Chapter 2
"That won't happen," Grandpa Alistair cut Mom off.
"The Hawthorne family will never let our granddaughter end up out there. I've already beefed up security, brought in a dozen bodyguards, and implemented 24-hour shifts. Not even a fly can get in," Grandpa Alistair promised.
"I've already asked Constance to come over as the confinement nanny. I also let your parents know, and they sent Hestia to help out, too," Grandpa Alistair added.
Hearing that, Mom finally let out a sigh of relief.
I had no idea who Hestia was, but seeing how relieved Mom looked, I figured she must be someone we could trust.
So I blew little spit bubbles at Grandpa Alistair to show him I was at ease.
Grandpa Alistair tapped my cheek. "You're such a good girl. Just hang in there until you're discharged, and I promise I'll make things right for you."
I yawned and snuggled into Mom's arms, drifting off to sleep.
Mom was still so weak after giving birth, but I couldn't bring myself to leave her side, not even for a moment.
Anything could happen if I did.
And I still remembered what the confinement nanny said: Dad had told her to look after the single mom next door.
I had no idea if the girl I was switched with had been returned to her family yet.
Dad didn't show up until after Grandpa Alistair left.
When he walked in, he looked pretty grim.
Mom glared at him and said, "I just had our baby, and you ran off to help the single mom next door?"
"Caspian, you really are a saint, aren't you?" Mom fumed.
Dad just rolled his eyes, frowning. "What's the problem? She's a single mom, all alone. Is it so wrong for me to check on her?"
"You can't even take care of your own kid, and you still have the nerve to talk big?" Mom shot back.
I never expected Dad to be so cold.
Mom was still weak after giving birth, and as her husband and my father, he didn't even care. Yet he actually dared to say something like that.
I was seriously annoyed, so I squeezed Mom's finger tight.
Mom looked like she wanted to say more, but when she glanced down at me, she just couldn't stay mad.
She shot Dad a glare and let it go.
Dad saw Mom like that and clammed up.
I shot him a glare, not bothering to hide how annoyed I was.
I figured Dad would stick around with Mom tonight, but he got all fidgety after a while.
Mom didn't say a word. She just tucked me in and went to sleep with me.
I didn't dare budge an inch. The danger wasn't over yet, especially since we were still in the hospital.
By midnight, Dad finally gave in. He turned to Constance and said, "I'm hungry. Get me something to eat."
Then he barked at Hestia, "Go buy me some ointment. Looks like a mosquito bit me."
Hestia stepped out to instruct the bodyguards, then returned.
Seeing Hestia, Dad looked annoyed and said, "Hestia, I want you to buy it yourself!"
But Hestia kept her composure and replied, "Sir, I'm the Thornfield family's housekeeper, not the Hawthorne family's."
"Mrs. Thornfield told me I only take orders from Miss Rosalind," she added.
When Dad heard that, he was furious and stormed out.
I glanced at Hestia, feeling much more reassured.
Hestia smiled at me. "Don't worry, little miss. I won't let anyone steal you away!"
That finally put my mind at ease. I closed my eyes, snuggled close to Mom, and drifted off to sleep.
Mom stayed in the hospital for a whole month, and Dad kept trying every day to get everyone to leave.
But he never managed to actually separate us.
I saw right through him. He just wanted to clear the room so he could split Mom and me up.
Why would he do that? I just couldn't understand.
On the day I turned one month old, the woman who'd snatched me finally spilled everything.
She admitted she'd been paid off. Someone had told her exactly what to do.
She gave up a bank account number, and Grandpa Alistair's expression turned grim. He told his people to keep investigating.
Right then, Dad walked in, pushing us to leave the hospital right away. I couldn't help but feel uneasy about how eager he was.
The moment I saw him, I burst into tears. Dad's expression soured, and he tried to pick me up.
But as soon as he touched me, I squirmed and wriggled away, refusing to let him hold me.
He grew even more impatient, passing me off to Hestia with a frown.
Mom saw everything but stayed silent. She simply took Hestia and me and went home.
Once we got to the villa, Grandpa Alistair had bodyguards stationed all around, covering every inch.
He left nothing to chance. Not even a fly could get through.
I finally figured out what he was up to.
In this family, Grandpa Alistair was my one true protector.
Just remembering how I was beaten to death in my last life tore me apart inside.
When Mom finally came to find me, she brought the family bodyguards with her.
When she found out I was dead, she cried so hard she almost passed out.
She had to pay a fortune just to bring my body back and bury me.
And I was buried in the Thornfield family's cemetery, which meant she and Dad had already split up by then.
Thinking about all this, I couldn't help but frown.
Dad brought this on himself. I just wished Mom had seen through him sooner.
But she didn't.