The moment I stepped onto my ex-husband’s porch, a piercing cry sent a jolt through my body. It was my daughter. My instincts kicked in before my mind could catch up, and I shoved the door open without knocking.

Inside, my eyes locked onto a horrifying scene. Katie, my ex-husband’s new wife, stood with a broom raised in her hands. Emma, my eight-year-old daughter, sat on the floor, her arms shielding her face, tears streaming down her cheeks. My pulse roared in my ears as white-hot anger surged through me.

I nearly lunged at Katie, ready to rip the broom from her hands, but something held me back. My daughter. The fear in her eyes wasn’t just from Katie—it was from the entire situation. If I lost control, I would only add to her fear.

Instead, I took a deep breath, steadied myself, and demanded, “What is going on here?”

Emma ran to me, clutching my waist, burying her face in my sweater. Her small body trembled. I stroked her hair, my own hands shaking with barely restrained fury.

Katie dropped the broom, stepping back as if she had just realized how she looked. “It’s not what you think,” she blurted out.

“Then explain.” My voice was sharp, unrelenting.

She huffed, crossing her arms. “She broke a vase. An expensive one. I told her to be careful, but she just ignores me. She never listens, and I was just trying to—”

“Trying to scare her into obedience?” I cut her off, my voice ice-cold.

Katie’s face flushed. “I wasn’t going to hit her.”

“But she thought you were.” I glanced down at Emma, whose fingers clutched my sweater even tighter. “That’s enough for me.”

At that moment, Mark, my ex-husband, stepped into the room, taking in the scene with a furrowed brow. “What’s happening?”

I turned to him, my tone clipped. “Your wife just traumatized our daughter over a broken vase.”

Mark’s face darkened as he turned to Katie. “Is that true?”

Katie bristled. “I was disciplining her.”

“By chasing her with a broom?” I shot back.

Mark sighed, rubbing his temples. “Katie…”

“She’s spoiled, Mark,” Katie said defensively. “She never listens. She needed to understand there are consequences for—”

“For being a child?” I interrupted. “For making mistakes? You don’t get to decide how my daughter is raised. And you definitely don’t get to scare her into submission.”

Katie folded her arms, but I could see the cracks forming in her confidence.

Mark crouched down in front of Emma. “Sweetheart, did Katie hurt you?”

Emma shook her head, but her grip on me didn’t loosen. “She yelled at me,” she whispered. “She said I ruin everything.”

Mark’s jaw tightened. He exhaled slowly before turning to Katie. “You said that to her?”

Katie shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“That’s not the point,” I snapped. “You made her feel unsafe in her own home.”

Mark met my eyes. “What do you want to do?”

I straightened. “She’s coming home with me. And we’re going to have a serious conversation about custody.”

Mark hesitated. “Can we talk about this later?”

“No,” I said firmly. “This is about our daughter’s safety. There’s nothing to discuss.”

He sighed but didn’t argue. That told me enough.

I took Emma’s hand and led her to the door. I didn’t look back.

As we drove away, Emma remained quiet, staring out the window. I reached over and squeezed her hand.

“You’re safe now,” I said softly.

She nodded, but I knew this wasn’t over. Katie had crossed a line, and I would do everything in my power to make sure she never had the chance to do it again.