CHAPTER 127: CHAPTER 127: THE SCUMBAG HUSBAND LEFT WITH NOTHING

I was shocked as I looked at Doris.

This was the first time she called me ’Mom.’

Timothy stared at his daughter’s red eyes, silent for a few seconds, then turned his head, his gaze cold as he looked at me.

"Zoe Ellison, well done! You finally turned Doris into this; you finally made her entirely yours!"

With that, he didn’t look back at us, turned sharply, and slammed the door behind him with a "bang."

Sharon also started crying, sobbing as she asked, "Auntie Ellison, did... did you hurt your back?"

Holding my painful waist, I slowly got up and said, "It’s okay. Did it... scare you just now?"

Sharon shook her head and said, "Doris was more scared than I was."

I walked up to Doris, hugged her in my arms, and said nothing, but I knew she understood everything in her heart.

After a long time, Doris wiped away her tears, still stubborn, like a little warrior, saying, "I won’t talk to him anymore; he bullies you and me too!"

Listening to this, Sharon chimed in, "From now on, you can just stay with us and be happy! No one will doubt you, and no one will stab you with needles."

Doris was shaken up by the incident, questioning everything.

With Sharon’s reminder, she suddenly deflated, choking up as she said, "Why, all of a sudden, has everyone changed. Dad changed, Grandma changed, Mom... No, she’s not my mom, she’s a bad woman! They’ve all changed!"

"But Auntie Ellison hasn’t changed!"

Sharon said, "Think about it, has Auntie Ellison changed? She’s always been good! Good people will always be good people unless they were bad people, to begin with!"

Doris was startled, seemingly contemplating Sharon’s words.

Then she nodded deeply, saying, "You’re right! Good people will always be good people."

I looked at Sharon with relief; this child, much more mature than Doris, was so independent at her age, speaking like a little adult.

Sometimes I think it’s not Mason Hawthorne who should thank me, but I should thank Mason for allowing me to live with such a little angel.

After a long time, our hearts gradually settled down.

Sharon suddenly said, "Doris, since they treat you like that, you better not go back! Stay with us! Auntie Ellison is your real mom, and only she will truly treat you well."

Doris paused slightly, as if contemplating.

Then, with increasing determination, she said, "I don’t want to go back to Dad’s place anymore! That woman and Grandma are so scary, and now Dad has become so scary too!"

I knelt down, looking at her eye to eye, and said seriously, "If you stay here with me, will you be able to get used to it? There are no clusters of maids taking care of you, and there aren’t that many limited edition toys. You will need to organize your own little backpack and fold your own clothes; you’ll have to do many things by yourself. Can you do that?"

Doris nodded, her stubborn demeanor faintly showing some of Timothy’s traits: "I can do it! If Sharon can do these things by herself, so can I!"

Looking at her earnest expression, my heart softened.

Every child is like a blank slate; it’s just a matter of the environment in which they grow up.

In the Xavier Family, she was a pampered little princess, but now, she can discern right from wrong and be self-reliant.

At this moment, Sharon gently tugged at my clothes and whispered a request: "Auntie Ellison, I also want to sleep with you. Doris can sleep with you, so I want to too..."

Upon hearing this, Doris quickly scrunched up her little nose, hugged my leg, and said, "But she’s my mom, so she’s supposed to sleep with me!"

Sharon’s eyes quickly showed a small sense of loss, and she hung her head in silence.

Looking at her aggrieved look, I couldn’t bear it, and after some contemplation, I proposed, "How about you both sleep together, okay? Tomorrow we’ll go buy a slide bed, and you can even choose who sleeps on top and who sleeps on the bottom."

As soon as I finished speaking, the eyes of both kids lit up.

Doris forgot her previous unhappiness, her tone filled with excitement: "I want to sleep on top! Slides are super fun!"

Sharon said, "Okay! I’ll sleep at the bottom; I’m a little afraid of heights!"

The suffocating tension and turmoil brought by Timothy gradually disappeared amidst the laughter and joy of the two children.

I handed them the tablet, and the two kids had already begun to choose the style of the bed. Once they decided, I was ready to take them to the furniture store tomorrow to have a look.

I also started to calm myself and prepared to make them a meal.

After lunch, I received a call from the police station saying that the case had been resolved and asked me to come sign some documents.

I asked Jenna Sutton to come over and watch the kids for me while I headed to the police station alone.

But the outcome they gave me left me deeply disappointed.

"Ms. Ellison, given Ms. Kendall’s age, and her good attitude in admitting her mistakes, we’ve already given her a reprimand and education. She’s apologized and assured us it won’t happen again. If you agree with this resolution, please sign here."

The officer said as he handed me the documents, indicating where he wanted me to sign.

"I don’t agree."

I didn’t sign and firmly stated, "Is this your resolution? If I hadn’t arrived in time that day, my daughter might have been locked in the basement to starve or die of thirst! And you think a simple reprimand and education suffice? I can’t accept that."

