---
Children's Room — Mirabel's POV
"Dennis, do something about your sister or I will," Charlie snapped.
Dennis crouched to Emily's level. "Emily, come to your brother. I want to show you something—come quickly."
Emily folded her arms. "No. I'm staying here with my aunty."
Charlie frowned. "Emily, who do you like more—me or her?"as Dennis asked
"I like Sister Cherry more than both of you."
Dennis gaped. "How can you like her more than me?"
"She plays with me and talks with me"
Charlie sighed. "Dennis, we need her to stand up, not argue about favorites."
Charlie rolled his shoulders. "Fine. I'll handle it." He dropped his voice, deadpan. "Emily, if you don't stand up right now, I'll crawl under your bed at night and eat your soul. No one will save you. Not even Cherry."
Emily froze, then bolted up and threw herself into Dennis's arms, crying.
"Brother, he said he'll eat my soul!"
Wow… that actually worked. Maybe I should scare her more if she won't listen, Dennis thought, a little too pleased.
Dennis stroked her hair. "It's okay. He won't eat your soul. Stop crying."
The door opened. "Mummy!" Cherry ran into Mirabel's arms.
"Thank God," Charlie said, relieved. "Come on, Emily." She clung to Dennis, then to Cherry, while the butlers finally relaxed.
"I'll be going to the game center now," Dennis told Mirabel.
She nodded, and Dennis headed out with his butler.
Mirabel knelt to Cherry. "Baby, why didn't you want to eat? You scared Mum just now."
"I'm sorry, Mum… I missed you. I wanted you to feed me."
"Okay. Mum will feed you."
---
Tracy's POV
Tracy ate breakfast at a quiet table near the beach, the sun catching her red hair. Daniel spotted her, hesitated, then approached.
"Tracy," he called.
Without looking up, she said, "I'm on vacation. No signing, no photos." Then she glanced up—and blinked. "Big Baddie? What are you doing here?"
He smirked. "Mind if I sit? Paparazzi love a headline."
"Sit," she sighed. "I don't need rumors."
He sat. "I'm sorry about the incident—"
"You don't have to apologize," she cut in smoothly. "I forgive you. But we're not dating. You kissing her doesn't make you the victim. You can kiss whoever you like."
He swallowed that. "Why acting?"
"I love it. I'm good at it." She arched a brow. "You still single? You're annoyingly attractive."
He glanced past her. "Pretty sure they're not looking at me." A growing knot of boys and girls were pointing phones—at Tracy.
She saw the cameras and winced. "We need to leave. Now."
Tracy grabbed his hand. They ran. Fans surged after them. Daniel yanked open a side door, pulled her in, and pressed her gently to the wall as footsteps thundered past.
Tracy exhaled, breath shaky. Daniel's hand was still at her waist. Their eyes locked—close, closer—neither of them moving.