Chapter 3

Harley excitedly jumped into my arms, chirping a bright, "Hey!"

When he saw my injured ankle, Harley carefully helped me up, trying to let me lean on his tiny body for support.

My heart warmed, and I swallowed my fear, following him out through the iron gate.

Then, using what I remembered, I brought Harley back to my room.

After we showered and changed into clean clothes, Harley stood quietly by my side, watching intently as I applied medicine to my wound.

"Mom, I'll protect you from now on," he said seriously.

I smiled and nodded, slipping a silver bracelet onto his wrist. Harley couldn't take his eyes off it.

I led him into the kitchen, poured him a glass of milk, and cooked him some pasta.

"Mom, this feels like a dream!" Harley exclaimed.

He pinched his own cheek hard, making a face from the pain.

I couldn't help but laugh, amused by his childish behavior.

Just then, Finley came in, dragging Manuel behind him, grumbling all the way. My good mood vanished in an instant.

When Finley saw me, his eyes softened.

"Abbie, thank goodness you're alright. I was worried out of my mind. I even went to the amusement park to look for you, but you were nowhere to be found," he said.

He reached out to pull me closer, but I quickly stepped back, my expression clearly showing how much I didn't want him near me.

Finley's face froze at my rejection. Then, as if something clicked, he smacked Manuel on the back and barked, "Apologize to your mom."

Manuel bit his lip, looking reluctant, and grumbled, "Sorry."

Finley glanced at me, apologizing with a guilty look. "Abbie, Manuel really crossed the line this time. We both apologize to you."

I tossed the pasta into the pot and sneered, "People always say, if a kid messes up, it's on the parent. You clearly haven't taught him well. He's already bold enough to lock up his own mom at such a young age."

"Locking someone up is a crime. You could go to jail for that, Finley. Do you honestly think your son even realizes what he did was wrong?" I said.

Finley's face went pale, then flushed. He was humiliated and angry.

He thought I'd still be gentle and patient with Manuel, like I always was. He never expected me to be so cold and harsh.

Manuel looked furious, but there was a flicker of pain in his eyes as he stared at me.

Just as Finley was about to say something, a gentle female voice cut him off.

"Abbie, please don't be mad. If anyone's to blame, it's me. I shouldn't have come to the celebration party that Finley and Manuel prepared for me," Jennifer said.

She put on a pitiful act, but every word was really just making it sound like Finley and Manuel went out of their way for her.

"Manuel was just worried you might forget your manners since you haven't been to a party in so long, sis..." she added.

I cut her off, annoyed. "Have you said enough?"

"Don't call me 'sis'. I'm an only child. I don't have a sister like you, always playing the innocent card. Just because you've been squatting in my house for a few years, you think you're the real deal?" I shot back.

"You're not part of the Watson family, and you're not related to the Frederick family either. Where do you get the nerve to stick your nose in other people's family business?" I snapped.

"You actually had your celebration party in the home of a married woman, and you're proud of it? That's honestly next-level shameless," I said.

Jennifer hadn't expected me to confront her head-on. Her usual kind and gentle mask nearly slipped right off her face.

I shot her a mocking grin, my words laced with venom. "I haven't even got my divorce papers yet. Just hang tight. I'll bundle up my clueless husband and good-for-nothing son and gift-wrap them for you!"

A flash of delight flickered in Jennifer's eyes, but when she looked up again, her eyes were brimming with tears, playing the perfect little white lotus.

The guests trailing in behind her started gossiping in hushed tones, glancing at each other with wide eyes.

"Oh my god, the woman is actually hooking up with her brother-in-law? Finley really is living the dream!" someone whispered.

"So Jennifer's the one who's been crashing here all this time? No wonder she never looked anything like Mrs. Watson," another guest muttered.

"I can't believe Finley's loyal husband act was all a sham. This is insane!" someone else whispered.

Finley had always been the center of attention, born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He'd never faced this kind of public humiliation before. His face darkened instantly.

Everyone felt a shiver run down their necks, and knowing better than to stick around, they started making excuses to slip away.

Finley's face was dark as he snapped, "Abbie, does making a scene like this really make you happy? Jennifer and I never did anything inappropriate. Why won't you just let it go?"

"Abbie, we're both women here. Does putting her down really make you feel any better?" he added.

I glanced at both of them, a sarcastic smile on my lips. "What, suddenly feeling sorry for her now?"

"Want to know just how much I hate her? Your so-called love for me is throwing a party for the woman I can't stand, right in my own house?" I shot back.