Chapter 2

As Jojo's shrill cries echoed through the living room, Lilian pursed her lips in an expression of pain. However, before she could act, Damon picked up Jojo with one hand, while holding Mila with the other.

He looked at me with utter disappointment, shaking his head as he snapped, "Do you know how hard it is to be a single mother? She's asking for your help because she has no one else to turn to, but you'd hurt her over something that doesn't matter!"

My heart felt crushed to the point of numbness. "Hurt her?! What on earth is your problem? You married her abroad while we were dating, then had a child with her behind my back! And you could have been honest, but you chose to lie instead!

"All those excuses for five years—and now, we're still not registered and have no child together, while you brought your bastard home! And everyone knows, while I'm treated like some circus monkey!"

Damon glowered, leering at me as he said slowly and clearly, "So what? You can turn this place upside down, but it won't change the fact that Jojo is my son."

His eyes widened slightly when he saw the tears in mine, and he softened his tone. "Just get over it, and then we can register this weekend."

As he handed Jojo to Lilian, Mom hurried over, giving Jojo candy and coaxing, "It's okay, darling! Don't cry!"

Dad poured himself more tea, growling, "Stop it already. The noise is giving me a headache."

Mila was still sobbing, and Damon went over, wiping her tears. As for me, I was left where I was, with no one coming over to check on me or comfort me.

Suddenly, I felt a prick on my palm.

I turned to find myself staring at Jojo, when he suddenly grabbed a cup from the table and flung it at me while wailing, "Daddy! She's glaring at me! I'm so scared..."

Even though I was soaked through, Damon was glaring at me murderously when I looked up. "Jojo is just a child! If you have a problem, you take it up with me!"

Mom, Dad, and Lilian were all glaring at me too.

Even as I looked at them in turn and felt a crippling helplessness inside, I chortled. "What did I do? How did I do it? Did you even ask those questions before blaming me? He's the one who attacked me!"

Lilian looked at me sideways as she muttered, "It could only be you! Why would a child lie?"

Damon was silently patting Jojo's head.

I had not slept for three days, and it was taking a huge toll on me.

Leaning against the wall, I could barely stand as I remembered how Damon was years ago.

He was shy and quiet, and would blush just from talking to me.

But on the night we graduated, he held a guitar and declared his love for me in front of everyone.

"I'll be good to you for life, Yvie."

My chest swelled with bitterness as that same man with that goofy smile was now glaring at me resentfully.

Just as I turned my head, I felt my hair being pulled and gasped in pain.

Before I could reach for the source, something fell with a loud thud, and Jojo started bawling out loud, pointing at me as he cried, "Bad woman! She stole daddy and bullied mommy! And pushed me!"

Lilian came dashing, crying in agony, "Oh, Jojo!"

Grabbing a plate off the table, she smacked it on me as she bellowed, "How dare you bully my dear grandson in front of me! Am I dead to you?!"

As the plate shattered with a clang, she slapped me, the fiery pain on my cheek sending me stumbling backward and hitting the wall with my head.

Mom, who never intervened, was hissing at me, "Hurting a child because you're feeling moody?! What happened to the daughter we raised?!"

Dad lowered his cup too, snorting, "You tell her, Lilian! She's getting more unruly by the day!"

I clutched my cheek as I blurted, "No, I didn't—"

"I watched you do it!" Damon bellowed, scooping up Jojo while glaring at me. "And you'd still say you didn't?!"

As Mila tearfully went to him, hugging them, Mom got up again and glared at me. "It's all your fault, Yvie! Apologize to Jojo right now!"

I turned sharply towards Damon, retorting stubbornly, "I never touched him!"

He laughed, but it was laughter fueled by rage. "So you're saying a five-year-old boy is slandering you? At least use some brains before you lie!"

Then, before I could argue, he headed into the main bedroom with both Jojo and Mila.

A couple of seconds later, he threw my pillow out. "Mila will take the main bedroom from now on."

Mom was silent, while Dad sighed, shaking his head. "What a waste of oxygen!"

Lilian was chortling too. "Loser!"

At that moment, the lights overhead seemed blinding as I stood, all my strength leaving me.

No one cared if I was guilty because they didn't care about the truth.

Picking up my pillow, I headed into the bathroom, looking at my horrid face in the mirror—cracked lip, bruised forehead, and all.

That was when several messages came.

[Mrs. Fuchs, ownership of the seaside villa at Gambier Bay has been successfully transferred to Mila Kirk.]