3

Chapter 3.

My breath caught in my throat, the sight before me nearly ripped my soul apart.

There was a little girl curled up on the edge of the bed, her tiny fists scrubbing at her wet cheeks; beside her lay a broken lamp.

Her hair was a glossy tumble of dark curls, and her small frame shook with hiccups from crying too long. But it wasn’t her tears that froze me—it was her eyes.

Those round brown eyes, framed with long lashes, were mine. My mother used to say they were the eyes of a dreamer.

Her straight nose looked so much like Derrick's that I didn’t need anyone to confirm what my heart already screamed.

This was my baby.

“Rose…” My lips trembled as I whispered her name.

That was the same name I had whispered against her soft hair when she was only hours old. The name I had carved into my heart every day of three years in prison.

Her head jerked up in confusion as she blinked at me.

“Rose. It’s me.”

Her tiny mouth parted. And then she asked the question that shattered me.

“Who are you?”

The words struck harder than any insult ever could. My knees went weak, but I forced myself to stay upright and kept my gaze steady on her.

“I’m your mother.” The words came out as a whisper first, then stronger. “I’m your mother, Rose.”

But instead of the joy I had foolishly hoped for, the little girl’s face crumpled into anger.

“No, you’re not!” she yelled, her small fists tightening against the sheets. “You can’t be! My parents are getting married today! And you know what’s funny? They didn’t even let me go. They locked me in here!”

Her little voice broke on the last word, and tears welled again in her eyes.

I froze as I felt pain. Not only had they lied to her, they had caged her. My baby had been treated like an inconvenience on the very day her father was marrying another woman.

“Oh, my sweet Rose,” I whispered, sinking onto the edge of the bed.

My hands trembled as I reached for her, “I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

Tears burn my eyes, but this time I let them flow. She is worth it, my baby is worth every damn tear.

For a moment, she stared at me suspiciously. Then slowly, she leaned into me. Her tiny body trembled as she buried her face in my dress.

“They don’t deserve you,” I murmured into her hair. “But I swear to you, I will never let anyone hurt you again.”

Before I could say more, her stomach growled loudly. She blinked in embarrassment, and I smiled faintly.

My heart burned with that familiar feeling, one I thought I would never feel again.

Love

“Come,” I said, brushing her cheek. “Let me make you something. You must be hungry.”

We sat in the living room a short while later with two milkshakes that I had prepared.

Rose held her cup tightly with both hands and sipped eagerly, her eyes watching me over the rim of the cup.

“But really, who are you?” she asked again.

I sighed. “I told you, Rose. I’m your mother. The one who held you when you were born. The one who—”

But I didn’t get to finish.

The sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway, and my body stiffened as I turned to see Derrick.

He was standing tall with a cold expression on his face as he took in the scene in front of him. His forehead is now bandaged.

I see they still carried out the wedding, or they had finished before I got there.

Pathetic.

And coming from behind him was Florida.

Her eyes locked onto me, and anger spread across her face.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she shrieked. Her voice was so sharp it made Rose flinch. “Stop feeding my daughter lies!”

Her daughter?

The words sent fire through me, and I rose slowly. My hands were shaking so much that my milkshake glass slipped from my grip and shattered on the floor.

“Your daughter?” My voice was low as I tried to cool my temper. “Don’t you dare. Rose is mine. She is my child!”

Florida’s mouth twisted into a cruel smirk. “You’re pathetic. Even in your delusion, you cling to a child who doesn’t even know you.”

Rose’s wide eyes darted between all of us in confusion.

“W-what are you talking about?” she asked in a trembling voice.

I turned to her, desperate that she believed me. “Rose, listen to me. I am your mother. I gave birth to you. I—”

But Derrick cut me off. His voice was cold and calculating as he bent down to her eye level.

“Rose…” He said. “Don’t listen to her. She’s not well. She… she’s a sick woman who claims things that aren’t true. She’s not your mother, Florida is.”

Rose’s little face twisted into fear. “She’s lying?” she asked in a small voice.

“Yes,” Derrick said firmly, his hand stroking her hair. “Florida is your real mother. That woman… she’s just a lunatic.”

The word stabbed through me. Rose’s gaze turned on me in fear as she ran into Florida’s waiting arms.

Florida smirked at me as she whispered sweetly to my daughter, “Come, darling. Don’t let that crazy woman upset you anymore.”

And just like that, she carried my baby away. My own best friend manipulated my child and carried her away from me.

Now, it was just Derrick and me.

For a long time, no one talked until I asked the question that had been eating at me since I walked out of prison.

“Why?”

His mouth opened, closed, then opened again, searching for excuses. But he couldn't find any.

In the end, he just said, “You know why. My father never supported us. He would rather see me dead than married to you.”

My lips parted, a bitter laugh escaping. “That’s your excuse? That’s why you let me rot in prison? That's why you erased me from my own child’s life?”

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t answer. He just reached into his pocket and pulled out a checkbook. He scribbled quickly and tore out a page, giving it to me.

“Take this,” he said. “That’s enough millions for you to start over. Leave me and Rose alone. You’ve suffered enough, don’t make it worse for yourself.”

I stared at the check in disbelief, and then I laughed so loud that I sounded crazy.

“You really think money can fix this?” I hissed and stepped closer to him. “I built my own company before you destroyed me, so I don't need your money. All I need is my daughter.”

“Clara—”

“No.” I jabbed a finger at him, trembling with rage. “I will get her back. Do you hear me, Derrick? You can try to poison her mind against me, but she is mine. And I will fight for her with every breath I have left.”

His eyes narrowed. “You don’t have the means.”

“I don't care if I have to burn in hell or sell my soul to the freaking devil, but you will pay.” I grit my teeth, my eyes bloodshot from the pain that keeps trying to cripple me.

“Mark my words, you will pay,” I growl, shoving him aside as I strut out with one thing in mind.

I need to get my business in line.