"You wanted to see me?"

I am currently sitting across from the school's principal, and I'd be lying if I say I'm not sweating bullets.

A summons is never good news, and of course, I still don't even know what all this is about.

Am I losing my job? Is Yuri being picked on? Did Yuri do something to get in trouble? Though, I find the latter truly hard to believe. Yuri has always been a good girl in school, and many of her teachers have had nothing but good things to say about her.

Also, she's only six years old.

"I did, " the principal says, hands folded over the desk as I continue to fidget nervously.

His eyes are shielded, and I can't read them at all. Though it doesn't matter. I know what this is about the moment she steps through the door with Yuri in tow.

"It has been brought to my attention that Yuri has a distinct lack of respect for Mrs.Lee, and I'm afraid I can't allow this to continue."

I immediately stiffen, glaring daggers at Lee Lina as the principal continues.

"I'm going to ask you to deal with this appropriately. I don't think it needs to be said, but as a teacher here, your child's behavior reflects directly upon you. That will be all."

He dismisses all of us with a wave of his hand, and Lina looks entirely displeased with this outcome.

I'm sure she was hoping to have Yuri expelled, and me fired.

I take Yuri's hand, furious at how frightened she appears. Leading her out of the office without speaking to my ex-husband's manipulative wife is one of the hardest things I've ever done. I want so badly to tear into her right here and now, but it must wait.

"Go back to class Yuri, " I tell her softly, "mommy will deal with this, don't worry okay?"

She nods her little head, sniffling earnestly as she speaks.

"I didn't do anything wrong mommy, I promise. Mari pulled my pigtail and called me ugly, said daddy doesn't love me, and I tried to tell Mrs. Lina, but she got mad at me for calling Mari by her first name." She pauses for a moment, bottom lip trembling as she tries desperately not to cry. "Mommy, why doesn't daddy love me?"

She looks up at me with big, shining eyes, and I wish that I could erase the pain and sadness within those eyes.

But nothing I say could ever be enough, could ever come close to erasing the pain that vile man has caused our child.

I swear inwardly as Lina looks on with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Is it my fault?" Yuri asks, sobbing pitifully.

"Absolutely not!" I exclaim aghast, "Your father is just a rotten man, and it has nothing to do with you at all."

"But if Daddy's rotten does that mean I am too?"

I pull her into a right embrace, wishing that I could devolve into tears myself.

"No honey, not at all. You are the sweetest, most amazing little girl in the world. You're the best thing that ever happened to mommy, I swear it."

My voice strains with the effort it takes to keep the tears at bay, but I also know that Lina is still watching, and I refuse to give her the satisfaction. My sorrow turns, twisting with the ever-present rage that is always brought about by this evil woman's presence.

I usher Yuri away, waiting until she is no longer within eyesight before turning ferociously upon Lina, ready to wipe that disgusting smile off of her face. At this point, I don't even care if I lose my job.

I will not stand for this.

"Now you listen, and you listen close, " I growl, hands clenched at my sides to prevent me from punching her in the face like I'm sorely itching to. "You and your devil spawn will leave my daughter alone, or so help me God."

She laughs, clearly not intimidated by me in the least.

"Or else what?" She challenges, still smirking at me in that infuriating manner.

In this moment I want nothing more than to punch that evil, shit eating grin off of her face. Honestly, I'm finding it incredibly hard to find a valid reason not to. Fuck this job, and fuck Lina too. My fists clench so tightly with the effort to keep my anger in check, that my hands hurt.

"Or else I will beat you to a bloody fucking pulp, " I snarl, posture rigid, strung tight like a coil. "By the time I'm done with you, they'll have to carry you out of here on a stretcher."

Her eyes grow wide, panic springing to life as well as true terror.

"You wouldn't risk it, " she whimpers.

But the way that she backs up cautiously tells me that she doesn't truly believe that. So I press the advantage.

"I think you'll find that I will if this bullshit continues, " I warn. "Be it losing my job, or going to prison, I'll take the consequences for my actions. Try me, I fucking dare you."

She stands there for a moment, nearly shaking in her name brand heels, wearing an alarmed expression, and I inwardly cheer in victory. And as she flees, I cannot find it within myself to be sorry for my actions.

Though I try to teach Yuri the value of being assertive rather than aggressive, I cannot help the satisfaction that my behavior, and Lina's reaction, has brought me.

But that satisfaction deflates entirely as I recall poor Yuri's distress, and I vow to make it up to her as best I can. With new determination I head back to my own classroom, ignoring several curious glances as I do.

Everyone here knows about Lina and my ex-husband, and the rotten relationship between us. Though I might be a private person by nature, one who prefers to keep my business to myself, where it belongs, Lina doesn't know the definition of discreet.