All Chapters of Glimmer of Truth, Born to Warmth: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

...As I dragged my suitcase toward the front gate, Emma suddenly grabbed my sleeve. "Mom, are we really leaving? But Dad finally promised to spend my birthday with me."Her pitiful look brought tears to my eyes.For seven years, George Quinn only promised to celebrate Emma's birthday because she agreed to play the "adopted" role.George's anxious shout came from behind us. "Emma, come back here."Emma, thrilled to hear him call her, ran back.When I caught up, I saw him roughly yank the pendant off her neck. Ignoring her shocked expression, he put it on his and Lily's son.I was furious. "That pendant was your father's final gift to Emma. She is your only daughter. You can't..."Before I could finish, Lucas stormed forward and shoved Emma to the ground.He screamed through tears, "Dad, I'm Grandpa's real grandson. She can't take my stuff."Emma's knee was scraped, but she bit her lip and stayed silent.When I touched her trembling hand, I felt bruises on her palm.I rememb

Chapter 2

"Clara Moore, what did you do to my son? You can hate me, but you can't hurt a kid," Lily roared.I laughed in disbelief. "Are you kidding? I didn't touch him. It was Lucas pushing Emma. Don't twist this.""Guards! Get them!" George barked, cutting me off.Several bodyguards rushed over and grabbed my arms. Emma cried, trying to protect me, but they yanked her away.Seeing her pinned to the ground, gasping, I fought like a madwoman, yelling, "George Quinn, you monster. Emma is your daughter. How could you..."A blow to the back of my head knocked me out cold....When I came to, Emma's faint sobs reached my ears. "Dad, please, no more needles."I bolted upright, my heart stopping at the sight.A doctor held Emma's thin arm, drawing blood. The dark red liquid looked stark in the syringe."Stop it!" I lunged, but the guards pinned me down.George stood stone-faced nearby, Lily weeping on his shoulder.The doctor adjusted his glasses. "The patient has acute leukemia and needs

Chapter 3

I broke out in a cold sweat, rushing to the call button and pressing it desperately.George heard but ignored it, laughing and cutting cake with Lily and Lucas."Help! Somebody, save my daughter!" I cried out, pounding the door.After what felt like forever, hurried footsteps came.A maid, flustered, unlocked the door. Her face was uneasy as she pleaded, "Ma'am, Mr. Quinn said today's party can't have any hiccups. Please, don't make a scene, or we'll get in trouble too."Hearing the commotion, George stormed to the door. "Can't you chill for one second? You're always stirring up trouble. I was only going to lock you up for two weeks, but clearly, that was too soft."He chewed me out, ready to scold Emma too.But then he saw her, blood dripping from her mouth, convulsing in the blankets. His pupils shrank, and his face twisted in shock....After hours of emergency care, Emma narrowly escaped danger.Maybe out of guilt or fear of a real tragedy, George showed up at the hospita

Chapter 4

...The day Emma was discharged, the sun shone brightly.The doctor warned me that she was still weak and needed three more months to recover."Mom, are we really going to see the Northern Lights?" Emma looked up, her eyes sparkling with a rare glow.I crouched down, brushing her bangs aside. "No, we're going somewhere warmer. There are beaches, the ocean, and someone who's been waiting for us."Emma nodded, half-understanding, then grabbed my sleeve. "But my teddy bear is still at home."I knew she meant the faded toy George gave her for her third birthday. It had been her sleep companion ever since.Cheap as it was, it held some of the little love George showed her."We'll go get it." I squeezed her hand, feeling its warmth.The house was quiet when we got back. The butler was polishing a vase."Ma'am." Tom's eyes lit up, then dimmed. "You're back.""Just grabbing some of Emma's things," I said calmly, leading her upstairs.There, I found Emma's room had been turned into

Chapter 5

"We're divorced now, so the 'adopted' daughter goes with me," I said, stressing my tone.George's shoulders twitched, his eyes locked on Emma. He swallowed hard, lowering his voice. "Emma, I had my reasons. I only said that so Lucas wouldn't overthink. You'll always be my daughter."Emma shook her head, picking up the toy's scattered pieces. "Mom has divorced you. I'm not your daughter anymore."She paused, her voice barely a whisper. "Dad, this is the last time I'll call you that. Goodbye."She grabbed my hand and turned to leave.George stood frozen, like his feet were nailed to the floor.As we reached the door, he shouted, "Where do you think you're going? You're pushing forty with a kid in tow. Do you think some other guy would want you?"I straightened my spine and replied without looking back. "That's not your problem anymore."The moment we stepped out of the house, Emma paused, glancing back at the place she'd lived for seven years.Moonlight lit her pale face. A tear

