Chapter 7
The next day, an uninvited guest arrived at the apartment.
Odessa stood at the door, looking down on Sierra and her son with an arrogant demeanor, two tall bodyguards behind her.
She tossed her hair. “Don’t misunderstand-I’m not here to bully you. Magnus assigned these to me, saying he was worried someone might harm me. I couldn’t refuse.”
Sierra was seething with hatred but didn’t dare act. Tomorrow she could leave with Eli-she didn’t want to cause more trouble.
“What are you here for?”
“I brought gifts for you both,” Odessa’s red lips curved upward. “Magnus said Eli will be raised by me from now on. I came to win
over the little one.”
The bodyguards actually brought out many Lego sets. Eli cowered behind Sierra, shouting, “Go away! I hate you!”
Odessa wasn’t angry, covering her lips as she laughed. “Eli, I’m your mommy now. If you hate me, you’ll be punished!”
Sierra protectively held Eli, politely asking her to leave.
But Odessa raised her eyebrows. “Don’t rush-I haven’t given you your gift yet!”
Then a white porcelain urn appeared in a bodyguard’s hands. The golden inscription made Sierra’s pupils contract.
It was her mother’s name!
She lost control, lunging to grab it, but caught only air.
“Give it back!”
Odessa smugly waved her hand, commanding, “Kneel!”
Sierra already despised both Odessa and Magnus. Even if she died today, she had to get her mother’s ashes back.
She grabbed Odessa’s throat so quickly the bodyguards couldn’t see it coming.
A crisp slap landed on Odessa’s face. “You dare hit me!”
“Hit you! I want to kill you! Pay with your life for my mother!” Her grip tightened with such force that even the bodyguards panicked.
But she was quickly pulled away. The bodyguards restrained Sierra while Odessa bent over coughing violently, eyes bloodshot.
“Go! Dump that thing in the toilet and flush it!”
Sierra’s eyes were splitting with rage. “You wouldn’t dare! You monster!”
The bodyguard actually entered the bathroom. Sierra panicked and began pleading. Odessa laughed wildly, savoring Sierra’s anguished despair.
She watched helplessly as all the ashes were poured into the toilet. “No! Please! I’ll kneel for you! Please don’t!”
Then Eli rushed forward. Odessa kicked him away and personally pressed the flush button.
“Your mother deserved to die! You all deserve to die! Now your mother’s gone-who’s next?”
Odessa’s laughter was ghostly and chilling.
“What’s all this commotion?” The door suddenly opened as Magnus entered, frowning.
Odessa’s expression changed faster than flipping pages. She immediately covered her face and nestled into Magnus’s arms to
complain.
“I came to bring Eli gifts, but… Sierra slapped me and taught Eli to hate me…”
The bright red handprint instantly ignited his fury.
Eli didn’t dare approach Magnus, crying as he defended his mother. “That’s not true! It was this bad woman-she took Grandma and…”
“Silence!” Magnus’s face darkened. “Is this how you’re teaching Eli?”
Sierra stared blankly at the bathroom, which he took as admission.
He exploded with rage. “Slap her 99 times now! Teach her a lesson!”
The bodyguards immediately acted. Eli went crazy with fear, but his small body blocking the bodyguards was useless.
Soon Sierra’s face was grotesquely swollen. She made no sound of pleading.
“Ptui!” A tooth mixed with blood fell to the floor.
Magnus couldn’t bear it anymore and demanded, “Sierra! Apologize to Dessa now and I’ll spare you!”
Her mouth was too swollen to speak, but she still stubbornly shook her head.
After 99 slaps, even the bodyguards’ hands were sore, let alone Sierra.
She collapsed unconscious on the floor. When she woke, Magnus sat cold faced beside the hospital bed.
“Dessa is kindhearted. She’s allowing you to stay in New York and visit Eli regularly. I’ll also provide financial compensation. Your
mother’s death was an accident, so behave yourself. I won’t mistreat you or Eli!”
He knew Sierra’s stubborn nature-he’d originally been attracted to her unyielding spirit, but now it was a headache.
He expected Sierra to refuse or explode in anger, but she didn’t.
Her voice hoarse, she answered with difficulty, “I agree… Today’s my birthday… Could Eli come keep me company…”
Magnus was surprised by her sudden change, but figured perhaps her mother’s death had brought some enlightenment.
This was good news anyway.
So he had Eli brought over.
He told Sierra to rest well, that he’d check on them later, then left.
Sierra watched that tall figure disappear from the doorway as the last light in her eyes died.
Six years, and he hadn’t even remembered her birthday.
She forced herself to stand and hugged Eli. “Baby, we have to go. From now on, you’ll only have Mommy…”
Eli nodded through his sobs. “Mommy, don’t worry. I’ll take care of you for Grandma!”
Her chest filled with bitterness-Eli understood everything!
Sierra contacted Thane and rushed to the airport with the new identity information he’d provided.
Just as she and Eli were about to enter security, those familiar black-clad bodyguards came running toward them.
She ran quickly with Eli, but more bodyguards appeared ahead-they were trapped.
Eli broke free from her hand, looked deeply at her once, then ran toward a less crowded area.
He looked up at her, mouthing his goodbye.
“Mommy, wait for me to find you!”
Sierra was pushed through security by a tour group, watching helplessly as Eli was taken away.
She boarded the plane to California in a daze, looking down at New York’s glittering lights. Everyone she loved was left behind there.
The engines roared, carrying her endless longing across the ocean toward freedom and hope.
15:26
