My Future Dad Admitted He Abandoned Me Chapter 03

My Future Dad Admitted He Abandoned Me Chapter 03

I remembered Mom telling me she’d brought Seraphina home five years prior, a lonely orphan she’d taken under her wing.

As far back as I could remember, Mom would murmur the same words to me over and over.

“Seraphina had such a terrible childhood. We need to be extra kind to her.”

“She had no family growing up, endured endless pain, covered in old scars. My heart aches for how lonely she was. I took her in and let you call her godmother.”

Her eyes glistened at that time. Her voice was sincere and warm.

“Elara, Hazel—you two are my only real family.”

But this woman who’d claimed we were her family had stolen my dad, stolen the only family I had.

Seraphina walked toward us, plastering an overly affectionate smile across her face, She reached out to pull me into her arms.

“Hazel, come here. Let godmother give you a hug.”

The second her fingers touched my wrist, her fingernails pressed harshly into my wrist, a sharp stinging pain making me cry out.

I shoved her away on instinct.

Seraphina lost her balance and stumbled down onto the floor.

Her eyes welled instantly with hurt tears, her voice thick with grievance.

“Elara, I know I shouldn’t compete with you for Vaughn’s heart, but I can’t control how I feel. How could you use Hazel to hurt me like this?”

Mom stared at the deep red marks puncturing my wrist, rage blazing through her. She raised her hand to slap Seraphina.

Next second, Jensen instantly grabbed her wrist to hold her back and snapped at her.

He shouted sharply.

“Elara, don’t touch her.”

Before she could react, he raised his hand and struck her cheek sharply, a clear crack echoing through the hall.

Mom stood rigid, stunned, a hot stinging flush spreading over her cheek.

Jensen stared at his own hand. A flash of guilt crossed his features, but his tone remained harsh as he scolded her.

“You swung first. Don’t act like you’re the victim here.”

Dad rushed forward in an instant, carefully lifting Seraphina to her feet. His cold stare locked onto Mom.

“Why drag children into adult fights? You’ve had everything handed to you as a base officer’s spouse. Why must you fight Seraphina for what’s hers?”

Mom pressed her palm to her throbbing, reddened cheek. Her tears spilled freely down her face.

“You’ve won, Seraphina. All these blind, foolish people—you can have every last one of them.”

Dad paused, then anger ignited in his eyes.

“How stubborn can you be? You’re the one who acted wrong, and you dare speak like this?”

Mom said nothing. She took my hand and turned to leave.

Dad hurried after us, gripping her wrist tight. Malice flickering in his gaze.

“I never said you could leave.”

“Stay and sort this out first.”

Jensen looked utterly baffled, disappointment heavy in his tone.

“No matter how upset you are, you shouldn’t say things like that. Elara, do you have any heart at all?”

Mom’s hand turned ice cold. I clung tightly to the hem of her shirt, desperate to soothe her.

Then Lyla, who everyone had forgotten about, let out a shrill scream.

“Don’t push me, Hazel! This isn’t my fault!”

She charged straight at me. I couldn’t dodge in time, and we both tumbled into the swimming pool beside us. Ice-cold water submerged me, filling my nose and throat, a heavy suffocating weight pressing down on my chest.

I heard Mom screaming at the top of her lungs.

“Hazel! Jensen! Vaughn, save her! She can’t swim!”

Dad and Jensen scrambled into the pool, swimming fast toward me.

I stretched out my weak, heavy hands, barely able to whisper.

“Dad… Jensen…”

My fingertips nearly brushed theirs.

A piercing wail cut through the noise from the pool’s edge. Seraphina scream loudly.

“Vaughn, help! Lyla’s having a leg cramp, I can’t hold onto her!”

I watched helplessly as the two hands reaching for me pulled back without a second thought. They spun around and swam rapidly toward Lyla on the other side of the pool.