Chapter 6

A few days later, there was a parent-teacher conference.The classroom buzzed with parents chatting in small groups. George, in a crisp suit, had Lily on his arm.Lucas skipped forward, waving a test paper. "Dad, look! I got an 80 in math."He held the paper up excitedly, his eyes shining with pride. George glanced at it, nodding absently. "Good job."His eyes drifted to the other side of the window, where Emma's classroom stood. Lily noticed his distraction and nudged him."Still hung up on it?" she whispered. "Clara was just trying to get under your skin. No way she'd really change Emma's name. It's our first time at Lucas's parent-teacher conference. Don't let this ruin it."George frowned, unease gnawing at him.Since Emma said it was her last time to call him Dad, he felt something was slipping away."I'm gonna check on Emma," he said....Before Lily could respond, he headed toward the classroom.Lucas tugged at his sleeve, whining, "Dad. You're not staying with me?"

Chapter 7

The teacher paused, then added, "Oh, and Emma has changed her name to Emma Moore."George staggered back, stunned.Changed name... withdrawn from school... immigration... He finally pieced together the call he overheard outside the hospital room. I mentioned meeting someone and finalizing the divorce.Our unusual behavior a few days ago made sense now. I wasn't bluffing. I was really taking Emma away for good...."The number you've dialed is not in service. Please check and try again."In the hallway corner, George stood dazed, the phone's cold robotic voice echoing.The crumpled withdrawal form was still in his hand. The teacher's words rang in his ears. "She is going far away with her mom and might never come back." Each word stabbed his heart."Clara, how dare you?" he growled through gritted teeth, his veins bulging on his forehead.He stormed to the principal's office, shoving the door open.The principal, mid-call, nearly dropped the phone. "What is going on?"Geor

Chapter 8

The last line was smudged by Emma's tears.George's vision blurred. He remembered tossing her card in the trash and her dimming eyes.He recalled her holding back her tears after Lucas pushed her, saying, "I'm not hurt."He saw her trembling, begging softly during the blood draws."Emma..." George choked, touching the card, his heart gripped by an invisible hand."George, what are you doing there? Lucas is looking for you." Lily's sharp voice came from behind.George hurriedly wiped his tears and turned to see Lily and Lucas standing nearby.Lucas pouted. "Dad, my ice cream melted.""So what? Why do you always need to eat?" George suddenly snapped. "Look at how your sister behaves!"Lucas froze, then burst into tears. "I don't like her. She's annoying. I hope she never comes back. I even broke her bear.""Shut up!" George grabbed Lucas's collar. "Who taught you to talk like that? She is your sister."Lily shrieked, rushing over. "George, are you nuts? Yelling at Lucas over t

Chapter 9

"When Lucas took Emma's pendant, when she cried in pain during the bone marrow draw, and when you locked her in the basement to fend for herself, did you remember she was your flesh and blood?" I shot back.George was speechless, turning to Emma. "Emma, I'm sorry. Come home with me, okay? I swear I'll only love you from now on." Emma clutched Gordon's hand, her face pale. "You're not my dad. Gordon is. He makes me flower crowns, draws with me, and promises to take me to Disneyland. You only hit me, yelled at me, and gave everything to Lucas. I don't want a bad dad like you."George collapsed to his knees, tears streaming. "No, that's not true. I was blind before. It was all my fault."Before he could beg more, Gordon signaled the guards to drag him out.George thrashed, reaching for Emma. "Emma, don't do this to me! I was wrong."Emma buried her face in my chest, not sparing him a glance.Thrown outside, George knelt on the cold ground, watching the warm scene in the villa as

Chapter 10

Mike waved a document in his hand. "Your assets are already in my son's account. This house? Ours now.""You set me up!" George glared, lunging to strangle Mike.Mike dodged easily, landing a punch that sent George sprawling. Blood spurted from his nose."Dad, you're awesome!" Lucas clapped, then stuck out his tongue at George. "You're pathetic! I don't want a loser like you as my dad."George stared at the boy he'd doted on, too shocked to breathe. "Lucas, I loved you so much."Lucas sneered, "Whoever's got money is my dad. You've got nothing now. Get lost!""Get out, George," Mike scoffed, slamming the door shut. "This is our house now."The rain poured harder.George knelt in the mud, staring at the mansion that was once his. He recalled Emma's hopeful eyes, her Father's Day card, and her cries during the bone marrow draw. "Emma... Clara..." He clutched his face, his tears mixing with rain.In the distance, a TV blared news, showing Gordon, now a multinational CEO, in an

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