Elise stared coldly at Adam and Eva.

Their pitiful appearance didn't move her. There were consequences for every action.

She took James's small hand in hers and turned to William. "I'll get James cleaned up. He has more events soon. As for these two... handle them as you see fit."

William nodded, his earlier concern fading. He should have known Elise wouldn't show mercy.

While she never sought to harm others, she wasn't one to tolerate insults quietly. This combination of free spirit and inner strength defined her.

After Elise left with James, William's gaze returned to Adam and Eva, turning icy cold.

He wasn't as measured as Elise, who believed in equivalent retribution.

He preferred tenfold repayment.

They wanted to bankrupt him? He would show them the true meaning of financial ruin!

As Elise gently wiped the dirt from James's face, her voice softened. "Are you upset about what happened, sweetheart?"

"No, Mommy," James replied with a bright smile.

"You protected me, and Daddy taught them a lesson. I did to Jerry what he did to me. I feel fine."

But then his small face grew serious with concern.

"Are you sad, Mommy? They said such horrible things about you."

Elise smiled warmly. "Don't you know about mother's strength?"

"What does that mean?" James asked, his little forehead wrinkling in confusion.

"It means once you become a mother, you become strong and invincible. No one can truly hurt me when I have you to protect. And you did try to protect me earlier - that touched me deeply. So no, I'm not sad at all."

"I'll always protect you," James promised solemnly.

"Thank you, my brave boy," Elise said, her tone turning serious. "But you're still young. When real danger comes, you can't protect me yet. You need to wait until you're grown up. So even if I'm in trouble, you must listen when I tell you not to help me. Understand?"

James looked reluctant - the thought of abandoning his mother was unbearable.

"Promise me," Elise insisted firmly, worried about what might happen if James acted recklessly in a dangerous situation. He was just a child, after all.

"Okay," James agreed immediately, seeing the stern look in his mother's eyes.

"Good boy," Elise said, affectionately ruffling his hair. "Now let's go. You have more competitions to participate in."

"Okay!"

Elise brought James to the running track just as the relay race was about to begin.

Relay races always generated excitement, and Elise felt her heart swell with emotion watching the children push themselves to their limits.

James ran the anchor leg. When he received the baton, his team was behind. But with determined speed, he overtook every other runner in the final moments, securing first place.

The crowd erupted in applause. Victoria, who had returned to her seat beside William, jumped to her feet in excitement.

But James's eyes remained fixed on Elise, his smile shining brilliantly under the sun.

With the relay races completed, the sports meet was essentially over.

All that remained was the awards ceremony.

Since everything had run ahead of schedule, the school decided to organize an impromptu parent-child relay race within the class.

This wasn't a formal competition, just a fun activity.

The class teachers quickly divided parents into groups. With twenty people in each of four groups, that meant five children would be grouped with both of their parents.

Victoria joined eagerly, while William hesitated briefly before following her to the running track.

Everyone lined up before the race began. James looked disappointed that Victoria stood behind him instead of Elise.

Victoria noticed his expression. She crouched down to pinch his cheeks playfully. "I'm your godmother, which means I'm your mommy too. Keep making that face, and I'll cover you in kisses."

James shot William a pleading look, but William nodded in agreement with Victoria. Reluctantly, James accepted the situation.

Still, he couldn't resist turning toward Elise in the stands, his eyes conveying an apologetic message to his mother.