Chapter 170

Lucas's POV

The tension in the air hit me before I even reached the locker room door. Rachel's hurried footsteps behind me.

I threw the door open. The scene before me made my blood run cold: Serena backed against the lockers, and Milo shield her. A man had his hand raised, ready to strike him.

"I really wouldn't do that if I were you." I spoke with thunderous authority, barely containing my anger as the words burst out instinctively

The room froze at my entrance. The man's hand wavered mid-air as his eyes darted between me and Rachel. The recognition dawned in his eyes, followed quickly by fear. His hand trembled as he released his clenched fist.

"What's going on here?" My voice came out low, controlled, but carrying an edge that made the man take an involuntary step back.

"Daddy!" Milo's voice cracked as he crashed into my legs. His small shoulders shook with suppressed sobs. The sight of his usually cheerful face streaked with tears made something dark and primal stir in my chest.

"Are you hurt?" I asked, my tone softening as I addressed them.

Serena shook her head, but I caught the lingering worry in her eyes. She moved closer to Milo, her protective instinct evident in every gesture.

I knelt down to Milo's level. "Take your time," I said gently. "I'm here now." I kept one hand protectively on Milo's shoulder while my eyes never left the man who had dared to threaten them.

His lower lip trembled as he spoke. "They... they bullied Mommy. They were going to hit her. They called me..." He swallowed hard. "They said I was a bastard, that you wouldn't want Mommy, that you'd never have children with her."

Each word felt like ice in my veins, but I kept my expression calm for Milo's sake.

"Tommy hit me because I won first place in swimming," Milo continued, his voice growing stronger. "He said I cheated and he ask me to let him win next time. When I said no, they dumped the trash can over my head!"

Tommy's mother suddenly found her voice. Her husband tried to quiet her, but the words had already escaped.

"So you're Serena's latest man?" Her tone dripped with disdain as she looked me up and down. "You look respectable enough. Why waste your time with that worthless-"

SLAP!

The crack of my palm against her cheek echoed through the locker room. She stumbled, falling to the floor with the force of the carefully measured slap. The silence that followed was absolute.

My entire body radiated cold fury as I turned to face the rest of them. The husband had backed away, leaving his son exposed. The boy tried to retreat into his father's arms, but the man was too focused on his own self-preservation to offer protection.

"Daddy's scary," Milo whispered, but there was relief in his voice.

I forced myself to modulate my tone as I addressed the cowering family. "This is your only warning." My words came out precise and glacial. "If I ever hear that you've harassed my family again..."

I let the threat hang in the air, unfinished but unmistakable. The man nodded frantically, pulling his wife to her feet. She was still holding her reddened cheek, all previous bravado gone.

"I'll destroy you! My dad will bankrupt your entire company!" The young boy snarls at me, his face contorted with rage after seeing his mother struck.

I fix Tommy with an icy stare, taking slow, menacing steps toward him, danger radiating from my every move. As I advance, his face morphs from panic to pure fear, and he scrambles behind his father for protection. His father, frozen in place, makes no move to shield him.

"Milo, come here," I say, my voice gentle.

I kept my hand steady on Milo's shoulder as I knelt beside him, bringing myself to his eye level. "Tell me exactly what he did to you," I said softly, my voice carrying just enough steel to make the other boy shift uncomfortably.

His small hands trembled slightly as he recounted the incident, and I noticed the hurt lingering in his eyes.

"Go get that trash can," I instructed, nodding toward the corner.

Milo hesitated, and I understood why. The values we'd instilled in him - kindness, respect, proper behavior - made him uncomfortable with the idea of retaliation. But there were times when a lesson needed to be taught.

"Sometimes, Milo," I explained carefully, "bullies only learn when they experience the same treatment they dish out. Do you understand?" I was proud to see that while my son was gentle-natured, he wasn't weak.

After a moment's consideration, Milo set his jaw and grabbed the trash can. In one swift motion, he upended it over the bully's head. The kid immediately burst into dramatic tears. It was exactly the kind of reaction I'd expect from a spoiled child who'd never faced consequences.

Tommy's mother let out an anguished cry. "God, no!" She shoved her husband desperately. "Please, help our son!"

When he ignored her pleas, she snapped. "I'll kill you!" she shrieked, lunging toward Milo. Her husband caught her mid-stride, restraining her before she could reach him. Then he did the unthinkable-he slapped her across the face.

"Have you lost your mind?!" she shrieked at her husband. "Your son is being attacked and you're just standing there! What kind of man are you? You can't even protect your own family-"

"That's Lucas Harrington," her husband roared.

I watched with cold amusement as she froze mid-tirade. These people who threw their weight around based on their spouse's position always crumbled when faced with real power.

But what truly warmed my heart was Milo's transformation. Milo drew himself up to his full height - still small, but radiating authority - and demanded, "Apologize to me and to my mommy!" It was the first time I'd seen him channel this kind of presence.

When the bully mumbled an apology under his father's stern glare, Milo wasn't finished. "Are you going to bully other kids again?"

"No," came the subdued reply.

"If I ever see you being mean to anyone else, I won't let you get away with it." Milo's small frame practically vibrated with conviction, and I couldn't help the proud smile that tugged at my lips. This was my son.

After ensuring the situation was fully resolved, I watched Milo return to Serena's side. She ran her fingers through his damp hair soothingly, murmuring words of praise that made him beam. The sight stirred something in my chest.

I stepped beside Serena, fixing my gaze on the couple. "Starting today, I don't want to see you anywhere near the school, including your son-"

"Wait." Serena's voice cut through my declaration.

I turned to look at her, expecting perhaps a moment of mercy. But I remained silent, respecting whatever decision she would make.

Her eyes, sharp as ice, locked onto the couple. "Earlier, weren't you the one who demanded I kneel and apologize to your wife?"

The man began trembling visibly. "I... I didn't realize who you were, your connection to Mr. Harrington, or young Master Milo's identity... It was entirely my fault..."

He and his wife kept bowing and apologizing, their previous arrogance completely shattered. The transformation was almost pitiful - almost.

"Since you understand your mistake," Serena pronounced each word with crystalline clarity, her gaze piercing, "then kneel and apologize to me."

This was exactly why I admired Serena - she was resolute and showed no mercy to those who cross her.

I observed the man's internal struggle. As a nouveau riche who'd spent years throwing his wealth around, kneeling must have felt like swallowing broken glass. But under the situation, his knees finally buckled.

Serena cast a meaningful glance at the woman still standing. The man immediately got the message, yanking his wife down beside him.

"We sincerely apologize. Please forgive our ignorance." The words that tumbled from his mouth must have been the most humiliating of his life. This was the price of arrogance.

"I'm taking Milo to get cleaned up - he still has a competition," Serena said, taking Milo's hand. She turned to me with a knowing look. "As for the rest... do whatever you see fit."

I nodded. I should have known better than to doubt her resolve. That unflinching strength was one of her most captivating qualities.

After she left with Milo, I turned my cold gaze back to the kneeling couple. Serena's eye-for-an-eye approach was elegant, but for me, it wasn't nearly enough.

I pulled out my phone and dialed a number. Since they enjoyed throwing their weight around in front of children, I would ensure they never had the capacity to intimidate anyone again.