Chapter 4

"Joshua, how are you feeling?" Asher asked.

Joshua's eyes lit up with surprise and joy. "Dad! You finally came to see me!"

Asher looked a little awkward. "I've been busy with work, but I'm here now."

"Dad, I missed you so much," Joshua said, holding onto his hand tightly.

Watching them, hope bubbled up inside me. Maybe Asher really did care about Joshua.

But the next moment, Asher turned to Emanuel, his gaze turning icy. "Mr. Curry, I appreciate you looking after my wife and son. But now that I'm here, your help isn't needed anymore."

Emanuel wasn't intimidated. "Mr. Mendoza, Milania is my friend. Of course I'd be there for her."

"A friend, huh?" Asher scoffed. "What a coincidence that you showed up right when my wife needed someone the most."

I couldn't miss the sarcasm in his words, and anger welled up inside me.

"Asher, what's that supposed to mean?" I demanded.

"Oh, you know exactly what I mean," he shot back, suspicion burning in his eyes. "Milania, I really underestimated you. Faking our son's illness—nice move. Brought your old flame showing up at your side right on cue."

I was shaking with rage. "What are you talking about? Joshua is really sick!"

"Whether it's real or not doesn't matter," he said with a sneer. "What matters is you've found yourself a new sugar daddy."

"Asher!" I shouted, landing a stinging slap across his face.

The room fell into pin-drop silence. Even Joshua looked terrified.

Asher touched his cheek, surprise flashing in his eyes for a split second before he went back to his usual icy expression.

"Guess I nailed it," Asher said, straightening his shirt. "Milania, I won't stop you from hunting for a new sugar daddy. But Joshua carries the Mendoza blood—I won't let you drag him into your drama."

"You want to take Joshua away?" I cried out, fear spiking in my voice.

"He's my son. That gives me every right," Asher replied coldly.

"No way!" I stepped protectively in front of Joshua. "I won't let you take him!"

"Mommy, I don't want to leave you," Joshua sobbed, his voice trembling with fear.

When I saw my son cry like that, my heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces.

"Asher, Joshua is still sick. You can't do this to him," I pleaded, my voice breaking.

"That depends on you," he said, staring down at me like I was beneath him. "Leave Emanuel. Come back to the Mendoza family, and be the obedient Mrs. Mendoza you're supposed to be."

I clenched my jaw, shame and humiliation burning inside me.

But for Joshua, I had to swallow my pride and give in.

"Fine, I'll do it," I whispered.

Emanuel's eyes flickered with pain. "Milania..."

"Emanuel, thank you for looking after me all this time," I said quietly. "I'll make sure to pay you back for Joshua's treatment."

Emanuel looked at me for a long moment, then turned and left the room without another word.

As I watched him walk away, guilt gnawed at my heart.

"Good," Asher said, nodding with satisfaction. "Milania, you'd better not forget your promise today."

With that, he walked out of the room.

I sat by the hospital bed, holding Joshua close as I broke down in tears.

"Mommy, don't cry," Joshua said, wiping my tears away with his tiny hands. "I'll protect you."

His words made me cry even harder.

The fact that my five-year-old son felt the need to protect me was truly heartbreaking.

'Why would you treat us like this, Asher?' I thought, my heart aching.

'What did I ever do to deserve all this pain?' I wondered, lost and helpless.

Coming back to the Mendoza family felt like stepping right back into hell.

Asher stuck me and Joshua in the most out-of-the-way wing of the house, claiming it was for Joshua to rest and recover in peace, but everyone knew he just didn't want us around to bother him.

Meanwhile, Tessa paraded into the main house and installed herself as the lady of the house, like she fully belonged there.

"Milania, is Joshua feeling any better?" Tessa asked, acting like she actually cared.

I shot her an icy glare and kept my mouth shut.

Her fake sweetness made me want to throw up.

"Cat got your tongue, Milania? Still holding a grudge?" Tessa gave me a smug little smile. "I mean, about the bracelet—I wasn't really trying to take it from you that day, you know..."

"Cut it out, Tessa," I interrupted her. "Why don't we drop the act and just lay it all out, huh?"

"What are you talking about, Milania?" she said, tilting her head all innocent like she had no clue.

"Quit pretending. You and I both know," I stared her down. "Don't think nobody remembers what went down five years ago."

Tessa's mask slipped for a split second, then she pasted that fake sweet look right back on. "I honestly have no idea what you mean, Milania."