Chapter 3

“Guys, I can't even. My brother's body is barely cold, and his wicked wife is suing his own three-year-old niece for a three-million settlement!”

In the video, Samuel's eyes were rimmed red, sobbing, wiping at his nose and tears.

He'd cut in Paul's black-and-white memorial photo and footage of me sitting stone-faced in the mediation room.

In the deliberately edited clip, the moment I shoved Samuel away to reach Nina had been slowed down into ironclad proof that I'd attacked him.

“A poisonous woman who sees nothing but money doesn't deserve to be a mother!”

“Please, everyone, help my poor little niece. Don't let her whole future be ruined by this vicious stepmother!”

The view count had already passed a hundred thousand, and every comment below was abuse aimed at me.

“Does this woman have any shame at all? She'd even steal her own daughter's money?”

“What does a three-year-old understand? Classic gold digger. Bet she wants the cash to keep some boy toy!”

“Dox her! Make sure she can't show her face in this town!”

I looked at those cursing words, switched off my phone, and drew a deep breath.

A war of public opinion.

Samuel practically lived online. He knew exactly how to whip up people's feelings.

As long as he made me out to be an unforgivable monster, taking Nina and the money became righteous justice.

Right as I was thinking it, someone pounded hard on the door, and Summer's voice tore down the hallway.

“Carla! Get out here, you cheap slut!”

“Everybody, come see! This is the black-hearted woman who wants to run off with my son's support money!”

I'd barely pulled the door open a crack when a basin of rank slop came splashing straight at me.

I dodged sideways on instinct, and the slop hit the white wall, reeking.

Outside stood a dozen or so neighbors, all pointing and muttering. Summer had her hands on her hips, distant relatives crowded behind her.

“What do you think you're doing?” I said, cold-faced, keeping my eyes fixed on them.

“Doing? We're here to clean house for Paul!”

Summer stepped forward, shoved the door wide, and made straight for the bedroom.

“You want to swallow three million on your own? Not a chance! I'm taking Nina today!”

“A grandmother raising her granddaughter, that's only right! Leave the child with a poisonous woman like you, and you'll have sold her off sooner or later!”

Nina's terrified scream came from the bedroom.

My eyes went wide, and I rushed over and locked both arms around Summer's waist, hauling her back.

“Let go of my daughter! Who gave you the right to snatch a child!”

Seeing this, several of the relatives moved in at once, grabbing my arms and yanking hard.

In the chaos, Samuel lifted his leg and kicked me viciously in the right side, over my waist.

“Quit playing the victim. You think you deserve any respect?”

The kick landed right on the liver that had never stopped aching, and the pain drained the strength out of my whole body in an instant.

My knees buckled and I dropped to the floor, black swimming across my eyes.

“Mommy! Don't hit my mommy!”

Nina broke free of Summer and ran over barefoot, throwing herself onto my back, wailing.

I clenched my teeth hard, swallowing the blood rising in my throat, and folded Nina in tight beneath me.

“Call the police……” I fumbled out my phone with shaking hands, glaring at them, my voice gone hoarse. “I've already called them.”

“Any one of you dares take her today, I'll drag you down with me even if it kills me!”

I must have looked truly frightening, because a few of the relatives froze and, without thinking, stepped back.

Sirens rose faintly in the distance. Summer spat on the top of my shoe.

“Call the police? Even the cops have to listen to reason! A rotten-hearted woman like you, let's see how the court rules!”

“You just wait. On the day of the hearing, I'll see you walk out with nothing!”

Cursing and grumbling, they went back downstairs and scattered.

I slumped there in the wrecked apartment, holding Nina tight as she trembled all over.

Blood kept slipping past the corner of my mouth against my will. I wiped it off fast with the back of my hand and pulled out a bitter smile.

“Don't be scared, Nina. Mommy's here……Mommy's here.”

I really didn't have much time left.