The officer, seemingly eager to close the case timely and efficiently, showed signs of impatience.

They said, "Your husband already submitted a leniency letter yesterday, and he is also the child’s guardian. In the end, this is a family matter, so why don’t you go home and discuss it first, alright?"

Their attempt to pass the buck thoroughly infuriated me. I stood my ground, saying, "I will not accept this result today. If you insist on handling it this way, I’ll report it to the mayor’s hotline right now. As a journalist myself, I know how much attention child abuse news attracts, and you all know it better than I do. If this issue goes public, how do you think people will view your handling of it?"

My words instantly froze the atmosphere in the office. The previously unfriendly officer immediately changed their expression, hastily trying to appease me, "Ms. Ellison, please don’t be upset or impulsive! We’ll immediately consult with our superiors. Please go home and wait for news; we promise to give you a satisfactory answer within three days."

Only then did I get up to leave.

Just a little distance away, I overheard the two officers behind me conversing, "What a hassle! President Xavier asked for higher-ups’ help, and even the bail money is ready. Who knew his wife wouldn’t be so easy to deal with."

"The lives of the wealthy are so chaotic!"

The other officer sighed and lamented, "Let’s go! We’re just cogs in the machine, and now we have to go see the boss for more scolding."

Until I walked out of the police station, the fire burning inside me remained undispelled.

Timothy Xavier really is something!

His daughter nearly suffered a psychological shadow from this incident, yet he was busy trying to get the culprit out.

But the law is not set by Timothy Xavier!

I will never forgive anyone who harms my daughter, and there’s absolutely no room for compromise.

On the way back, I went to see my divorce attorney.

Upon learning that my negotiation with Timothy Xavier failed and he was unwilling to divorce, Attorney Quincy advised me, "Since things have come to this, there’s no need for you to rush. Just proceed step by step, and wait to sue again."

The thought of waiting several more months felt like torture every day.

I told Attorney Quincy what had transpired between yesterday and today.

Upon hearing about my firm stance at the police station, Attorney Quincy said, "What you did was right. If Timothy Xavier’s mother leaves a record at the police station, it will confirm her abuse of her granddaughter. Now, we have evidence of Timothy’s infidelity, and Serena Sawyer’s pregnancy is public knowledge. When the court session begins, we’ll then submit the evidence of his mother’s child abuse. There’s no way the judge would award him custody."

"Thank you, Attorney Quincy."

Her words just now gave me a lot of confidence and eased my anxiety.

Attorney Quincy smiled and said, "It’s also because you were very sensible, Miss Ellison, gathering so much evidence in your favor. I’m just here to assist you!"

...

The next day, I took the two children to the furniture store to buy a slide bed for them.

With one child in each hand, they chirped away by my side.

At this moment, I suddenly realized how blissful I was.

"Mom, do you... do you have enough money?" Doris suddenly stopped, expressing some concern, "Sharon said yesterday that the slide bed we chose is really expensive. Perhaps we should choose another one."

I stopped, laughing and crying, and said, "You’ve progressed; now you even know how to budget. But, do you have any concept of money?"

Embarrassed, Doris said, "If I tell you, don’t be mad, okay."

"Tell me what?" I looked at her.

Doris whispered, "It’s that woman... she used to tell me that you don’t have a job and no money, living off daddy. But now, daddy doesn’t want you anymore, or me, so doesn’t that mean you have no money?"

The "that woman" Doris referred to was naturally Serena.

I squatted down, looked seriously at Doris, and said, "Mom has a job, I can earn money, so taking care of you isn’t a problem."

Sharon quickly added, "If it’s not enough, I’ll ask my dad for help! He said I can call him if money is short."

But Doris was still unhappy.

She seemed troubled and said, "That woman said that what mom makes in a year isn’t even as much as she makes in a day. Mom, will we have to beg on the streets in the future?"

"No, we won’t."

I ruffled her hair, saying, "I won’t let you go hungry, and besides, mom doesn’t necessarily earn less than her. Doris, remember, money isn’t the measure of a person’s worth. She may have a lot of money, but that doesn’t make her a good person, does it?"

Doris paused, nodded, and angrily said, "Her money is also given by my daddy! I often see him giving her gifts!"

"Doris, adult matters aren’t your concern, and you don’t need to pay attention to what she says," I said, "Just remember, even though I can’t give you the affluent life of the Xavier Family, I’ll make sure you don’t have to worry about food and drink. Understand?"

Although my investment in my own drama has already been profitable, and my writing fees are substantial.

But I didn’t say all that, after all, Doris is just a child and wouldn’t understand these things.

Hearing me say we won’t have livelihood issues in the future, Doris nodded heavily, asking, "Then we... can buy the one we liked at the start?"

"Yes."

After I said that, the two kids started jumping around happily.

