Chapter 230 230: Protest.

Leo left the house because he could not bear to be around Lily but not talk to her. Lily only found out about it when she woke up. She realized that it was probably Snow who said something. Lily was far to sensible for her age and she understood that her father had decided to take it upon himself.

How could she not know what Snow would have done to her. She was grounded when Leo was sick because she forcefully asked a classmate to share his candy. Snow was a noble and she could not tolerate such display from her daughter.

Don't get this wrong, Snow would have cut her heart out for her daughter, but she had to teach her the moral values. The little girl looked at the note and spotted a shallow water mark, she caressed it gently with her thumb and her gaze turned firm. She knew that Leo must have shed a tear while writing the note to her.

The note said: 'Lily, Baba is going out for urgent work and might not be able to make a call because the cellphone reception might be poor. However, Baba promise to bring back the best toy I can find for my little darling. Be a good baby and don't forget to practice. Remember that what has passed cannot be changed, and you are not in the wrong. Baba believes in you, and mistakes only show that we have a lot to learn. It is not emotions that we should control but how to express them is what we need to work on.

Love, Baba.'

Lily folded the note neatly and placed it inside a box where she stored a few of her small toys and a few pictures. This was her treasure box. She looked at the picture where Snow was holding her in a swaddle and Leo was laying on the bed. Although he could not do anything, but the gaze he had on her was full of love and yearning.

She closed the box and changed into her training gear. She came out of the room, and saw her mother and grandmother ready for the day. Lily greeted them with a bland good morning, and before they could say anything, Lily walked out of the living room, and came to stand under the porch.

The guards on the duty saw her warming up but the cold she radiated from her gaze caused them to freeze a little. Everyone exchanged glances but they could not figure out anything. Lily had always been kind and nice to them but today, she just said, "Good morning."

This was not her, she had always asked if they slept well the night before. The little girl looked at Zeenat and said, "Sister Zee, lets go."

She started running with Zeenat following her. She didn't wait for the elders to come out like the usual. Snow and Anastasia saw this, and the latter said, "She is upset."

Snow nodded and said, "Yes, she must have read Leo's note. She is maintaining silence just like him."

Anastasia sighed and asked, "Is it necessary for you to do this? Could you have not spared them. It was not a deliberate thing."

Snow revealed a bitter smile and said, "I just want to make her understand her position Ma. Leo has suffered enough in this life. He has seen the worst of humiliation because of me, I don't want him to lower his head for Lily as well. Yes Lily is my daughter, but Leo is my first love and priority.

You can call me mean or unqualified to be a mother, but he is my everything. I love them both enough to give up my life, but while I am sure that Leo will never make Lily suffer, it is also my duty to make sure that Lily doesn't make him suffer as well."

Snow had never revealed a stance like this. She had always been the silent one, but when she learned from Miss Verse that Leo had to write down a letter of apology to the school, she almost lost it. She knew that Lily had not done it deliberately but the matter involved the pride of her husband who had been working hard all this time, and making sure that he brings the best on the table for Lily.

She wanted to teach the girl how to be responsible for her actions and when she saw Leo defending Lily, she decided to teach them both a lesson. Shielding each other when they had so much to improve would only harm them. This was her duty as the matriarch of the family, to make sure that while the elders love the children, the latter also protects the pride and dignity of the elders.

...

Lily ran five laps before they came back home, and the little girl asked Zeenat to train her in martial arts. The practice was limited to soft punching and core balance, but Lily never slacked. She worked out with even more determination, and then she went to her room and got dressed.

The breakfast was served, and Clara noticed that the mood in the house was not jolly like the usual. Lily ate her breakfast in silence with her mother and grandmother looking at her from time to time. Finally, when it was time to get off the table, Snow asked, "Are you upset that I punished your Baba?"

Lily raised her head and said, "Yes."

She didn't hide, not from herself and not from any other person. Snow asked, "Why? He asked for the punishment."

Lily replied, "If I ask to be spoilt will you do that too?"

Snow raised her brow and Lily said, "I accept that I made a mistake, I deserve to be punished and that is only fair. However, Baba, no, he doesn't deserve any of this. He doesn't deserve to lower his head to the principal because of me, and nor does he deserve to be punished by you because of me. So yes, I am angry with you for doing this."

Anastasia sensed that Lily was really angry, the little girl was holding back her tears and her small fists were clenched so tight that they have turned white. Snow looked at her and asked, "So, what should have I done? Let him spoil you like this?"

Lily looked in the eyes of her mother and said, "If you think I am being spoiled then tell me to correct my behavior. What does my actions have to do with Baba? Does he ever tell me to disrespect others? Does he teach me to go and beat anyone I can? He holds back on spoiling me a lot and you know that. You have always told me that we should talk to other people directly, but you didn't do that this time. Why?"

Her questions left Snow speechless, while she was feeling relieved inside, she showed nothing on her face. She took a few deep breaths and said, "Would you have understood had I told you?"

Lily smiled at this and replied, "Did I ever not understand what you told me, Ma?"

Snow was stunned, she didn't expect that her daughter was so mature. Lily said calmly, "I have always been smarter than the rest of my friends because you taught me to be like that. You made me better, but this time when you should have trusted me, you didn't. I am guilty and I apologize for losing control, but you shouldn't have dragged my Baba into this. Do you think it is easy for a man of his stature to lower his head to someone? Although he did it with a smile, but I know that I harmed him."

Snow nodded and said, "Fine, I will put you on the higher ground, then tell me what should have I done?"

Lily sighed and said, "You could have grounded me directly. I would have stayed home, without coming out of my room. That would have been better than Baba crying. I have wronged him, but you hurt him. I know you love him a lot, then why do such a thing, Ma? I am guessing that you lost control like I did, right?"

Snow was stunned, indeed, last night she had been thinking why she punished Leo like this, even when she knew that the young man wouldn't be able to tolerate this. Why did she act so adamantly? It was in the morning when she realized that when last time Leo had bowed his head to his Uncle to help his parents, he had promised that he would never do the same thing. That same grit of his caused Carole to be enraged and attack him so badly.

However, today, he didn't say that his daughter was wrong instead he lowered his head to the school principal. This, angered Snow. She didn't want him to be like this of if one day someone uses Lily against him, Leo might make the same mistake as he did in the past.

Snow looked at her daughter and said, "Yes, I was angry that he lowered his head to someone and then he still tried to protect you, even at the cost of his dignity. I disliked that action and that's why I went hard on him."

Lily nodded and said, "This is why I am angry. You knew what he did, and you attacked the same spot. For me to be spared he decided to suffer. I will not let this happen. Until Baba comes back, I will not talk to you, or anyone. I will stay grounded inside my room. Please inform the school."

Snow was shocked, and asked, "Are you protesting?"

Lily shook her head and replied, "I am accepting my mistake and doing a penance for hurting Baba."

That said, she went inside her room, and closed the door gently. The tension inside the cardinal house shot through the roof, and none of them could control or avoid it. After all, they all had their own stands and they stuck to them.