Chapter 2

When Mom was found in the red-light district, her body was covered in bruises and cuts.

Her limbs were broken from violent resistance.

She looked like a broken rag doll that couldn't be mended.

She lay in the hospital bed, eyes shut tight, her breath barely there.

Tiffany sat beside her, sobbing.

"I just wanted to play a trick on Evelyn. I didn't realize she loved men so much. She wouldn't leave the red-light district even after she got there."

"More than five hundred men became her repeat customers."

My dad, Liam, seeing Mom's horrific state, was initially filled with rage.

But the moment his eyes met Tiffany's, all that was left was tenderness and sweetness.

"It's not your fault." He wrapped an arm around Tiffany, gently stroking her hair.

"If anyone's to blame, it's Evelyn. She's a slut, shameless, clinging to men and refusing to let go."

Dad's eyes were bloodshot. He deliberately used the cruelest words to provoke Mom.

But Mom remained unusually silent and still.

She didn't even whine and complain about her wounds hurting like she used to.

My eight-year-old brother, Jake, ran in, pinching his nose. He disgustedly punched Mom.

"She stinks! Dad, let's ignore this bad woman. She's always picking on my Mom Tiffany."

Mom's body twitched violently in pain, and blood seeped through her bandages.

She opened her eyes, looking at the child she had risked her life to bring into the world. Her eyes were hollow and lifeless.

Tiffany stroked Jake's head and smiled, giving him a lollipop.

Dad stared at Mom for a long time, as if he finally couldn't take it anymore.

"Who are you putting on a show for, faking death here? Do you think I'll feel sorry for you?"

"I haven't even called you dirty yet, and you're already trying to play games with me."

He leaned closer to Mom's hospital bed, forcing her to look only at him.

"I'm telling you, without you, I have plenty of other women."

"Who wouldn't want to get into my bed, Liam? I only indulged you, which is why I let you hurt Tiffany again and again."

Mom's eyes suddenly turned terrifying when she heard Tiffany's name.

"If you like her so much, then spend your life with her."

"After all, you already had a wedding."

Dad suddenly smiled. He leaned down and kissed Mom's lips.

"Are you jealous?"

"Don't worry, my wife will always be you."

"The wedding was just an accident."

Tiffany's eyes turned red with jealousy.

She clutched her stomach, looking panicked, and grabbed Dad's arm.

"Liam, my stomach hurts so much. Quick, check if something's wrong with our baby!"

Dad stiffened. He immediately swept Tiffany into his arms and rushed out towards the emergency room.

Jake violently kicked Mom's bed frame several times.

"It's all your fault! Why don't you just die?"

Mom curled up in pain.

Jake's small chest heaved with anger.

After yelling at Mom, he ran off to follow Dad, anxiously calling out "Mom Tiffany."

The door slammed shut, and shadows instantly enveloped the hospital room.

I crawled out from under the cabinet and rushed to the bedside.

"Mom..."

I bit my lower lip, trembling as I cried.

Mom weakly tried to raise her hand to touch me, but it fell back onto the blanket halfway up.

She managed a forced smile.

"Chloe, don't cry. Mom's fine."

But her body was crisscrossed with swollen, oozing wounds.

Blood soaked the white bedsheet beneath her, dripping onto the tiled floor.

I frantically covered the bleeding areas, but the trickling blood stained my hands red.

"Doctor! Doctor, please come save my mom!"

I screamed and cried, stumbling out.

As I exited the room, I bumped right into Dad, who was carefully helping Tiffany onto a wheelchair, holding some medicine.

I threw myself at Dad's feet, crying and kneeling.

"Dad, please, save Mom. She's dying."