I took them into the brand’s home store, where a few saleswomen were gossiping together.

"Did you see the trending search? Ten minutes ago! Serena had a miscarriage."

"What? Really? Wasn’t she about to marry President Xavier?"

"They say her fan saw her at the OB-GYN hospital, and even the surgery records were exposed. So pitiful! Who knows if she can still smoothly marry into the rich family now."

"..."

The group was energetically discussing, and when one of them saw me with the kids looking at beds, she quickly came over to assist.

"Ma’am, are you interested in this bed? Let me give you a detailed introduction."

The saleswoman eagerly explained the pros and cons of various children’s beds to me.

Doris and Sharon listened attentively from the side.

The saleswoman cheerfully said, "Kids can try out the bed. This bed is for trial, so they can have a feel of it."

When the two kids heard this, they quickly climbed onto the bed, exploring it excitedly.

At this moment, a sound of hurried footsteps came from the entrance.

Looking in that direction, it turned out that Timothy Xavier entered accompanied by a group of subordinates.

The saleswomen immediately tidied themselves up and stood straight, whispering, "President Xavier is indeed all about business. Even when Serena just had a miscarriage, he’s still inspecting the mall."

I then realized that this mall was under the Xavier Group as well.

And as soon as Timothy entered, he seemed to spot me.

He instructed a few subordinates to wait at the door and sent the store’s saleswomen out.

The saleswoman beside me was startled and quickly whispered to me, "Ma’am, if President Xavier evaluates our work attitude, please say something nice for us."

They thought Timothy was randomly asking customers about the mall services to clear others away.

As Timothy approached, Doris quickly hid behind me in fright, and Sharon watched him warily as if seeing a wild beast.

Timothy glanced at the slide bed behind me, his gaze falling on Doris, softening his tone, "You don’t want daddy anymore? Are you planning to stay with her long-term?"

Doris lowered her head and said nothing.

I coldly said, "Don’t pressure the child; if you have something to say, direct it at me."

Timothy snorted and said, "What is there to say with you? Serena is lying in the hospital, my mom can’t come out of detention, Zoe Ellison, you’ve already taken revenge on everyone around me. Don’t you want a divorce? I’ll grant it."

A light dawned in my eyes; I hadn’t expected him to relent.

Considering now that Serena’s miscarriage is known online, Timothy, to maintain his good man image, should take responsibility for her too.

So, he couldn’t wait to divorce either.

I immediately said, "If you’re willing to expedite the divorce process with me, I’d really appreciate it. I might even take a step back and not hold grudges against your mom anymore."

Timothy sneered and said, "You’re celebrating too soon; I haven’t finished speaking. Divorce is possible; you leave with nothing, and the child stays with me."

I was shaken to the core; I knew Timothy wouldn’t let go so easily.

If it were before, I might have agreed just to get the divorce.

But after this incident, I will no longer leave the child with him.

Moreover, I won’t give up even a fraction of what rightfully belongs to me!

With people like Timothy Xavier, the more you retreat, the more he steps over your bottom line.

You never know how far he’ll push you back!

I looked him in the eye calmly and said, "I’m not at fault, why should I leave with nothing? Your mom poked Doris with a needle and abused her, why should I give the child to you? Timothy, do you think that without your signature, I can’t get this divorce? You’re too arrogant!"

Saying this, I took the two kids by their hands and said, "Let’s go buy from another store."

Doris and Sharon quickly followed me, avoiding Timothy like a venomous snake.

Finally, we bought a slide bed at another brand’s home store,

and the craftsman came to install it the same day.

I also bought new bedding sets, washed and dried them for the kids, who were thrilled with their new beds.

I smiled and said, "Can you make your own beds? I’ll go cook for you!"

Doris looked a bit troubled, as she had never done it before.

But Sharon quickly agreed, "Yes, I can!"

Hearing her, Doris lifted her face earnestly and said, "I can do it too!"

And so, the two girls busied themselves in the room, arranging their slide bed to be cozy and tidy by evening.

Doris proudly looked at me and said, "See! I told you I can do it!"

I chuckled and asked, "Did you do it all by yourself?"

Doris stuck out her tongue and shyly said, "Sharon taught me."

Sharon, after all just a child, looked up at me waiting for praise.

I suddenly realized that besides not having divorced Timothy yet, my current life was quite satisfactory.

I thought I could continue happily and warmly with the two kids like this.

Until three days later, when I was out conducting interviews, I received a phone call.

Seeing the incoming call on the screen, my heart instinctively contracted, a peculiar feeling creeping up.

I didn’t expect Julian Sinclair, who had been silent for so long, to suddenly contact me.

"Hello."

I cautiously spoke.

A deep, mellow voice came from the other end, "Are you free? Let’s meet."

I couldn’t help but grip my phone tightly, trying to calm my nerves, and said, "Yes, I have time."

Julian said, "Then at seven tonight, at the café below your apartment."