Chapter 1989

Nathaniel's face stiffened, and the atmosphere in the room turned cold. Mavis had finished most of her soup, and when Nathaniel offered her another spoonful, she turned her face away. "I'm full. That's enough for me." Nathaniel did not insist. He picked up the bowl and prepared to leave when Mavis called out to him. "I'd like to see Ella. I'm feeling cooped up in here. Is that possible?" He stopped but did not turn around or agree immediately. "Once your health improves, I'll consider letting you leave the hospital. At that point, you can see Ella anytime you want." The word "consider" was an uncertain factor, just a possibility. Mavis felt as if Nathaniel was giving her a false promise, trapping her in a prison of his making. The feeling was suffocating. If she had to stay until after the baby was born, she might be driven to madness. She needed to find a way to escape and free herself. She refused to always be forced into a passive position; she had to strike back at Nathaniel. The desire to resist grew stronger, and she clenched the bedcovers tightly, forcing herself to stay calm. … After leaving the hospital, Sheena had been at her Deltsburg-based company for several days. She had nearly finished dealing with the recent minor issues—suing where necessary and sending offenders to jail without hesitation. The higher-ups and shareholders had been noticeably subdued as if the recent events had served as a wake-up call. Taking advantage of the weekend, Sheena and Elliot picked up Asher from school and visited Adora at her military school. Adora matured significantly in just over half a month, appearing much more sensible. When Sheena and Elliot arrived, they coincidentally stumbled upon a wrestling competition being held by the school. The match was open to both boys and girls, and the last one standing would naturally be the champion. At that moment, the field was surrounded by a crowd of kids, all cheering enthusiastically. Sheena and Elliot, holding Asher's hands, arrived just in time to see Adora in the competition ring. Her opponent was a much larger, chubby boy. From a physical standpoint, Adora looked particularly petite and disadvantaged. Yet more than half of the kids present were cheering for her, showing that Adora had already become popular among her peers despite her short time at the school. She seemed to have a knack for fitting in with other children. Sheena could not help but marvel at how her little girl had turned into such a social butterfly, a resemblance to her own spirited youth. "Go, Adora!" "Toss him, Adora! Take him down!" The shouts of encouragement rang out. Clearly motivated by the cheers, Adora quickly performed a mixed martial art move and easily sent the chubby boy tumbling to the ground with a shoulder throw. The teacher, acting as the referee, walked over and began counting seconds for the boy. The boy burst into tears as he could not get up within five seconds. Adora made a funny face at him, sticking out her tongue slightly. "You're crying after losing a match? As a guy, aren't you ashamed?" The chubby boy was further embarrassed by her taunt and cried even harder. The teacher swiftly entered the ring, picking up the boy and taking him aside to comfort him. Another competitor stepped into the ring, and soon Adora was engaged in a new round of wrestling. Sheena and Elliot watched silently from the edge of the crowd, feeling proud of how well their daughter was adapting to the strict, militaristic environment of her school. It was truly reassuring.