.
Daisy kept sniffling, sneaking timid glances toward Jasper, still looking scared.
Standing in the middle of the crowd, Davina felt like victory was just around the corner. She looked at Camilla with a triumphant smirk, but that look disappeared in an instant when Camilla spoke up.
“Apologize? There’s no rule on earth that says the victim has to apologize to the person who bullied them. And honestly, I don’t see any need to waste my breath arguing with people who hear one side of a story and think they know everything. I’ve already called the police. They’ll be here soon, and they’ll take care of things. Anyone curious about the truth, just wait and see what kind of people this so-called pathetic nanny and Daisy really are.”
“When did you call the police?” Davina, who’d been trying to blend into the background the whole time, snapped. Her pitch was sharp, her glare practically cutting through Camilla.
She had been scared stiff by Bonnie’s threat earlier. They already had a grudge, and Davina really was afraid Bonnie might file charges. All of her attention had been on Bonnie, to the point where she forgot about Camilla entirely. The idea that Camilla might actually call the police over a kid fight hadn’t even crossed her mind.
Camilla met her gaze, calm and cold. “Davina, I know exactly the kind of drama you’re capable of. When the police aren’t around, I don’t have the skills to deal with people like you. Calling them is just common sense, don’t you think?”
Davina’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. Rosalia, meanwhile, sat on the ground looking completely lost, not even sure if she should keep crying.
The police...
Just hearing the word was enough to make Rosalia’s heart pound with terror. For women like her in the village, the police meant nothing but trouble. She shot a desperate look toward Davina, silently begging for help.
Davina tried to keep her cool. “Camilla, it’s just a couple of kids fighting. There’s no need to get the police involved. Why don’t you call them off? I’ll take Daisy and leave, okay?”
It didn’t take long for the police to arrive. For something small like this, it wasn’t Mahoney who came, but another officer. The guy must have been briefed, because he gave Camilla a polite nod before turning to Davina. “So, what’s going on here?”
Davina forced a big smile. “Oh, officer, it’s just a misunderstanding. Really. The kids were just fooling around. Sorry to bother you. It’s all nothing.”
She shot another meaningful glance at Rosalia, almost daring her to speak up. Rosalia thought about her paycheck and finally worked up the nerve. “Yes, exactly, just a misunderstanding. Sorry for all the trouble, officer.”
The ones who’d been screaming the loudest a minute ago had suddenly changed their tune. Even Daisy stopped crying. The bystanders sensed something was off and stared at them all, curiosity plain on their faces.
Camilla spoke up. “You two are the bullies here. Of course you’re calling it a misunderstanding now that the police are here. Officer, could I take a little of your time? The truth is, this didn’t start today. We need to go back quite a bit.”
Honestly, this was just a squabble between kids. There was no real reason to drag up the time Davina worked as Bonnie’s nanny, but since Davina had already tried to control the narrative, Camilla figured she might as well let everyone hear the whole story.

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