“She’s mean when you’re not there,” Lily murmured, her voice muffled against my shoulder. “She says I can’t talk about Mommy… and she hides my toys.”

A chill ran down my spine. I had noticed Lily becoming quieter over the past few months, but I attributed it to the stress of the wedding and the changes happening in our lives. Now I wondered if there was more to it.

“Lily, I promise I’ll talk to Claire about this. You’re the most important person in my life, and I won’t let anyone hurt you,” I reassured her, feeling the weight of responsibility settle heavily on my shoulders.

I looked over at Claire, who stood at the altar, her smile faltering as she realized something was wrong. I felt torn—caught between the woman I had chosen to spend my life with and my daughter, who needed me to protect her.

With a deep breath, I set Lily down and took her hand, leading her away from the altar. The guests murmured in confusion as we walked past them, but I was focused only on my daughter.

“Claire,” I said, approaching her. “We need to talk.”

The ceremony paused as Claire followed us into a small side room, away from prying eyes and ears. Lily clung to me, watching Claire warily.

“Lily has told me some things,” I began carefully, trying to gauge Claire’s reaction. “She feels like she can’t talk about her mom and that her possessions are being hidden.”

Claire looked taken aback, hurt flashing across her features. “I would never try to replace her mother, and I didn’t know she felt that way,” she said, her voice strained. “I’ve been trying to find common ground, but maybe I’ve been going about it the wrong way.”

Lily shrank back, hiding behind my leg. It was clear to me that forcing this relationship wasn’t going to work, not without addressing Lily’s fears first.

“We need to take a step back,” I decided, looking between Claire and Lily. “We need to rebuild trust.”

Claire nodded, tears in her eyes. “I never wanted to make her feel uncomfortable. I love you both… I just didn’t realize…”

I knelt beside Lily, pulling her into a hug. “Sweetheart, we’ll figure this out together, okay? You’re not alone.”

She nodded, finally letting a small smile break through her fears.

As we left the room, I realized that the altar wasn’t just a place where vows were made to a spouse. It was where promises were made to family. And today, I promised Lily that she would always be my priority, and I’d do everything in my power to keep her safe and happy.