Broken Family After Betrayal Chapter 04

Broken Family After Betrayal Chapter 04

Cassie lay in a pool of blood, like a flower wilted past its prime.

One hand covered her stomach as she forced out a bitter smile.

“Don’t blame Delaney. She saved my life once. If she wants to ruin me this way, I’ll accept it…”

“My poor baby. So tiny. I haven’t even felt him kick yet…”

Dad’s voice went ice-cold. “Delaney, you better pray nothing happens to Cassie’s child.”

Then he scooped Cassie up and ran toward the clinic.

He ran so fast he didn’t even notice the gaping wound on Mom’s hand—the size of a fist.

I pulled Mom toward the clinic.

The nurse stitched her up roughly, and the wound split open again while it was being bandaged.

My heart ached as I blew softly on Mom’s wound, glaring at the nurse through angry tears.

The nurse rolled her eyes. “Little brat.”

“I’m already going above and beyond just patching up your homewrecker of a mother.”

Mom covered my ears right away, her expression hardening instantly.

“Apologize to my daughter.”

The nurse sneered and pointed toward the private hospital room nearby.

“Mr. Harrington and Ms. Blake—they’re the real couple. Their kid’s the legitimate one.”

“You’re just the mistress. You should be grateful anyone even bothers with you.”

Dad stood in the doorway, his gaze falling onto the blood soaking through Mom’s bandages.

Pain flickered across his face.

He sighed, then stayed beside her and carefully rewrapped the wound himself.

“Thankfully Cassie’s fine. But this can’t just end here.”

“Some confidential data was leaked, and the higher-ups are investigating. I need you to take the fall for Cassie.”

Mom looked like she’d been clubbed over the head. She went still.

“You want me to take the blame for Cassie?”

Dad frowned, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Cassie’s young and talented. She can’t afford a black mark on her record.”

“As for you—I’ll still take care of you. It won’t really change anything.”

Mom’s tears streamed down her face, one after another.

“And what about Olivia? She can’t have a mother with a black mark on her record.”

Dad gently wiped her tears, then fell silent.

Finally, he said quietly, “Don’t worry.”

“I’ll transfer Olivia’s guardianship to Cassie. It won’t affect her.”

Mom went completely still. Then she yanked me into her arms.

“It was Cassie!”

“She hired people to hurt me and Olivia. I was only defending myself!”

“I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t…”

“Please don’t take my daughter away from me…”

Cassie, still pale-faced in the hospital bed, chimed in softly.

“If Delaney doesn’t want to do it, then forget it.”

“I don’t want to make things difficult for you, Jonathan…”

Outside, the jeep’s horn blared.

Dad hesitated. Then he pried me from Mom’s arms.

“It’s just for questioning. You’ll be fine.”

I screamed for Mom, pounding against Dad with everything I had.

Men dragged Mom away. Her knees scraped across the gravel, leaving trails of blood.

Tears streaked her face as she screamed.

“It wasn’t me! I swear it wasn’t!”

“Olivia! My Olivia!”

“Jonathan, I hate you! I hate you!”

The jeep drove away in a cloud of dust.

Three days later, it came back. But Mom didn’t come back.

Instead, men from the plant arrived—officials.

One of them glanced at Dad, with pity in his eyes. He seemed at a loss for words.

Dad still hugged Cassie tightly. Once those men appeared, he recognized the lead, the plant director, Carl Benson.

Then Dad’s eyes fell on the white shirt in his hands—the blouse Mom had been wearing the day she was taken.

The fabric was stiff with dried mud, blotched with dark stains of blood.

The smile on Dad’s face froze. His heart lurched.

“Delaney encountered a mudslide during transport,” Carl said quietly. “She died at the scene.”

“These are her personal belongings.”

“We’re so sorry for your loss.”