A report against

Like a crazy person, I messed the entire apartment, just to understand what kind of person Veronica was. Her closet full of flashy dresses to expensive perfume, everything was there.

Just I couldn't find a single document about her. With tears and agony, a faint line of rage kept pushing me to understand the situation more. I couldn't let her go like this.

However, while I was turning everything upside down, I kept feeling like someone was staring at me with curiosity and fear.

I slowly turned, a gentle gaze was already on me, staring at me with curiosity and fear.

I closed the door, and walked out of the room quietly. This was the child with bruises. She looked so skinny that I felt a reflection of my own childhood in those beautiful pearl like orbs.

As I walked towards her, she hurriedly got inside the room, hiding behind the door.

I noticed that fear before when I first found myself standing there. Was Veronica, that woman abusing her own child?

I slowly closed the door behind. The child hugged an old plush and backed into the corner of the room, her eyes were glossy with tears.

" Ma-Mama!" She whispered, tears streaming down her face, " Sowwy, Mama!"

My heart sank when I saw her trembling like she was being chased by some monster. She collapsed onto the floor, pressing her plush against her chest.

" Sowwy, Mama." She kept crying while apologising. I couldn't catch her age. Probably two or three years old. But the way she was shrieking, I couldn't help but got on my knees and smiled bitterly,

" It's fine, sweetheart!"

I whispered while trying to reach her. But she kept trembling with fear, her arms were blues with bruises.

She closed her eyes tightly, thinking I might hit her. Just seeing her in this situation, I couldn't help but wanted to kill that woman. How much she hurt her own child to traumatize her like this?

I didn't stop reaching out to her though. After all, there was a moment when I went through this way, facing my parents' constant abuse.

" It's fine. I won't hurt you." I held her arm but she shrieked more.

I sighed, realizing that I might need more time to make her talk to me. Seemed like Veronica was hurting her own child.

What kind of life had she been having? The apartment was pretty large, possible enough to cost around ten grand. Judging by her clothes and jewelry, it didn't look like she was living less than me.

Or perhaps Liam was the one who was providing everything. But thankfully I had my phone to protect my own bank account. Otherwise whatever I had left behind, I would lose everything.

" But what can I do when I barely know anything about? Honestly, I am just lost? I don't know why I don't feel heartbroken. Rather confused with everything that happened to me just now!" I whispered to myself while scanning the kid's room.

It was completely messy and as a person who likes to clean up, I couldn't help but started cleaning up the room.

When I was young, I had to do everything by myself. And now whenever I was under pressure, my body craved to clean everything. A way to control my spiraling thoughts.

I cleaned the entire place, did the laundry and then looked at the child who was still sitting on the cold floor.

" Shall we take a bath?" I asked, my voice quiet.

I wanted to cry like a normal person who was betrayed by the man she loved for years, and wanted to scream until the world collapsed. But as always, the moment my mind realized that I was going to have another painful chapter of my life, it shut down.

" Wh-What?" She looked up at me, eyes puffy and full of terror.

" Are you hungry? I will cook something delicious. How about taking a proper bath?"

She stared at me as if she saw a ghost. She couldn't move or process, her pupils widening. I smiled weakly before scooping her into my arms.

I didn't know what to do with a child. Although I was trying to get pregnant. For some reason I couldn't do it. Maybe I had problems or Liam. But I always wanted to be a mother.

And to take care of a child, I had no knowledge.

So, all I could do was to treat her like someone I was responsible for right now. I walked into the bathroom I just cleaned.

She didn't say anything when I sat her on the bathtub. She might haven't taken a bath for a while. So when I tried to clean her up, I noticed the bruises that were healing. There wasn't any recent one. But this was already messed up.

" Let me wash your hair, okay? I won't hurt you!"

She couldn't help but nodded. Her jaw clenched. But I gently stroked her hair, applying the shampoo evenly.

" Mama!" She finally looked at me properly, her eyes wide,

" Hmm?" I hummed, didn't know whether I should respond to her calling me Mama.

Shebecame quiet but surprisingly her body wasn't trembling this time. She unlike others kids who threw tantrums whenever they took bath, stayed quiet and calm.

I couldn't help but smile. When I applied the facewash on her soft skin, she giggled. But soon her face turned pale, covering her mouth.

" Look who looks like a bunny!" I laughed quietly, poking her cheeks gently.

" No hurt? Mama!" She tilted her head,

My heart sank, " No Hurt? Does it hurt?"

She shook her head, " No Hurt today?" She pointed something behind me.

I turned and my chest tightened with a sharp pain when I noticed a small wooden stick. I froze, staring at it then turned towards the child who flinched.

Did she remind me of hitting her? Did she get accustom to it?

" No hurt anymore!" I whispered, not to her but to myself. Then before I knew it, I got into the bathtub myself and held her close to my chest.

Then I grabbed the stick. She started trembling again, tears spilled from her eyes.

" No more hit!" I snapped the stick into two, breaking it constantly until I could barely hold the last piece.

Her eyes widened in shock. She stayed frozen for a few seconds before she looked at me, " Mama?"

I gently washed her head and poured the water to wash her quietly. I didn't want to say anything else. What could I say more?

" Let's get some warm clothes after I am done, okay?" I wrapped the towel around her and before I knew that, I planted a kiss on her forehead.

Her hand reached her forehead, face red.

I smiled and took a quick shower. Even though I was trying to feel like I was in pain, all I could feel was confusion, and a pang of heartbreak.

After taking a bath, I took her to her room and opened the door of the closet. But while I was trying to get the most adorable one, something caught my attention.

A file was on the corner of the closet.

But that was when I discovered the identity of the child...

" Aurora Davidson. Daughter of Veronica Davidson, 2 and half years old." It was her birth certificate. But had no father's name.

" So you are Aurora? Such a beautiful name!" I smiled at her. She tilted her head,

I smiled and patted her head. Then I noticed a few documents with ID Card and a high school certificate under Veronica's name.

" Veronica Davidson. I heard this name before. But where?"

When I thought I was heading to the clear picture of this Veronica Davidson, the doorbell rang.

My eyes narrowed, with a knot in my stomach.

I grabbed a dress and put it on Aurora in hurry and gave her some snacks that was tucked in her bedroom.

" You stay here, Okay? Don't worry. Nobody will hurt you again!" I smiled.

She nodded with a gentle blush on her face. " Okay, Mama!"

I smiled and walked towards the door. Whoever it was, I needed to protect that little child who was stuck in this cruel situation..

I looked through the dash cam wondering if that bastard came. But to my absolute shock, there it was, a woman, standing with a cop behind her.

My heart sank when I slowly opened the door, " Yes?"

" Are you Veronica Davidson?" She asked in a cold, and Authoritative tone.

" Yes? How can I help you?" I asked, my body shaking. I couldn't understand why they were here.

" We are from Children Protection Service. We got a report against you!"

CPS! Was it what she was talking about? I felt my knees shaking. I always hated CPS. All they did was to make my life way more hard. What if they were going to do it to that child too? And... What would happen to me now? Going to jail?