Chapter 2

"Look at you, always good at fawning on people," Alex said.

However, Sierra smacked him hard on the back of the head again.

Alex knew he had said the wrong thing.

I kept my head down, the food in my mouth refusing to go down.

"Don't listen to him. He's just so rude," Sierra said.

"Hey, kid, I'm sorry, alright? Please don't hold it against me," Alex apologized.

Both Sierra and Alex stared at me.

I fought back my tears and shook my head.

I said, "I'm fine. It's just the meal. It's way too delicious."

Alex let out a big sigh of relief.

He said, "Take your time and enjoy it. There's no need to cry. And when you're done, go jump in the shower. Seriously, you smell."

I nodded. "Okay."

Sierra and Alex cleaned up the nicest room in the house and said it would be mine from now on.

Alex said, "It's nowhere near as grand as your dad's place, but I hope you won't mind."

Alex nudged me inside. The room was spotless, and someone had even placed a stuffed toy on the bed.

I hugged the toy right away.

"Thank you, Mrs. Carter and Alex," I called out, my voice full of excitement.

Alex blinked at my thanks, scratching his head. "Didn't you grow up in a fancy mansion? How come you get so excited about this?"

Sierra smacked Alex on the back of the head again.

She said, "If you can't keep your mouth shut, just go to bed and stop bothering Emily."

Alex shuffled out, looking pretty sheepish.

Sierra stroked my head gently, and honestly, she had a kind of warmth and tenderness that even my mom never showed.

She smiled and reassured me, "Emily, Alex is pretty awful with words sometimes, but don't take it seriously. He really means well."

I hugged the teddy bear close, glanced up at Sierra, and smiled.

"Mrs. Carter, I know. Alex really does like me," I told her.

Sierra paused for just a moment, then gave me a smile and said I should get some sleep before she quietly left the room.

I looked around the room.

The Quinn family was wealthy, but after I was born, my dad stopped caring about my mom. I had seen her beg him so many times, pleading with him not to leave and promising they would soon have another child.

Every time, he would smile and help her up, but I could see the bruises his hands left behind when he grabbed her. That wasn't love.

He said, "Babe, you're the only one for me, I swear. Even if we never have another child, you're still the one I love."

Every single time, I knew he was lying. He was just stringing my mom along.

However, my mom always believed him. Every time my dad left, she would lock me in that tiny, dark room and say, "If only you were smarter, your father would love me more."

I cried and told her my dad was lying, but she never opened the door.

There was only one time she ever heard the truth, and that was the one thing that broke her.

Clutching the teddy bear to my chest, I couldn't stop crying—my tears soaked deep into its soft fur.

Just then, Alex's voice came from outside. "Mom, I'm right here. Please don't be scared."

Sierra said, "He's going to kill me. Not just me—he's going to ruin Alex, too. Why can't he just leave us alone?"

I jolted awake, my heart pounding, and heard sobs coming from outside—Sierra was crying, and Alex's voice was thick with tears as he tried to comfort her.

I rushed out to the balcony and saw Sierra curled up on the ground in the middle of the yard, sobbing uncontrollably.

Alex was holding her, his whole body shaking as he tried to calm her down.

Alex had a reputation as the big bad in this area—folks joked he strong-armed even customers, and that he wouldn't flinch at murder.

I had never seen Alex look this vulnerable before.

He was holding Sierra in his arms, sobbing into her shoulder.

He said, "Mom, it's alright. I'm always here for you. He's in jail now, and he won't mess with us ever again. If he ever shows his face around here, I swear I'll break his legs again."

Alex lifted his head as if to look at the moon, only to see me standing on the balcony, clutching my teddy bear.