Chapter 3 Bloodsucker

"I am her mother!" Sophia Smith retorted harshly, glancing at Lily before kicking the easel in front of her. Her defiant manner was intimidating, forcing others to back off. "This is a family matter between this wretch and me. It's none of your business. If you dare, call the police on me. What's wrong with disciplining my own daughter?"

Lily was accompanied by several children, all of whom were frightened by this scene and began crying loudly.

Parents at the door, protective of their children, raised their voices in questioning, "What's going on? How could someone just walk in? Is this how an art school should be secured? We didn't bring our children here to be scared!"

"What's it to you if I'm disciplining my daughter?" Sophia Smith, being pointed out and criticized, rolled up her sleeves, ready to confront the crowd.

Emily hastily caught hold of her, exchanging glances with Lily.

Lily quickly closed the door to the art room, leaving Emily and Sophia Smith inside while she went out to calm down the parents and their children.

"Enough, mother!" Emily pleaded, desperation in her eyes. "I won't go back with you! Don't come to my workplace to cause trouble for me anymore."

Sophia was taken aback by her usually obedient daughter's sudden defiance. Furious, she retorted, "What do you mean? I raised you, and now you're disowning your own mother?"

The words hit Emily hard, a pang of sorrow welling up in her heart.

It was her mother who had first rejected her, valuing her far less than her brother. Perhaps it was all because she was a girl...

"I've moved out and even gotten married. Please stop planning to use me to exchange dowry with the Johnsons!" Emily tried to lift her small face, holding back the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Married?! Who have you married?"

"That's none of your business!"

Sophia Smith stood defiantly, shouting, "I don't care about you, a shameless bitch, getting married. Hmph, you wretched woman, if you don't give me the money, I'll chase all of your students out!"

She knew better than anyone how shameless her mother could be. If she didn't hand over the money, her mother was indeed capable of such a threat.

Suppressing the sob that threatened to break in her voice, Emily took out her mobile phone, opened her account balance for her mother to see, "I only have two hundred dollars. If you make a scene and cost me my job, you won't get a cent."

Upon hearing this, Sophia Smith's eyes darted around, finally slackening her grip, having verified that Emily's bank account was indeed sparse. She nodded, a satisfied smile spreading on her face, "Transfer it all."

Emily silently transferred all her money, watching her mother's departing figure with a painful heart.

Blood ties between parents and their kin could not be severed.

She felt as though she was being held in a tight grip by a massive hand, unable to escape her fate, no matter how she tried.

After Sophia Smith left, Emily stepped outside to apologize to the parents, led the children inside, and tried her best to regain her full spirits, ready to start the new lesson.

Fortunately, the children were very cooperative. Although they were frightened earlier, Lily had calmed them promptly, and they were not affected much.

At the end of the day, she voluntarily undertook the task of tidying up the art room. After all, Lily had also been affected by her issues today.

After everything was cleaned and arranged, she left the school of arts, not rushing, not dawdling, just walking away.

Outside the door, a figure watched Emily depart, silently squinting their eyes...

Emily didn't immediately head home after work, but hopped on a bus to the nearby suburb, seeking out a local supermarket.

Seven-thirty. Past the dinner rush, the shelves were filled with discounted prepared food. She meticulously picked through the offerings, loading her shopping cart before heading home with her ample haul.

What she didn't expect, however, was that as soon as she unlocked her door, a figure unexpectedly and without warning barged in from beside her.

Emily was startled and looked up to see her mother angrily staring at a man sitting on the couch, storming towards him with fury.

"So, you're the one who got Emily pregnant, huh!? Did you think that hiding from me, I wouldn't find out where the two of you were living?"

Sophia barked, pulling at his collar.

James, noticing Sophia's invasive gesture, his eyes grew cold as ice, and with a swift motion of his hand, he pushed her off, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground.

The action was so unexpected, Sophia didn't have time to react. She hit her head on the coffee table and cried out in pain.

Emily hastily put her shopping aside and rushed to help her mother, "Mother, why are you here?"

Sophia, using Emily's strength to get back up, pushed her away violently.

Emily stumbled back, but thanks to his quick reflexes, James caught her around the waist to prevent her from falling.

