**Nora's POV**
I jolted at the sound of a screeching honk, my heart racing. Of course, I was scared. I had just shattered that girl's heart and bruised her wrist.
Rolling my eyes slightly, I thought, *She better be sleeping when I get to her room.* I took a calming breath, trying to steady the storm of emotions swirling inside me, and turned on my heels toward her room. As long as she didn't tell her daddy I bullied her, she would be fine.
Haltingly, I pushed the door to her room open and poked my head in. There she was, crying on the bed, her small body shaking with sobs. *How I wish she had never been born.* The thought twisted like a knife in my gut, but I quickly buried it beneath layers of practiced indifference.
"Did you miss Mama, sweet Asher?" I asked, forcing a smile as I approached her. Immediately, she flinched away, a frown etched on her tear-streaked face.
"Mum... you... you," she stammered, distrust clear in her innocent blue eyes.
My heart sank. I reached out, sitting beside her, and pulled her gently into my arms. "I'm sorry, Asher. I overreacted out there. I shouldn't have said those mean words to you." Instead of the usual *I understand* that used to flow so easily from her lips, she cringed back, fear and dread visible on her face. I could feel the weight of her rejection pressing down on me, and it stung more than I cared to admit.
I rolled my eyes again, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. *She better comply before Dragons walks in here, or she's going to be in a lot of trouble.*
"Baby, I'm apologizing to you. I said I'm sorry." I practically yelled, turning her to face me and taking her tiny pink hand in mine. "I'm sorry, Asher. I shouldn't have said those words to you. To make it up to you, I'll dress your bruises as your best friend and mother. What do you say?" My patience was wearing thin, and I could feel the anger simmering just beneath the surface.
She eyed the first aid box and the ice cubes in horror, frowning even harder. "Does Mama love Asher now? Don't you hate me anymore? Are you going to hurt me?" Her words pierced through me like daggers, and I couldn't help but give a devilish grin. "As long as Asher behaves like a good girl and doesn't trouble Mama, then how would Mama trouble Asher? You will be a good girl, right?" I grouchily asked, opening the box and placing the cubes on her bruises. She let out a scream, and I felt a flicker of satisfaction at her reaction, but it quickly faded as I watched her face contort in pain.
"I will be a good daughter, Mama. Don't hurt me, will you?" she pleaded, her voice trembling.
A surge of anger and annoyance coursed through me, but I masked it with a facade of sweetness. "Certainly, Asher. I won't. Pinky swear." She knitted her brows and lifted her hands to intertwine her pinky with mine, and I felt a flicker of triumph.
"Are you going to tell on me to Dada?" I deliberately asked, feigning sadness. "Your Dada will punish me, Asher, if he knows I unintentionally hurt you. Plus, I'm your best friend, and we keep our little secrets to ourselves. Can you keep it a secret?" I dabbed her bruises with cotton wool and applied antiseptic, my heart racing as I watched her internal struggle.
I could see she was debating with herself, and I didn't like it one bit. Though I knew Asher like the back of my hand, I felt an unsettling sense that something unexpected would happen today.
"It wasn't my intention to hurt you, Asher," I said, pretending to cry, my voice thick with false emotion. "I have always loved you as my child, even when I'm not your mother. I took very good care of you and provided you with love. I've always stayed up late at night just to watch you sleep."
Eventually, she reached out and wiped my nonexistent tears with the tips of her fingers. "I won't tell Dada. We did pinky swear, remember? It's our little secret," she said excitedly, and I felt a rush of relief wash over me. I ran a hand through her hair, removing the strands from her face. *As long as you don't tell, baby, I will continue tormenting you until I break you and finally throw you out of this house and our lives forever. Soon, with Dad's help, I will become his love and favorite, and you, Asher, will leave our lives forever,* I thought, a devilish grin creeping onto my face.
Asher leaned forward, unexpectedly resting her head on my lap. "Sing me a lullaby, Mama," she demanded, breaking me away from my dark thoughts.
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**Dragons' POV**
She was still sleeping when I opened the passenger door and gently lifted her into my arms. She stirred slightly, clutching my shoulders. With my other arm, I closed the door. As I walked through the empty pathways of the mansion, I noticed the dim lights and the rain drizzling outside, each drop echoing the turmoil in my heart.
Even if there were guards or maids, they wouldn't dare cast an eye my way. After what felt like hours, I stopped. The cool breeze brushed against her as I pushed the door to the mansion open.
I moved into a guest room after assessing the empty, silent living room and lightly pushed the door open.
It had been a hectic day, and there they were, standing in the courtesy of the room. I nervously laid her on the bed, a contemplative silence enveloping me as I watched her drenched body. Suddenly, I could feel her nervous yet warm breaths against my cheek, and a wave of protectiveness washed over me.
