Chapter 3
I quit my job at the company I'd been with for two years, and then called my landlord to let her know I was moving out.
After buying my train ticket, I noticed it was almost time for school to end. I jumped on my scooter to pick up Yvette and handle her leaving school.
In my mind, I was set on getting her out of here for good. We'd never look back.
But when I got to the school gate, Yvette's teacher looked taken aback.
She said, "Didn't Yvette's dad already pick her up? Sorry, but Yvette really does look a lot like that guy..."
After four years apart, I finally unblocked Elvis.
As soon as he picked up, Elvis let out a soft chuckle.
"I really thought you'd spend your whole life ignoring me," he said.
I stood there, shivering in the cold wind, clutching my phone.
"Where's my child?" I asked.
As soon as I finished speaking, I heard my daughter's sweet, innocent laughter in the background.
Elvis's voice hissed through the phone, venomous and sly.
"Claire, is this child mine?" he asked.
I didn't hesitate for a second.
"No, Elvis. Give me back my child," I said firmly.
He gave a mocking laugh.
"Go ahead and deny it. I'll just get a paternity test. Remember what happened the last time you tried to fool me?" Elvis said.
The cigarette burn he left over my chest all those years ago still hadn't faded.
Whenever my chest tightened, it was like that scar was haunting me, taunting me for falling for the wrong man.
Just thinking about it made my knees buckle. I dropped to the ground, clutching my swollen eyes.
Elvis hung up without a second thought. After taking a moment to pull myself together, I got up and set off for Riverside City.
After four years, I walked into Sterling Manor again, and my mind was instantly swamped with memories.
I remembered the first time I moved in, clutching Elvis's hand and asking him, "What if someone tries to throw me out of here?"
He gave me a soft but unwavering smile, his voice full of certainty.
"You're my woman. Who'd dare mess with you?" he said.
But later, he was the one who had his men rip off every piece of clothing he'd ever bought me and kicked me out of Sterling Manor.
The snow was falling in thick sheets as I trudged through the drifts, my whole body numb and purple from the cold, tears freezing on my cheeks.
He stood on the second floor, watching me with that icy, contemptuous look as I struggled out of the front gates.
Even now, those bare photos of me were still making the rounds online.
In the comments, people either said I had it coming or they were convinced I was already dead, down in hell, paying for my sins to Elvis's grandpa.
I kept my head down as I walked the path through Sterling Manor; all those old humiliations came rushing back.
I was too lost in my thoughts to notice that the roses I once adored were still thriving in the garden, just as fiercely as ever.
Elvis had been waiting for me in the living room.
He was dressed in a black suit, looking just like a wolf who'd been lying in wait, ready to pounce.
I stood far away, trying to keep my cool.
"Where's my child?" I asked.
"Upstairs, passed out after playing too much," Elvis replied.
As soon as I heard that, I rushed upstairs, but Elvis was faster. His hand shot out, catching mine and pulling me right up against him.
The familiar woody scent washed over me, sending a chill down my spine.
"What's the hurry? We've still got unfinished business," he said.
I thought he was bringing up how everyone accused me of framing Juliet for stealing my drafts back then.
But the truth was, she really did steal my drafts.
Still, nobody believed me.
In the end, I got kicked out of the company, and all my creations were dragged through the mud and blacklisted everywhere.
But after these years, life had knocked all the fight out of me.
I pushed Elvis away, and with a loud thud, I collapsed on the ground.
"Mr. Sterling, I know I messed up back then, and I've paid for it. If that's still not enough, I'll beg Mrs. Sterling for forgiveness, too. Just give me my kid back. Please, I'm begging you," I pleaded.
My pathetic plea didn't get even a shred of sympathy from him. He frowned, his voice cold as ice.
"Get up," he snapped.
I didn't move, speaking up again, my voice steady and sincere.
"Mr. Sterling, you can treat me however you like; I'll take whatever humiliation you throw at me. Just please, give me my child back," I begged.
Elvis let out an angry laugh, crouching down so we were eye to eye.
"Your kid, huh? Yours and who else's?" he sneered.
I froze for a moment and then replied, steady as ever.
"My ex-husband's," I said.
Worried he wouldn't believe me, I took out my marriage certificate and held it out for him to see.
"Elvis, I'm not lying. I really did get married. The kid is my ex-husband's and mine," I insisted.
I really was married, but it was just so Yvette could get her household registration, and in case anything went wrong.
But Elvis barely glanced at the marriage certificate before snatching it from my hand and ripping it to pieces. Then he grabbed my arm and hauled me to my feet.
"Claire, can't you see how much that kid looks like me?" he said.
I couldn't bring myself to look at him. I wrenched myself free and ran upstairs to get to Yvette.
He swept me up, threw me down onto the couch, and wrenched my arms behind my back, pinning me down. Elvis loomed over me, his eyes dark and predatory.
"I'm only going to ask you one more time. Whose child is it?" Elvis growled.