Chapter 4

But then, something unexpected happened.

For three nights straight, I'd sit there with my little butt sticking up, waiting for my daughter to call.

But nothing came—not even a text message.

I started to feel really uneasy.

Did something bad happen to her?

Just when I was freaking out and trying to figure out what to do, my phone suddenly buzzed with a message from my daughter: [Help me!!]

I shook my sleeping parents awake, my little face full of worry as I cried out, "Mom, Dad, my daughter's in trouble!

"We have to go help her!"

This was my first time at the entrance of my daughter's neighborhood.

Even though it was late at night, a bunch of people were gathered outside, smirking and gossiping as they watched the commotion.

Someone said, "Did you hear? Autumn's stepmom tried to set her up with some old guy, but Autumn refused no matter what. So her stepmom just tossed her cat off the balcony!"

"That's stepmoms for you—so vicious! I can't believe her dad would leave his kid with some outsider!"

"So? Her dad's a sailor, gone at sea all year. Nobody's gonna get involved—that's their family business."

In the middle of the crowd, a skinny girl was holding a bleeding cat tightly in her arms.

She turned to the people around her, pleading for help. "Please, please, someone help my cat! Please!"

Her desperate voice rang out across the neighborhood, but everyone just ignored her.

A mean-looking woman stepped out, glaring coldly at the sobbing girl. "I told you to behave. It's just a stupid cat—get over it!

"If you really want to save that damn cat, then do as I say. Forget about your SATs—just go marry some guy!"

Autumn's face was ghostly pale as she clung to her cat, crying out in desperation, "Please, just let me go...

"I don't have anything else—this cat is all I've got...

"I want to take my exams, not get married! I just want to study!"

The woman gave a cold laugh. "You wanna study? Who do you think's in charge here? I'm your legal guardian now. You really think you can get away?"

She ground her high heel right onto the cat's tail.

The orange cat was so badly injured it couldn't even move. The girl could only beat at the woman's leg, desperate to do something.

The woman snorted, "If you want to save that cat, call your dad and tell him you want to get married instead of going to school. Otherwise, I'll make sure you never get to study, and your cat won't make it either!"

Autumn lowered her head, her eyes dead and hopeless, as if she'd given up.

"Okay... I'll call my dad," she whispered, her voice hoarse.

The sight really pissed me off.

How could anyone treat my precious daughter like this?

Fuming, I wriggled out of Mom's arms, squeezed through the crowd, and ran right up to that bad lady.

I stuck my hands on my hips and pointed right at her.

"Hey! What are you doing? With me here, you're not bullying my daughter!" I yelled.

The woman laughed so hard she nearly doubled over. "Who's this little kid? You crazy or something? I'm her mom—her legal guardian!

"I'm just teaching my own daughter a lesson. How's that bullying?"

The crowd watching the drama erupted in thunderous laughter at my ridiculous actions.

Everyone stared at me as if I were the punchline of a bad joke.

The wicked woman sauntered over with a smirk. "Kid, you're still just a baby—don't go playing hero. If you keep this up, she'll be the one paying the price!"

Autumn looked at me from behind, her eyes wide with disbelief—and something deeper, more complicated.

"I never thought you'd be just a kid..." she murmured, tears falling in in heavy drops. "And I never imagined you'd actually come to save me..."

But before she could finish, her stepmom's hand gently rested on Autumn's back.

Autumn was trembling slightly, pleading with me, "Don't worry. I'm fine. But could you do me a favor? Could you take care of Ginger for me?"

With teary eyes, she handed the cat to me. "Thank you. Thank you for actually coming."

Cradling the frail orange cat in my arms, I broke down crying.

It hit me then—despite being her mother, I was utterly powerless to protect my daughter.

Suddenly, I heard my mom's voice behind me.

"Hey, lady, everything you just said is now on record. As one of Everland's top lawyers, I have every reason to suspect you of marriage fraud and child abuse!"