The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
Iris Thompson and Emma Tonkin both felt at a loss.
It was just a bowl of milk, they didn't know how it had come to this, and just moments ago, Emma had even asked if the child would like some. The child's mother had always shown hostility...
But now, it looked as if...
Before the thought fully formed, Mrs. Bates furrowed her brow and abruptly spoke up, "Enough!"
With that stern rebuke, the woman instantly dared not hit the child anymore. But the child cried so heartbreakingly, and the woman felt so guilty and pained that she simply held the child and squatted on the ground, "I'm sorry, baby, I'm sorry... It's all mom's fault, letting others look down on you... letting you suffer..."
She cried even more miserably.