Emily looked at him gratefully, a wave of fear washed over her and instinctively, she touched her belly.

Meanwhile, Sophia was furious, she began to curse uncontrollably: "You little bastard! How dare you lay your hands on me? This is not over!"

She gave Emily a stern glance before turning her gaze to James, "But if you marry Emily, we can consider your dowry of $600,000 settled. Otherwise, I will force Emily to sue you for rape!"

Emily's pupils dilated in shock, "Mother! Have you lost your mind?!"

"Shut up! You dare to speak up, you little bitch? Do you think you have any say here?"

A chilly smile spread across James' handsome face, "Go ahead and sue me, let's see how that goes for you."

The oppressive aura emanating from the man made Sophia flinch, her lips trembling, she didn't dare to say anything more.

The contempt on James' face and Sophia's brazen fury were like two towering mountains, stifling Emily, making her feel suffocated.

Faced with her own mother tearing her self-respect to shreds, Emily's expression grew increasingly dim, her gaze turning dull.

Not to mention that night when she herself went into James' room, now she was already married to James, and even carrying his child.

Such audacity by her mother to demand money, it was clear that she had never considered Emily's feelings, nor had she considered that Emily would have to face her soon-to-be husband and their unborn child.

Moreover, they were merely contractual husband and wife...

Emily trembled slightly, whispering an apology to him: "I'm sorry."

She then firmly held her mother: "Mom, I beg you, please leave. As soon as I have the money, I'll transfer it to you."

"What's going on? Did he sleep with you and not pay you? Got married without a dowry? It's already shameful to be pregnant before marriage, and now you want to be a free spirit? Plan to let others sleep with you for free for a lifetime?"

Sophia regained her spirit, recalling the intimidating gaze of that youngster earlier, her face changed, and her words became even more harsh!

Yet, James didn't spare her a glance, his voice cold as he said to her, "If you cannot handle your family matters, I won't hesitate to help you eliminate unwanted intruders."

His words, though offensive, were straightforward.

Her heart tensed: "Mom, this house belongs to someone else. If you don't leave, I'll call the police and report you for trespassing!"

Having said that, she took her phone and opened the dial interface.

Seeing that Emily had started to dial, Sophia was alarmed.

She was just a common citizen after all; she didn't have the gall to get involved with the police over such a matter.

She hastily snatched Emily's phone and hung up, then, with an effort, she grabbed her purse and pushed Sophia out the door.

Seeing she couldn't win over Emily, Sophia eventually gave in.

"Let me tell you this, this isn't over yet!" she spat.

Emily closed the door, then turned to meet James's indifferent gaze. She stood awkwardly in the hallway, motionless for a long time.

The man tilted his head to look at her, slightly lifting his chin, gesturing her to sit.

She took a deep breath, touched her stomach, and sat across from him. She picked up the warm cup on the table, gently took a sip, suppressing the turmoil within her.

For some reason, this James gave her a sense of pressure, as if he was an authoritative figure... Yet, clearly, he was just a servant.

"I know what you're trying to say, but my mother..."

"That's your problem. However, if your family continues to behave in this manner, once the child is born, I will take him away. I won't let my child grow up in such an environment."

Low quality, advantage, offspring as an item to be bartered. Such thoughts swirled through James' mind, his features hardening.

Emily was taken aback, a wave of immense panic welling up inside her. She shook her head instinctively, "Impossible! That's my child!"

"Do you reckon you possess the ability to provide for the child? During the ten months of your pregnancy, I will shoulder all the expenses, but if you can't handle your relationship with that woman..."

James hadn't finished his words when she cut him off, "I can!"

She absolutely couldn't bear the thought of her child being taken away!

But recalling her mother's visage, a hint of pain flickered in her eyes.

James watched her, his expression icy.

When she had faced Mrs. Sophia earlier, her fear was palpable. Even though she had managed to escape from that house, he didn't believe she had completely freed herself from them.

Those relatives, blood-suckers by the look of them, weren't easily cast aside.

When necessary, he wouldn't hesitate to disregard her wishes, satisfy his grandmother, the mere existence of the child would suffice, and who its mother was, didn't matter.