Principessa Strikes Back

On the streets of Milan, our nanny, Fiona, livestreamed my son’s limited-edition sneakers.

A few days later, she shockingly transformed into my son’s stepmother.

I overheard Anthony telling Fiona, “Once Francesca signs the divorce papers, all her assets will be ours.”

Anthony was the man I had loved for ten years and had defied my family to marry.

I took a step back, pretending to break down in tears, trembling as I told him I would give him anything as long as he didn’t go through with the divorce.

What they didn’t know was that I had just dialed the number I hadn’t called in ten years.

In a low voice, I said, “Father, the game is over. Your heiress, the principessa, is coming home.”

When the final school bell rang, my son, Leo, came hopping out of his elementary school in Milan.

The sneakers on his feet, one of only a hundred pairs released worldwide, glinted brilliantly under the afternoon sun.

I stepped out of my Maybach to greet him.

Parents nearby all turned to look at us at once. Soon, the whispers followed, slipping straight into my ears.

“I heard she’s a fallen rich girl.”

I couldn’t be bothered with them.

Just then, another woman slid out of the driver’s seat like a snake.

It was Fiona, our live-in nanny.

She always wore clothes one size too small, fabric stretched tight against her body, deliberately exposing half a shoulder.

Right now, she was expertly holding up her phone, already livestreaming on YouTube.

“Want to see limited-edition kids’ sneakers? I’ll show you right now!”

Comments flooded her screen.

[Is it real? Zoom in!]

“Fiona, what are you doing?” My irritation flared. “You’re not allowed to film without my permission!”

She pretended not to hear me. Instead, she crouched down, fake-smiling as if to tie Leo’s shoelaces while shoving the camera straight at his shoes.

“See this, everyone? Buying such expensive shoes for a kid, this kind of showing off will corrupt children!”

Before I could react, she yanked one shoe right off Leo’s foot.

“Luxury items aren’t allowed on school grounds. I’ll confiscate it for now.”

Leo stood there barefoot on the concrete, his eyes reddening. He bit his lip, stubbornly holding back tears.

I stepped forward at once, placing myself between them.

“Give him back his shoes!” I demanded, reaching for it.

Fiona immediately swung her phone toward me and lowered her voice, threatening, “Touch me again, and I’ll call the police for assault.”

She smiled viciously. “Wouldn’t it be awful if Leo had to watch his mom get taken away in handcuffs?”

I glanced at Leo and forced myself to pull my hand back.

Swallowing my anger, I took a deep breath.

“You know those are his seventh birthday present. He treasures them.”

The surrounding parents, not knowing the full story, whispered among themselves, gradually forming a loose circle around us.

Meanwhile, the livestream comments kept rolling.

[Luxury goods should be banned from schools!]

[What a bad