Chapter 74

“You had a girl,” my mother’s voice was a flat murmur, her gaze fixed on Gia with an expression I couldn’t decipher. No warmth. No joy. Just a cold, detached interest, as if she were inspecting a stranger rather than her granddaughter. My chest tightened.

“Carlos, take her to her room,” I said, my voice slurred more than I intended. Gia’s wide, confused eyes looked up at me, and guilt twisted in my gut.

“No. Mommy, I don’t wanna go!” Gia whined, clutching my leg tighter. She rarely defied me like this, but I couldn’t let her stay—not with this woman here.

“Go to your room. Now.” My voice was stern, and Gia’s eyes immediately welled up; her bottom lip trembled. Her tears made my insides ache, but did not soften me.

“Let’s miss,” Carlos interjected softly, kneeling beside her. “Why don’t you show me your drawings? You said yesterday, remember?”

Reluctantly, Gia relinquished her hold on my leg and trailed after Carlos, her small frame slumped in disappointment. I watched her disappear into her room, my heart heavy, before turning back to my mother.

“Do you have anything else to say? Or are you ready to leave?” My arms crossed over my chest as I stared her down, my defenses firmly in place. “Freya,” she said sharply, her tone laced with reproach. “Is that how you talk to your mother?”

“Yes,” my voice didn’t waver. “This is exactly how I talk to my mother, who kicked me out of her life when I needed her support most.”

She winced, ever so slightly, as if I’d punched her. Good. I wanted her to feel the pain she’d inflicted on me.

“Well, what did you expect me to do after you cheated on your fiancé and got pregnant with another man’s baby?” she snapped, her voice rising.

“I expected you to give me the benefit of the doubt,” I said, my voice quieter now but no less firm. “I expected you to believe in me. But you didn’t, did you?” I shook my head, my chest tightening with the familiar ache of betrayal. “I don’t want to have this conversation with you. I’ve put it in the past. So tell me why you’re actually here so we can get this over with.”

For a moment, her composure faltered, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Four months ago, your father had acute heart failure.”

Her words were a punch to the gut. I gasped for breath. My father—the man who had been unbreakable, a giant among men—had been that close to death, and I didn’t know. My throat tightened. “How is he?” I whispered.

“He’s fine now,” she said, but her hesitation betrayed her. “His medicines are expensive, and I was thinking if you could… We need some money.”

There it was. The real reason for her visit. I swallowed the lump in my throat, my emotions crashing over me. She didn’t want me. She didn’t care to reconnect. She wanted my money.

She continued when I raised an eyebrow. “We didn’t have insurance, and your father’s treatment cost us almost all of our savings.”

“I’ll come by tomorrow evening,” I muttered. I didn’t know how to face them after they had basically disowned me, but I would do it anyway.

“No, you don’t have to,” she said hurriedly. “Don’t come home. Father is still very weak, and any excitement is bad for his heart.”

A low pain spread in my stomach. They didn’t want me to come see them. Just money.

“How much do you need?” I said, having made up my mind. My voice was cold and detached, as if that would shield me from the sting of her words.

“Twenty thousand,” she said quickly, almost too quickly. I raised an eyebrow, and for a moment, she looked cornered.

It was a lot—but I didn’t hesitate. “I’ll write a check.”

Chapter 75 (Assuming this is Chapter 75, not a repeat of Chapter 7)

“Freya,” Reyna’s voice broke through, low and cautious. I turned to see her watching me, concern etched into her features. “Are you sure about this?”

“I’m sure,” I said firmly. I pulled out my checkbook and scribbled the amount, tearing the paper with more force than necessary.

“Here,” I said, shoving it toward my mother. “And don’t ever come back to me for anything.”

She took the check, her lips pursed in disapproval. “You exhibit such poor manners that…”

“After all these years, you sought me out and asked me for money, though neither you nor Dad wants anything to do with me. I saw the way you looked at Gia,” I cut her off, my voice trembling with rage. “Let’s not pretend you know anything about manners.”

Her jaw clamped shut, her eyes narrowed. “Bastard girl,” she breathed before turning and walking away.

The door slammed shut, and the weight of everything fell upon me. My knees gave way, and I slid onto the couch, covering my face with my hands.

“Girl, that was… hey, you okay?” Reyna’s voice softened as she settled her hand gently on my shoulder.

“I just don’t feel well,” I mumbled, my voice slurred against my palms.

“Oh, how can I help? Should I call Aiden?” she asked worriedly.

“No. The thought of telling him is already too much. I’m feeling nauseous,” I said. “Maybe I need to lie down.”

“Alright,” she said softly. I hoisted myself up from the couch and shuffled back to my room. The door shut behind me, and I finally allowed myself to collapse on the bed and weep, the tears finally flowing freely.