It was like they didn't want to give her a chance to get close or get to know her. Even though she and Teri were only trying to look around and didn't mean anything by it, when it kept happening, it made Athena feel suspicious. At that point, she understood something. She was being shut out by the other parents! She didn't care, though. She was used to such situations. She had faced worse before. Back when Lewis was around, things were way tougher. She never backed down then, so being ignored like this didn't scare her. Soon, the homeroom teacher came over. She gathered all the parents together to explain the day's event. Basically, everyone would share the food they brought, taste each other's dishes, and then start the sports games. Athena took out the cookies she'd brought, opened the lid, and set the box on the table. Zaden said they were ready-made dough, but they looked fantastic. Especially with the cartoon animal shapes, lots of kids should want to eat them. Teri looked at the cookies her dad made, expecting the other kids to grab some right away. But no one did. She frowned and started to feel down. Why are they not eating Dad's cookies? Is it because they think it's gross? Teri gently tugged on Athena's sleeve. Athena looked down and asked softly, "What's wrong, Teri?" "Mommy, why isn't anyone eating Daddy's cookies? Is it because his cooking tastes bad?"Then she added, "I secretly tried one before we left home. It actually tasted really good." Seeing Teri's sad little face, Athena sighed quietly. This poor girl probably didn't realize that it wasn't because the cookies were bad; the other parents were trying to isolate her and her mom. It all felt too organized, like it was planned. Athena said to Teri, "We can't control what other people think. If they don't want to eat the cookies, we'll pack them up and eat them at home. I haven't even tried your dad's cookies yet." That made Teri happy again. And it made me happy too! Soon, the teacher noticed the issue. Every parent's dish had people eating it, but the cookies by Athena were untouched. When a few children tried to reach for one, their parents quickly stopped them. The teacher's expression was awkward. She knew Athena was Zaden's wife, and these people probably did, too. She just didn't understand why they were deliberately targeting Athena this way. If everyone else's food was gone and only Athena's was left untouched, wouldn't that be embarrassing? She even thought about walking over to eat a piece herself. Just then, a little boy went over and picked up a cookie. He was about to take a bite when his mom suddenly slapped it out of his hand. She snapped, "Willy, I told you not to eat cookies, didn't I? Did you forget already?" The boy, shocked by the blow, burst into tears. The teacher immediately stepped in and said, "Mrs. Walker, one cookie isn't a big deal." Vivian Walker glanced at Athena and said, "It's not a big deal, but I care where it came from. My kid is not eating food made by just anybody." Vivian's husband owned a small business, and she often heard him mention the Rices. She knew the eldest son of the Rices had just returned. She'd also heard that he was trying to partner with the Rices and had been trying to impress Preston. But his company was too small to have much of a chance. So when Maya gave the order, she sprang into action, isolating Athena from the other parents, hoping Maya would put in a good word for her husband's company. Maya stood on the balcony, looking down at the playground with a mocking smirk. Looks like Athena has been left out by the other parents. She must be feeling pretty awful right now, huh? So what if she's Mrs. Storm? She could never beat me! Suddenly, a commotion started in the back. Everyone looked up curiously and then saw a tall, familiar figure walking over. Athena's eyes widened in surprise. Teri immediately ran excitedly toward him. "Dad! How come you're here?" Zaden slowly walked over to Athena. He glanced at the food spread and saw that all the other treats were nearly gone, while his cookies were still fully stacked, untouched.