CHAPTER 5: THE HOTEL CONFRONTATION

Chapter 5: The Hotel Confrontation

Ethan's eyes dropped to the baby cycle, then back to my face.

"Clara, what did you do with the money?" he asked.

"I bought clothes for my daughters."

"Seven hundred thousand dollars' worth of clothes?"

"Yes. Every dollar of it."

"That card had one million dollars on it," he said. "Only three hundred thousand is left."

"Then you should have been more generous," I replied. "Or should I thank you for being so careful with your money?"

"Don't try to be clever with me."

"I'm not trying to be clever. I'm being honest. That's something you never bothered to do."

Ava pulled at his sleeve.

"Ethan, she spent our money? Your money?"

"It was never our money," Ethan snapped. "It was mine."

I looked at him in disbelief.

"Then why are you so angry? You threw it at me as if I were a stranger."

"I didn't throw anything."

"You tossed it onto the hospital bed. It landed right beside my daughter's hand."

Mia let out a short laugh.

"Oh, she's enjoying this. Just look at her face."

"Mia, be quiet," Ethan said.

"I'm only saying what everyone is thinking. She made a fool of you."

"No," I replied, looking straight at her. "You made a fool of yourself when you called my daughters useless."

Ethan's face turned red, then pale.

For one second, he looked at the babies. But just as before, he quickly looked away.

"Ethan, look at what she's doing," Ava said. "She's making you look weak in front of the guests."

"I don't care what the guests think."

"You should. Your board cares about your reputation."

"The board can wait."

Two guests stopped near one of the marble pillars to watch what was happening. A bellboy stood nearby, frozen beside a luggage cart.

Mia turned toward the guests.

"Keep walking. There's nothing to see here."

I had had enough.

"Stop talking about my daughters," I said firmly. "All of you."

"Your daughters?" Ava repeated. Her voice cracked as she spoke. "Your daughters are hardly worth discussing."

I stared at her.

"Then stop discussing them and move out of my way."

Just then, the elevator doors slid open.

Margaret Sterling stepped out wearing a long gray coat. Two men in black suits followed closely behind her.

Her eyes moved over me from head to toe as if I were a dirty mark on the floor.

"Well," she said coldly. "Clara. You look terrible."

I met her gaze without looking away.

"You look the same," I replied. "Cold."

Margaret's expression darkened.

"Remove them," she ordered the two men. "The woman and the babies. Take them out through the front entrance."

I moved closer to the baby cycle.

"Margaret, you cannot touch my children."

"I can do whatever I need to do for this family."

The taller security guard stepped toward the baby cycle.

I immediately moved in front of it, blocking his way.

"Don't touch my daughters."

"Ma'am, please step aside," he said.

"No."

Margaret smiled as if she found my refusal amusing.

"Clara, you're making a scene in front of our guests."

I stared directly at her.

"You made the scene, Margaret. You made it in the hospital, and now you're making it here."

She turned toward Ethan.

"Are you going to let her speak to me like this?"

For a moment, Ethan hesitated.

I could see the old fear in his face, the same fear that always appeared when he had to choose between standing up for himself and obeying his mother.

Then he stepped back and said nothing.

"Ethan!" I called out.

He didn't turn around.

He didn't even look at me.

The security guard reached for the handle of the baby cycle again.

My heart began pounding hard against my chest. I held the handle even tighter, refusing to let him take my daughters away from me.

"Don't you dare," I warned him. "I will scream until every guest in this hotel hears me."

Margaret gave a cold laugh.

"Scream all you like. No one here will help you."

I looked at the faces surrounding me.

Ava stood beside Ethan, watching everything unfold. Mia looked pleased with herself. Margaret stood with her chin raised, certain that nobody would dare challenge her.

And Ethan?

He stood there silently, allowing his mother to threaten the mother of his children.

I had never felt so alone.

But I would not let them take my daughters.

Not today. Not ever.

Suddenly, the air inside my head began to hum again. The sound was sharp and bright, cutting through my thoughts.

Then the system spoke.

"Ding! Host, you have three hundred thousand dollars left. Your enemies are watching."

A new message appeared before my eyes.

"Host, escape through the service corridor. Protect your lucky stars."