*Should I change her clothes? Would I become a pervert if I did? Is she going to think I'm a jerk?* I debated with myself, feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. After much deliberation, I moved forward to change her out of her dirty clothes, but before I could do anything, Leah walked into the room.
"Sir, I can help her with that," she offered, and I let out a calming breath. Thank goodness Leah was here to help; otherwise, my daughter would suffer the consequences.
"Carry on, Leah. I will check on Asher," I said, turning to leave. Suddenly, I turned back quickly. "Do you think she might need a late-night snack, Nanny?" I asked, and she smiled softly.
"I'll find out, sir. However, we need to get rid of her clothes, or she will definitely catch a cold." I nodded in understanding, closed my hands, and locked the door behind me.
I would check on Asher before I fixed myself. A proud smile appeared on my face, and a few seconds later, I was outside the door of her room. I lightly knocked and walked in to see Asher sleeping beneath her mother's pillow. I stood a couple of feet away from the bed, inspecting her. A low grin of pride appeared on my face before I replaced it with a frown.
*How I wish we were this complete family: Araya, Asher, and me.* My eyes drifted to the covers, which were askew beside her. Asher was a clumsy sleeper. With a stride, I pulled the cover up and planted a light kiss on her forehead. "Have a nice dream, my princess. Tomorrow morning, you will get the best gift of your life."
I removed the tangles from her hair, inspected her petite, pale face, and empathetically planted another kiss on her cheek. "All I wish for you, princess, is to be happy and free like a bird. Your mother wanted happiness, and you will get it on her behalf. You will lead a carefree life, my sweet angel, and I promise to always love you and care for you. And for your surprise, how will you feel? Excited? Thrilled? I love you so much, Asher baby. Daddy loves you, and I will never cease to cherish you as mine forever. You are my life, Asher." I held her upper arm carefully and pulled her closer to me, my heart aching with a mix of love and despair. I held onto the cover, trying to control my emotions, but nothing worked. Instead, my eyes welled up, feeling the constant pain in my chest.
That's when my tears started to fall. I cried silently in her hold, making sure I didn't wake her. Asher looked so pale and drained, just like her mother used to be. I reached out again, planting another kiss on her forehead, and pulled the cover around her body. Standing up, I switched off the light and prowled away, my heart heavy with unspoken fears.
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**Author's POV**
He gingerly unfastened the buttons on his shirt, his mind occupied with the beauty in the room next door, but his heart was a battlefield of conflicting emotions.
"You brought another perfume without my knowledge, Dragons," she yelled, her annoyance clear in her tone. He heard the clattering of footsteps behind him but chose to ignore her, the tension in the air thickening.
"You care so much for Asher Erickson, for your precious little darling, that you went out into the rain to bring her a perfume from the village, even though she has a bunch of perfumes."
He ignored her again as he pulled the shirt away, exposing his bare arms. She knew she had gone too far and extended her limits, but she didn't stop. "You love Asher so much that you don't even look at others around you. I'm your wife, Dragons, as well as her foster mother. Didn't you find it in your heart to tell me?" She halted behind him and grabbed his arms, desperation lacing her voice. "I crave your attention, Dragons. I want you... you've never touched me since our wedding vows. Why? Because of that brat of a child? Because of Asher..."
He held her upper arm harshly, cutting her off. Terror filled her eyes as she tried to loosen his grip, but it only tightened painfully, a mix of anger and hurt coursing through him.
"This marriage is a compromise, Nora Donald, and you know it! What made you think you could call my daughter a brat? Who gave you the right?!" he rasped, his eyes bloodshot crimson red, the fury boiling over.
"What right do you have to call my daughter a brat?" His hand shot up, lightning-fast, landing directly across her cheek and making her stumble backward. She clutched her cheek, feeling the stinging sensation and the impact it had on her.
"Are you out of your senses, Miss Donald?" he yelled, his voice exuding an aura of hell, the room vibrating with his rage.
The slap he delivered made her whimper as she fell to the floor, tears filling her eyes. With a jerk of pain shooting through her blurry vision, her whole body shook, the fear palpable in the air.
She tried to stand, but he pushed her shoulders, making her fall back onto her butt. He then jerked her harshly by her arms, forcing her to stand. Her tears fell freely in his grip, but it didn't affect him; he was lost in his own turmoil.
"How dare you call my child a brat!" he hissed in her ear, his voice low and dangerous. She couldn't say anything out of fear, her heart racing.
"Please let go," she stuttered pathetically. With a jerk, he released her arms, making her stumble back onto the floor, the weight of his anger still hanging in the air.
"You are here and married to me only because of Asher. The next time you try this, you'll kiss your own ass and that of your father goodbye," he thundered with rage, his voice echoing in the silence. Nora couldn't comprehend what she felt as she watched him stroll into the bathroom, tears streaming down her face, the reality of their fractured family crashing down around her.
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