Chapter 2: The Mother They Refused to See

Kelsey had almost reached their table when Ramon came rushing back into the shop like a storm.

He brushed past her without even looking at her and immediately knelt in front of Kendrick.

“Kendrick, look at me,” Ramon said worriedly while checking his condition.

The little boy was still struggling to breathe, his small face already turning pale.

Kelsey’s hands shook badly as she moved closer.

“Let me see him—”

“Don’t touch him!” Wanda suddenly shouted at her, making her freeze instantly.

Wanda looked up at her with red eyes full of panic and anger. “What did you put in his ice cream?”

Kelsey’s eyes widened in shock.

“I didn’t put anything…” she responded quickly, even though she felt that it wasn’t important at the moment.

What mattered now was giving Kendrick his allergy medicine before things got worse.

Her hand quickly slipped into her pocket, pulling out the medication she always carried for Kendrick and herself since they were both allergic to nuts.

“Stop lying!” Wanda cried out loudly. “You knew he is allergic to nuts, yet you served him ice cream that had nut  in it!”

Kelsey’s face turned pale at the accusation.

“What kind of mother are you?” Wanda continued emotionally. “How can you be this careless?”

Kelsey opened her mouth to explain herself, but Ramon spoke first.

“Breathe, Ken. I’ll take you to the hospital,” Ramon said in panic after searching his pockets and realizing he didn’t have the medicine he usually carried with him.

He was just about to carry Kendrick up when—

“I have the medicine!” Wanda quickly opened her bag with trembling hands, cutting Kelsey off before she could say she had the medicine too.

“I knew something like this might happen,” Wanda continued anxiously as she handed the allergy medicine to Ramon immediately.

Her hands shook badly like a mother terrified for her child.

Kelsey’s hand slowly dropped back to her side.

Ramon quickly gave Kendrick the medicine while Kelsey stood there helplessly, tears already gathering in her eyes.

She wanted to touch and comfort her son. But she could not even get close.

After a few seconds, Kendrick’s breathing slowly began calming down.

The redness on his face started fading little by little.

Only then did everyone finally breathe in relief.

Wanda immediately pulled Kendrick tightly into her arms.

“You scared me so much,” she whispered emotionally while rubbing his back gently.

Kelsey could only watch while wiping her tears. Kendrick was her son, but another woman was the one holding and comforting him.

She wanted to hold him too, but she knew better than to. Kendrick never liked her touching him, and the whole family never saw anything wrong with it.

Then suddenly—

Ramon slowly stood up. His cold eyes turned sharply toward her.

That look made Kelsey’s heart tighten painfully.

“I didn’t know there were nuts in it,” she hurriedly explained with trembling lips even though he hadn’t said anything yet.

She didn’t need him to speak. She knew that look very well.

“I swear I was careful. I checked everything before serving it—”

“You checked?” Ramon suddenly shouted.

The entire shop became silent.

Kelsey flinched and took a step back as he started walking toward her.

“If you actually checked properly, this wouldn’t have happened!” Ramon snapped angrily and grabbed her left arm forcefully.

Kelsey hissed in pain.

Tears fell heavily from her eyes as his grip tightened painfully around her arm. But more painful than that was the fact that he didn’t believe her.

“I would never hurt Kendrick…”

“But you did,” Ramon cut her off harshly.

His voice was filled with anger and disappointment.

“What kind of mother can’t even take care of her own child properly?”

Kelsey’s face lost all color.

“That’s not true…” she whispered painfully.

They always treated her like she was stupid because of her condition after the accident, but she loved her child more than anything.

Ramon laughed coldly.

“You work in an ice cream shop and still can’t do something this simple?”

He continued speaking without realizing or caring that he was humiliating her in front of strangers.

Each word stabbed deeply into Kelsey’s chest.

“You are useless at home, and now you’re careless outside too.”

Kelsey felt humiliated standing there while strangers watched her like she was a terrible mother.

What hurt the most was that Kendrick was witnessing everything.

Her lips trembled badly.

“I’m sorry…” was all she could say weakly.

Ramon looked at her coldly before finally releasing her arm.

“Let’s go.” Without sparing her another glance, he took Kendrick from Wanda and carried him toward the door.

Kendrick weakly rested against Ramon’s shoulder while Wanda followed beside them worriedly like a caring mother.

Before leaving the shop, Wanda suddenly turned back toward Kelsey.

“I know you didn’t mean it, Kelsey,” she said softly. “But please… be more careful next time. Kendrick is still young.”

Her gentle tone only made Kelsey’s humiliation worse.

Then they left together, leaving her standing alone in the middle of the shop.

Her tears fell silently as she stared at the closed door.

“Hey! Get out of my shop right now! You’re fired!”

Kelsey slowly turned around after hearing the angry voice of the shop owner. Her already pale face lost the little color it still had.

“Sir… please…” she whispered weakly.

“I don’t want trouble in my shop,” the man snapped angrily. “Pack your things and leave!”

Kelsey lowered her head. She didn’t argue. She knew no one would listen to her anyway.

Not after what had happened.

She quietly removed her apron with trembling hands while customers continued staring at her.

Some pitied her while some judged her.

But none of them mattered.

Only one thing kept replaying painfully in her mind.

What kind of mother are you?

Her tears fell harder.

****

Two hours later.

Kelsey finally arrived at the Ivory Mansion where she lived with Ramon.

The moment she saw the expensive cars parked outside, her heart started pounding fearfully.

She didn’t need to think twice to know the entire Holloway family had already heard what happened to Kendrick.

And she already knew what was waiting for her inside.

Her fingers clenched tightly by her side as she slowly stepped into the house.

SLAP!

A hard slap landed across her face before she could even see who hit her.

Kelsey staggered backward from the force.

“Useless thing!” Doris spat furiously.

Kelsey slowly lifted her watery eyes and saw her mother-in-law standing in front of her with anger all over her face.

“Mum.…”

SLAP!

Another slap landed heavily across Kelsey’s face before she could even finish speaking.

This time, she completely lost her balance and fell hard to the floor.