Mother
2

Chapter 2

When I confronted Ethan, his face darkened. “Sienna Rowan, have you lost your mind?”

Mia, still nestled in his arms, blinked innocently. “Come on Sienna, is your mom really that precious? Can’t she take a joke?”

“Exactly. She’s just a housekeeper. Don’t act like you’re Ethan’s mother–in–law.”

Rage boiled in my chest. With tears in my eyes, I shouted, “This isn’t a game! Who do you think you are? My mom’s life isn’t your plaything!”

Everyone there was used to being pampered and spoiled. I’d always felt inferior around them, never daring to raise my voice or speak out of turn.

So when I suddenly lost my temper, they were all taken aback.

Anger flashed in Ethan’s eyes. “Sienna, watch who you’re talking to. Have I been too lenient with you?”

Lenient?

I laughed bitterly, tears streaming down my face.

“Your kindness is too much for me to bear, Mr. Gould.”

For three years, he’d summoned me at will. When he was happy, I got a smile. When he wasn’t, I was

tossed aside.

Back then, if he hadn’t been trying to spite his mother, the great Ethan Gould would never have chosen someone like me as his girlfriend.

He called me his girlfriend, but to him and his friends, I was just another servant.

Ethan finally noticed something was off. He stared at me, suddenly taken aback.

I hadn’t eaten or slept in days. My eyes were red and swollen from crying, and I’d lost so much weight I looked like I might collapse.

For a moment, Ethan’s expression softened.

After a long pause, he pushed Mia away and spoke in an uncharacteristically gentle tone. “Alright, I’ll admit I was wrong this time. I’ll apologize to your mom if that’s what it takes. Is that good enough?” “Apologize? You should apologize to her.”

“All of you should.”

I said, my gaze sweeping across the room. “You’re all murderers. You should go to hell and apologize to her there.”

Everyone was stunned by my accusation.

Seeing that I wouldn’t back down, Ethan’s face darkened again. “Sienna, are you done? Is it worth ruining everyone’s mood over something so trivial?”

“I said I’d apologize to your mom. What more do you want?”

What did I want?

I wanted them all to pay for my mother’s death.

Mia, angry at being pushed away, glared at me and approached with a mocking smile. “If that’s not enough, count me in. I’ll apologize to her personally. How’s that for sincerity?”

She leaned in close, her smile turning cruel. “It’s too bad you weren’t there that day. Your mom thrashed around in the water for so long, panting like a dog. It was quite entertaining.”

I knew she was trying to provoke me.

But I couldn’t hold back. With a furious cry, I grabbed her hair and started slapping her face wildly. No one expected me to lash out.

They stood frozen for a few seconds before rushing to pull me away, pinning my face to the floor. They’d always disliked me, and now they had the perfect opportunity to kick me while I was down. “Are you crazy? Mia said she’d apologize to your mom. Why are you hitting her?”

“No wonder you’re a maid’s daughter. You have no class at all.”

“Ethan, say something! Are you just going to let Mia get bullied like this?”

“Ethan, I can’t stand by and watch this. Even if Sienna is your girlfriend, you need to give us all an explanation for what happened today.”

Ethan didn’t disappoint them.

He walked towards me slowly, his eyes filled with an icy coldness that chilled me to the bone. Ethan stopped in front of me and let out a short laugh.

Before I could understand what that laugh meant, he kicked me hard in the stomach.

I went pale instantly, curling up in agony. A searing pain tore through my gut. I clenched my jaw, refusing to cry out in front of him.

Seeing me writhing on the ground in a cold sweat, Ethan showed no trace of tenderness, His voice was as cold as ice when he spoke. “I gave you an inch, and you thought you were somebody important.” “You and your mom are just dogs I keep. When I’m happy, I throw you a bone. When I’m not, you better know your place. Understand?”

I was in too much pain to speak, but a deep sadness welled up inside me,

This was the man I had loved for ten years.

I first saw Ethan when I was fifteen.

My mom worked as a housekeeper for the Gould family. The first time I met him, I nearly got hit by the soccer ball he was kicking. I fell back, startled.

He ran over to me. The sunlight illuminated his handsome face, and I was mesmerized. His smile was mischievous and charming.

In that moment, I fell in love with him.

After that, I followed him around like a stalker, silently watching him from afar.

I thought these feelings would stay buried in my heart forever, never seeing the light of day.

But in my sophomore year of college, his family pressured him to go on arranged dates. He didn’t want to, so he asked me to be his girlfriend.

I’ll never forget that day. I was overwhelmed with joy, unable to believe what I was hearing.

Even though I knew he didn’t really like me and was just rebelling against his family, I still agreed to be

with him.

Mrs. Gould was furious. She kicked my mom and me out, but Ethan took us in at his villa.

I thought that eventually I would win his heart, that he would fall in love with me.

Later, he met the girl from the arranged dates Mia. Their similar backgrounds quickly brought them

close.

–

He introduced Mia to all his friends, went everywhere with her, hugging and kissing her openly, completely disregarding me as his girlfriend.

In their social circle, I was a

joke.

No one believed we would end up together.

Our relationship began with a mistake, and now it was finally over.

Unable to get up from the pain, I stared hopelessly at the ceiling. “Ethan, let’s break up.” “From now on, I never want to see you again.”