Cristelle looked down and nodded. This Clara might appear to be friendly. But she could always feel subtle hostility from this woman.
“Cody and Candace should probably go to school now. They’ve been here for days.” Tanya frowned as she stared at the girl.
Cristelle didn’t know these people tried to take her babies away when she was still in a coma. She thus nodded, “Of course. I’m gonna send them to school tomorrow.”
Candace held on to Cristelle’s arm. She didn’t want to go to kindergarten yet. She just wanted to be with her mother.
“Candace is so cute. Darwin loves her the best. He told me yesterday that I should make some desserts she likes,” Tanya was jealous. She couldn’t have a son or a daughter herself. She liked Candace so much. She wished she had a daughter like Candace.
“Candace can be really naughty sometimes,” Cristelle smiled.
“She’s too little. She has the right to be mischievous,” Tanya smiled at the girl fondly.
“Yes, of course,” Clara also quickly agreed.
At this moment, however, Cody suddenly came into the ward. The boy frowned as soon as he saw the two women, “Why are you two here?”
Tanya smiled, “We’re here to visit your Mom.”
“My Mom is fine, and she’s gonna live a really long life. It’s getting late. You guys probably should go,” Cody didn’t even want to waste one more minute with these two.
Cristelle hurried to say, “Cody, it’s not polite! They are your Grandma and Auntie.”
Cody rolled his eyes, “GRANDMA, AUNTIE, could you guys PLEASE leave now?”
“We brought you some desserts, honey.” Tanya’s smile was getting awkward, “Cody… You seem taller.”
“Yeah, Mom nurtured me well,” Cody shrugged, “Now that you’ve sent your regards, could you guys go?”
Clara and Tanya were so embarrassed. They have no choice but to leave soon.
“Cody, that was really rude,” Cristelle warned her son after those people left.
Cody took the basket away from Candace, “You can’t eat food from those people. They would probably poison you, silly.”
Candace’s eyes widened. It was not her fault. Why did Cody be so mad at her?
Cristelle knew Cody’s temper too well, “What’s wrong, Cody? Do you have anything to tell me?”
Cody nodded. He told Cristelle about how Tanya and Clara came and tried to take him and his sister away when Cristelle was still in a coma.
“Mom, we don’t want to live with them. We only want to be with you. So please… Please be healthy and safe all the time.”
Candace also felt a bit emotional as she rested her cheek against Cristelle’s chest.
Did they do that when she was in a coma? Couldn’t they even wait?
Cristelle took in a sharp breath. She must get healthy for her babies. No one could take them away from her.
She only felt extremely lucky right now. If she really died, Candace and Cody would end up so miserably in those snakes’ hands.
Cristelle remembered what Darwin had told her that day. Suddenly she felt cold sweat dripping down her back as she shuddered.
Her worry appeared on her beautiful face after hearing the things that happened while she was still in a coma.
“Mom, don’t get too worried. Candace and I will never leave you,” Cody promised.
“Okay,” Cristelle nodded as she hugged her babies.
The door was pushed open as Fritzi walked in, “What are you guys doing? I baked some cookies for the babies. Come here and have a taste.”
Cody and Candace jumped off the bed, “Fritzi, you’re the best.”
Fritzi had been taking care of Mom when she was in a coma. She was Mom’s true friend. Cody thought silently.
“You’re welcome,” Fritzi smiled, giving a piece of cake to Cristelle, “What are you guys talking about? Upon entering this room, I saw you both look so emotional.”
Cristelle took the piece of cake and took a small bite, “Nothing, really. Thanks for the desserts.”
****
In the prison cell inside Linford’s house, he was reclining on a couch, “Who asked you guys to do that again?”
There were two people in gray shirts kneeling before him. Between them, there placed a cage. A coral snake was hissing with its forked tongue out.
Linford’s people were everywhere in the narrow space.
“Mr. Bradley… We’re only caretakers. We don’t know how it goes to the western suburbs.” One of the men looked quite old. He was so scared that tears covered his face at this point.
Alfred felt bad for him.
The younger one was extremely pale, “I… I sold the snake to that person…but… I don’t even know what that person is gonna do. Please, Mr. Bradley… Please let us go?”
Linford lost his patience. He didn’t want to waste his time. So he turned to Yanni, “Let the animal out.”
“Okay, boss,” Yanni smiled as he walked forth.
“Ahhh! Don’t! Please don’t!” The younger one also peed himself as he saw the snake, “Mr. Bradley! Please let me go! I can’t tell you… or my wife and son will die.”
“You care about your wife and son. I also care about mine,” Linford snapped, “Tell me the fucking truth, or I’ll make you regret it! Yanni, what the fuck are you waiting for? Let the snake out!”
“Mr. Bradley! Please don’t! Please! I’ll tell you!” The two people looked like they were gonna faint.
“You can’t… My wife and son are still in those people’s hands. You’re killing them!” The older man cried.
“They’re your wife and son. I don’t give a damn care at all!” The other cried.
“You didn’t say that when you got our share! You son of bitch! You! Hmm!” Someone covered the man’s mouth.
The younger one thus said, “It’s… It’s the maid of the Wayne house, Sarah… She bought the snake from us. She asked us to put that snake in that stall. I was so scared, and I turned her down at first. But she paid us… a lot… She gave us two photos, saying if we saw the people in the photos, we should release the snake. My friend and I waited until those people showed up that day, and we released the snake abruptly.”