CHAPTER 13

"Mom."

My entire body became immobile where I stood. I was shocked, speechless, and planted in the spot. My thoughts were spinning with questions—how did she manage to get in here? Was she okay? Why now?

My eyes automatically looked over at Liam. He was relaxed, his hands loosely plunged into the pockets of his fitted pants. His face was relaxed, almost assured, like he knew she would appear. As if waiting for him all this while. His composure only made me more nervous.

And then I heard her voice. It was thunderous, raging, with rage and anguish. "Don't you so much as set foot in her direction, young woman!" she shouted, the room vibrating. Her eyes were ablaze with emotion, burning with anger and frustration. She wagged a finger under Jessica's nose, her voice catching every other word as she screamed.

"Yes, I left her....but not because I had a choice! That's no justification for you to hurt my daughter! You don't have any right to shame her!" Her voice was cracking with the intensity of her feelings. Tears streamed from her eyes, running down her face. I hadn't seen her cry that way in so long. Not since the worst times, when life had battered her around so many times.

And then, she just fell. She wept in public, shaking her frame, letting the tears come as if there was no tomorrow for them to stop. Her screams echoed in the air. It seemed all her pains, remorse, fears, were finally coming out. My heart constricted at the spectacle. I wanted to run to her, embrace her, but I was fixed in shock.

"Mom," I whispered softly, and my own tears were beginning to fog my eyes. My throat tightened, and my brain switched back and forth between holding in my crying and crying harder. It was one of those moments that I had feared for so long, just sitting back and watching her struggle so hard. Watching her like that made it all so new, so real.

Liam moved closer and his very presence was almost calming, so tender. He put his hand gently on her back, comforting her silently. His touch was soothing, comforting. His voice was stern, soothing.....like he knew her hurt. His silent comforting made my heart pound in a good manner. Even today, with all of this happening, he was the nicest person in the room. That calmness was like balm, soothing her crying and soothing her crying somewhat.

Abruptly, the quiet woman in the background lost control. She waited no longer. Her face was distorted with rage. "You old woman—!" she screamed, pushing the others aside.

I had no time to move out of the way before a rapid, sharp slap rang through the room.

SLAP.

So fast, so sudden, that I didn't even see her hand draw back out of the way before it struck my mother's face.

The sound shook the room, ringing out harshly. My mother's head jerked to the side, shock and pain glinting in her eyes. Her face turned red instantly from the slap.

One slap shook my world like an earthquake. It devastated everything I knew, everything I thought was safe. She had slapped my mother. Someone had actually struck her.

Anger coursed through me, hotter than I ever had before. I didn't think. My head cleared and filled with anger and protectiveness. Before I knew it, I did it...quickly and brutally. I slapped my hand across Jessica's face, catching both cheeks squarely with every ounce of strength I possessed. Her head snapped back from the blow. Then I kicked her sharply on the knee, and she lost her balance and fell to the ground. Pain was evident on her face, her eyes wide with shock and anger.

It went very fast. I was on her thigh, my rage unleashing. I grasped bunches of hair and pulled back her head. I slapped her again and again, again and again. The pounding of my fists into flesh was what I heard. I didn't even have the ability to hear screaming, the commotion going on around me. My anger muffled all else out. Blinding was the thudding inside my ears. I existed in another world, one where nothing existed but my anger.

But then, suddenly, I sensed Liam's arms come around my shoulders tightly. His grip was tight but not harsh. He shook me roughly, trying to shake me out of it.

His voice broke through the chaos. "Stop it. Calm down," he commanded, his own voice flat and measured. His arms held me back, keeping me from doing more harm.

I could not keep angry. I gasped, my words shaking, tears intermingled with my anger. "No! Nobody—nobody hurts my mom!" I wailed, my breathing in ragged puffs through my sobbing.

I was shaking all over, unable to contain the tears streaming down my face. All the anger I had conserved for so long released now.

Liam held my face between his hands, pinning me to stare at him. His eyes were rock steady, immobile. His stubborn gaze rooted me, made me stumble with its power.

"Look at me," he whispered. "Glare at me in the eye." His voice was soft but inescapable.

I complied, my gaze interlocking with his. His eyes seemed to contain all the serenity and strength I was looking for. In some way, his eyes pierced the yelling tumult, the paparazzi, the noise surrounding us. They were the only place of concentration I could look at. His serene, calming eyes compelled me to stop.

"Okay, good," he whispered, his voice slowing. "Now, listen. I will ensure that they are punished for what they did to you and Auntie. Just calm down now, okay? Your mother would not want you to look at you like this. She would not want you to get so worked up about someone like her. Calm down. That is all that you have to do right now." His words were blunt but clear. They left me feeling slightly more in control.

I nodded in silence, as a child instructed to have faith. My body weighed heavy, yet I complied. He stood tall, looming over all the others. His was a commanding figure. And then he turned to the reporter throng with a voice that was razor-sharp and professional.

"You all go," he commanded abruptly and firmly.

His eyes blazed with power. Even I was shaken with fear. I hesitated for a moment, wondering if he was going to do something. His eyes were like steel, hard and not breakable.

For a moment, I hesitated wondering if I no longer had to be sweet. If I had to be hard and tall as well.

Slowly, the reporters and spectators began to disperse. The woman who had slapped my mother stood rigid, her mask of a face was white. She appeared to be cringing, maybe realizing what storm she had unleashed.

Then Liam turned to Jessica. His face hardened. "Take her down the street," he instructed his bodyguards. "Let everyone see her....shame her." His voice was icy, commanding. He wished her shame to be made public for everyone to witness.

He pointed his finger into Klein's face. "And leave Valerie alone. Or I promise you, I'll snap every bone in your body. Thank your lucky stars your father is my business partner," he growled menacingly.

Jessica attempted to protest. "What about me?! I'm the most popular model in your company! You can't just—" she spat venom and disdain into her words.

But Liam cut her short. His voice was cold, bitter. "Why would I need you?" he said coldly. "Valerie is here to take your place. And from what I've already seen so far, she's good enough to be better than you'll ever be." His words stung.

I stared at him, shocked. I did not know what to say. Liam turned around and leaned his head against me with a soft smile. The shock was unnerving yet soothing.

"Auntie has assisted me so much," he whispered. "This is the least I can do in return for her. And you… I think you will be an amazing model one day." His words began to soften me up.

My mother took deep breaths, her voice a rough whisper. "Liam is a good man, Valerie."

"I know, Mom," I whispered in response. A small, trembling smile crept onto my lips. For a moment, I was safe.

Then, out of nowhere, a tremendous explosion tore everything apart.

BOOM.

The deafening blast rang through the air. The earth trembled. Shouts of terror shot out from the crowd. Citizens scurried frantically, desperate to escape. Pandemonium erupted in all directions, with everyone pushing and shoving to flee the horror. I stood paralyzed, my heart racing wildly.

Amidst the commotion, some arms came around me from behind and hugged me tightly. I was spun around so fast that I could not identify who it was. Everything was spinning around me in circles.....lights, sounds, movements all running into one confused haze.

I could not focus on their face. I could not speak. My mind was an empty space, stunned by fear and confusion. Darkness blinded me, and I fainted.