Chapter 4
That afternoon, Sienna called me.
Her voice sounded soft and innocent. "Naomi, don't blame Samuel. You pushed him too hard, and he didn't know what else to do. Matthew's in bad shape. He needs his mother. Could you come back and see him?"
"And what exactly gives you the right to call me about this?" I asked.
Silence lingered on the other end for a few seconds. "I-I'm Samuel's friend. I'm your friend, too."
"Friend?"
I laughed. "Sienna, don't flatter yourself."
With that, I hung up.
Not long after, a photo from Sienna appeared on my phone.
In the picture, Matthew lay in a hospital bed while Sienna leaned over him, gently wiping his face. Samuel and Evelyn stood beside them. Their expressions were brimming with affection.
The scene was so harmonious that it was nauseating.
Moreover, a message accompanied the photo. "Naomi, we're all waiting for you to come home."
…
On the day of the hearing, the courtroom was packed with journalists, self-proclaimed good Samaritans, and all those so-called family and friends of mine.
Of course, they were all here to witness my downfall.
Samuel made his appearance flanked by Matthew and Sienna.
Matthew was in a wheelchair. His face was pale, and one of his arms was encased in a cast. The moment he saw me, tears immediately welled up in his eyes.
"Mommy, please don't divorce Daddy. It's all my fault. I promise I won't get sick again."
He cried so miserably that a wave of sympathy rippled through the gallery.
Evelyn was beside him. She wailed as she pointed at me, saying, "You're a curse! You bring nothing but bad luck to your husband and son! What on earth did we do to deserve someone like you?"
Samuel held Matthew in his arms, playing the role of the heartbroken but devoted husband. "Naomi, after everything that's happened, are you still going to keep this up? Are you really going to ruin our son's future just so you can get your way?"
Standing beside him, Sienna slid a tissue into his hand at just the right moment, comforting him in a gentle voice.
I watched their little performance without a trace of expression on my face.
Samuel's lawyer stood and began listing my "crimes".
He started with the wedding anniversary, where I failed to prepare a gift for Samuel, then moved on to Evelyn's birthday, where I hadn't slaved over the stove.
Finally, he brought up Matthew's car accident and accused me of abandoning him during his time of need.
One by one, every accusation was carefully presented to portray me as a selfish, cold-blooded, unreasonable, and cruel woman.
To finish, the lawyer produced a medical report from the hospital.
"Your Honor, my client's son, Matthew Hayes, suffered cerebral hypoxia due to the defendant's delay, and he may suffer long-term complications in the future.
"In addition, the defendant has subjected the child to emotional neglect for years, causing severe psychological trauma. We request that custody be awarded to Mr. Hayes and that the defendant pay one million dollars in emotional damages."
The judge looked at me with scrutiny and obvious disapproval. "Does the defendant have anything to say in response to these allegations?"
All eyes were on me, waiting for me to defend myself.
I stood up.
I didn't look at Samuel. Instead, I turned toward Sienna, who was seated in the witness box. "I have a question for Ms. Brooks."
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