Chapter 2

My leg wound was still bleeding when they dumped me in the garden.

Bella pointed at me and said, "Uncle James, she's Dad's illegitimate daughter. She's so bad. She stole Shadow's food, and Dad scolded me because of her."

"Good girl, Bella. Let me handle her for you," James said.

He shot me a look of pure contempt. "Apologize to Bella."

Shadow, the wolfdog, was closing in on me with its tongue hanging out.

I bolted in terror, and Shadow took off after me.

Bella was laughing and clapping, while James sipped his coffee, completely ignoring what was happening.

I was totally spent, and with my leg still bleeding, I fell flat on the ground.

Shadow pounced on me, biting and clawing at my clothes. I was a kid, totally helpless against it.

Just as those fangs were about to tear through my neck, suddenly, someone shouted angrily, "What are you doing?"

Sebastian appeared with Emily.

Shadow shrank back in fear and ran off.

That was when Sebastian noticed me, all battered and covered in dirt from the attack.

I was a total mess, my skinny body trembling uncontrollably.

Sebastian reached out to help me up, but I immediately curled into a ball, staring at him in terror and shaking my head over and over. "Don't bite me. Don't bite me!"

"Sebastian, are you feeling bad for this illegitimate kid?" James sneered, watching Sebastian's reaction. "Come on, we were scaring her. It's not like the dog was actually going to bite her.

"You cheated on Emily and had a kid with another woman, and I haven't called you out for it yet. But look at you, actually standing up for this illegitimate daughter now."

"James!" Sebastian's usual gentle and refined vibe suddenly turned cold and intimidating. After a moment, he narrowed his eyes and said, "She's Lily's daughter."

"You really think she's Lily's daughter? That's impossible!" James scoffed.

"She has the ring I had made for Lily years ago, and honestly, she looks like her," Sebastian replied, his voice tight, pain flickering in his eyes. "Lily always said, if the baby ever made it, she'd call her Mia."

From the living room, their conversation could be heard.

"You're still in touch with Lily? Do you think that's fair to Emily?" James snapped.

"James," Emily said, shaking her head, her eyes brimming with tears. "Please, stop."

Then she turned to Sebastian. "Sebastian, if she really is your daughter with Lily, I swear I'll take good care of her."

"I don't know who she had a kid with, but it's definitely not mine," Sebastian said, clearly annoyed.

"That's more like it," James finally looked satisfied. Then he sneered, "Some things never change with her, huh? Bringing in some illegitimate kid to stir things up between you two."

"This little girl looks so pitiful. Since she's Lily's daughter, let's let her stay for now," Emily said gently.

"Emily, after everything she did to you back then, you still don't hold a grudge?" James said.

They all walked in, and after the doctor finished bandaging me up, he said, "Mr. Blake, this kid's been malnourished for a long time. She's really in a rough state."

"Lily actually mistreated her own kid?" James couldn't believe it.

Sebastian snorted. "With someone that heartless, it figures."

"My mom never mistreated me," I shot back defiantly. "She's the best mom ever. She always saved whatever food she got for me, and with the money I made from picking up and selling trash, she'd buy me a little cake for my birthday."

"You have to go out and scavenge for trash?" Sebastian was stunned, his usually refined face falling in shock.

I nodded, puffing out my cheeks. "Mom's legs aren't good, so I have to collect trash and sell it for money."

"Legs not good? Please, she's lazy," James said with a sneer. "Making a little kid go out and pick up trash for her, has she got no conscience at all?"

"Sebastian gave Lily plenty of money when they divorced. How could she do this to her own kid?" Emily frowned.

"You've had it so tough with your mom, haven't you?" Emily came over and gently hugged me.

"We should've seen what kind of person Lily really was from the start. We shouldn't have let her off so easily back then; we should've sent her straight to jail and made her pay for it," James muttered angrily.

"Where's your mom, and when is she coming to pick you up?" Sebastian looked up, his jaw clenched.

"Mom said she messed up and she's coming back to make things right," I replied softly, my head dropping.

"Hmph, so she finally admits she was wrong?" James's tone softened a bit. "Back then, she kept insisting she was innocent. Does she really think coming back and saying sorry will make us forgive her?"

"Lily's coming back?" Emily looked a little dazed, her hand tightening around my arm without her realizing it.

"Ah!" I cried out. "Mrs. Blake, you're hurting me."

Her grip left dark bruises on my skinny arm.

Emily quickly let go, apologizing, "I'm sorry, I..."

"Mrs. Blake, do you not like my mom?" I asked tentatively.

"Emily, do you still hate Lily?" Sebastian's gaze was locked on her face.

Emily stiffened for a moment, her hands tightening before she finally shook her head. "Of course, not. I miss Lily, too. Since she knows she was wrong, we should give her a chance."

"Emily, you're too kind," James said. "That's my sister for you.

"After all the things she did to hurt you back then, if she doesn't apologize properly this time, we're not going to forgive her that easily."

After nearly two weeks, my leg finally healed up.

Sebastian came to see me every day, always pressing me about when my mom was actually going to show up.

I shook my head. "Mom didn't tell me."

"She sure has the nerve to leave you here all alone," Sebastian snorted.

Sebastian told me to pack up; he said he'd take me out.