Charmaine's POV
Lily's voice trembles as she speaks, her eyes welling up with tears. "Marcus made me cry, Mum," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. "He told me not to tell you."
My heart skips a beat as I process her words. What did Marcus do to my baby girl? I feel a surge of anger and protectiveness, but I try to remain calm for Lily's sake. "What sweetie, why didn't you tell me?" I ask, trying to keep my tone gentle.
Lily looks down, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Marcus told me not to tell you. He said you would be mad at him, and that I would get in trouble." My anger towards Marcus grows, but I push it aside, focusing on comforting my daughter.
I pull Lily into a tight hug, holding her close as she buries her face in my shoulder. "It's okay, baby girl," I whisper, tryi
