Chapter 290

He opened his mouth to say something, but every word just sounded empty and useless.

"Cody, let's go," he finally managed, scooping his sobbing son into his arms. His own voice trembled, betraying the storm inside him.

"No! I want Mommy! Mommy, don't send me away!" Cody fought wildly in his arms, stretching his little hands toward Lucie, desperate.

Lucie turned away so fast she almost lost her balance, biting down on her lip until she tasted blood-anything to keep from falling apart.

"I don't want to leave Mommy, I don't want to..." Cody clung to Lucie's sleeve, his cries coming in broken hiccups.

Suddenly, the door swung open.

A maid wheeled Bria into the room.

The sight of Steven, Cody, and Lucie tangled together like they couldn't bear to be apart was a punch to Bria's gut. A vein pulsed at her temple.

"Steven, Cody. What are you doing?" Bria's voice cut through the tension.

Both Steven and Cody froze, then looked toward her, guilt and panic written on their faces.

"...Bria, why are you here?" Steven stammered.

Bria's smile was all sharp edges, her eyes cold. "Someone called this morning. Said Cody had a high fever. I rushed straight to the hospital. I couldn't find him in the room, but the nurse told me you were here."

Her eyes landed on Cody, her tone suddenly icy. "Cody, come to Mommy."

Cody's whole body seized in terror. "No! I don't want to! You're not my mommy!" His wailing only got louder. "Mommy, Mommy, help me!"

He was shaking, reaching out for Lucie like she was the only safe thing left in the world.

Lucie's heart shattered. Tears streaked down her face before she could stop them. What on earth had this little boy been through to be this afraid? Just a couple months ago, Cody was the little troublemaker who ran wild around the house. Now, he was all timid and skittish, like he was scared of his own shadow.

"Mommy, save me..." Cody's hands reached for Lucie, his eyes full of sheer panic.

Bria's expression turned even colder. "Cody, come over here. Now. Don't make me say it again."

She might have been his biological mother, but she hadn't carried him or given birth to him herself. Becoming a mom overnight, she'd never formed a real bond with him.

Lucie's chest tightened with pain.

The little boy's cries smashed

through every wall she'd built around

her heart she instinctively pulled him into her arms, hugging him tight.

Cody buried himself against her, shaking and begging, "Mommy, please, don't let her take me. Please..."

Lucie's heart twisted. That fierce, protective urge rose up and she couldn't hold it back. "Don't be scared. I've got you."

Maybe they weren't related by blood. But she was the one who had brought him into this world. No one else mattered in this moment.

"Mommy, protect me. I'm scared..." Cody sobbed.

"I'm right here. Nothing's going to happen to you," Lucie whispered, shielding him as best she could.

That was all it took to set Bria off. You could practically feel the anger rolling off her as she gripped her wheelchair so hard her knuckles turned white.

"Lucie, what are you doing?" Bria's voice was icy. "Wasn't it enough to steal my husband? Now you want to take my son too?"

Steven stepped forward, frowning. “Bria, that's enough. Lucie—”

"That's enough?" Bria's voice shot up, her eyes suddenly shining with tears. "Then tell me, what am I supposed to say?"

Her voice trembled and cracked, every word laced with venom. "Who is she? She's a dumb fool you tricked, and now she gets to play the loving mother in front of me?"

Cody cried even harder, clinging to Lucie like he'd never let go. "Mommy, please protect me."

"You want her to protect you?” Bria's laugh was all bitterness. She turned

harsh again "I'm going to count

three. You come to me right now, or

I'm going to get angry."

Lucie only hugged Cody tighter, her voice scratchy but unyielding. “Bria, what are you trying to do?"

"How I raise my son is none of your business,” Bria snapped.

Lucie was done. She shot Steven a cold look. "Steven, is this how you treat him when he's with you?"

Steven rubbed his temples, looking pained. "Bria, Cody's sick. Don't be so hard on him. Let me take you home first—”

Bria's glare could have frozen fire. “Let go of me.”

"Steven, we agreed—you don't interfere when I'm disciplining our son. I'm his real mother have to set him straight make sure he knows who his real mom is. I won't let him get confused and call the wrong person 'Mom."

“Bria, please, not now. Cody's really sick. You don't have to be so strict with him right now. He's just a kid. When he's older, he'll understand."

Bria's temper exploded. "So what, Steven? You want her to keep being his mother instead?"