My father–in–law was shaking with rage.
He stood up and flipped the table.
My mother–in–law cried and cried.
She said she understood why Lily said those
things earlier.
I’d been abusing Lily behind their backs!
I screamed that I hadn’t!
Mark shoved the phone in my face.
“The evidence is right here! Still going to
lie?!”
His voice was shaking.
く
He looked like he wanted to devour me.
I stared at my phone.
Dozens of new pictures.
Videos too.
Lily was wearing all kinds of cute outfits.
She was striking different poses.
Her eyes were full of innocence and fear.
“Please, uncles, give me lots of gifts. Or I’ll
get hurt…”
Lily begged the camera, tears in her eyes.
<
The comments were disgusting.
“Don’t worry, Lily. I won’t let you get hurt.
Here’s a gift…”
“Where are you, Lily? I’ll bring you candy.”
I was trembling.
Impossible!
Minutes ago, the phone was clean!
“I’didn’t make her do this! I don’t know where
these pictures and videos came from!”
I tried to stand my ground.
I tried to remember.
Г
My phone had been in my pocket all day.
No one could have touched it.
“Slap!” Mark’s hand hit me.
“I can’t believe you’re capable of this,
Jennifer! Forcing your own daughter to do
these things!”
“You don’t deserve to be a mother! You’re
evil!”
My ears were ringing.
My vision blurred.
I turned and saw Lily’s eyes.
She was pale from the pain
く
She was pale from the pain.
But there was a hint of satisfaction hiding
there.
It was her!
I grabbed her shoulders.
“Lily, why are you lying? Why are you doing
this to me?”
“I’ve always been good to you. Why do you
want to hurt me?”
Lily started wailing.
She shrunk back.
く
Mark kicked me.
“You evil woman! You have the nerve to ask?
You better hope our daughter is okay!”
“Or I swear, I’ll kill you!”
His parents held him back.
I was sure he would have killed me on the
spot.
“Let’s get Lily to the hospital!”
His parents snapped him out of it.
He glared, then scooped up Lily and rushed to
the hospital.
<
I went with them.
Lily’s cuts weren’t too bad.
They cleaned them up, bandaged them, and
gave her some antibiotics.
It was the middle of the night.
Mark got a call about his business trip.
Lily started screaming.
“Daddy, don’t go! Mommy will have me
kidnapped! They’ll break my legs and cut out
my tongue!”
“She wants to kill me!”
L
Mark gave me a dark look.
I shook my head.
“No! Call the police if you don’t believe me!”
Mark snatched my phone.
“Don’t air our dirty laundry! Do you want to
ruin our daughter’s reputation?”
“Or do you want everyone to know you forced
her to do those things?!”
“Lily, Daddy will have Grandma and Grandpa
watch you. If she touches you, I’ll kill her!”
His parents had calmed down a little.
“No mother would hurt her child ”
L
“No mother would hurt her child.”
“Especially not Jennifer. She almost died
having Lily. Lily’s her whole world. It’s not
possible!”
“Those pictures and videos are probably fake!
Al is so advanced these days.”
I nodded, grateful for their support.
Lily was quiet, but her eyes were full of
mockery.
“Mommy, I want to watch cartoons!”
I opened the cartoon app on my phone and
held it up for her.
く
Ever since she was born, I had dedicated my
life to her.
I had quit my job to raise her.
I had tried to give her everything she ever
wanted.
I just wanted her to be a good, kind person.
I couldn’t understand why she was doing this.
After Mark left, his parents and I stayed with
Lily.
I checked the time.
Two AM.
Last time, Lily disappeared from the hospital
く
If I could just get through the night, I could
protect her.
Her lies would be useless!
I tried to stay awake, but at 2:00, Lily started
crying.
She said she was hungry.
None of us had really eaten dinner.
I checked the delivery apps.
Everything around the hospital was closed.
I found a few options, but nothing Lily could
eat.
く
My mother–in–law got up.
She said she would go get some soup.
My father–in–law was still there.
I nodded.
Three minutes until 2:10.
Lily started crying, saying her hand hurt.
We looked and the IV had come loose.
Her hand was swollen and bruised.
I pulled the needle out.
My father–in–law got up to find a nurse.
く
I stopped him.
“Just press the call button.”
I pressed it, but no one came.
It was 2:10.
Lily was crying and struggling to breathe.
My father–in–law got more worried.
“I’ll go get a nurse.”
I stopped him again.
