Chapter 4 - You Don't Eat From the TrashVanessa crossed the floor in two swift strides, her heels clicking sharply against the tile. She dropped to her knees right beside the plastic step stool, her hands gently taking the small ceramic plate from Lily’s hands and setting it aside.
"Lily, sweetheart, look at me," Vanessa whispered, her voice tight with suppressed emotion as she cupped her daughter's tear-stained face.
Lily blinked, her lower lip quivering. "Grandma said... Grandma said I'm not allowed at the big table. She said this is where I have to eat."
Vanessa’s jaw tightened. She wiped a stray tear from her daughter's cheek with her thumb, her eyes burning with fierce determination.
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"Listen to me very carefully, baby," Vanessa said, her voice steady, low, and resolute. "You are my daughter. You carry the blood of this family, and you are worthy of dignity, love, and a proper place at any table in this world. You never, ever eat from the trash. Do you understand me?"
Lily nodded slowly, throwing her small arms around Vanessa’s neck and burying her face in her shoulder. Vanessa held her tight, standing up slowly while lifting the little girl into her arms.
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