Out Of Cell

LEXI

"Grandmother!" I shouted, a smile breaking on my lips as I ran toward her. The tears brimming in my lids flowed out freely.

"Oh, my daughter! You have really been cheated. I am so sorry," Old Lillian let out, wrapping her arms around me in a warm hug and patting my back soothingly. My emotions got the better of me, and tears slipped out of my eyes.

"Grandma!" I repeated, stifling back the snots that were planning to follow the tears out.

"It's fine now. Nobody will be able to touch you now. Not even my clueless grandson. Wipe your tears, my dear." She whispered reassuring words into my ears, running her hands down my back soothingly.

When the emotions swirling within me finally calmed, I broke the hug and pierced deeply into her eyes. "Thank you for coming to save me. I don't know what I would have done without you," I let out truthfully. It was so glaring that I would use weeks, if not months, in here if Old Lillian hadn't come. My husband, his family, and his concubine were so focused and desperate to get me out of their lives that they were determined to do anything.

She flashed a relieving smile at me and nodded. "Now, clean your tears. Let's go to my house. I'm never going to allow you to go back to that house. You are staying with me henceforth." She let out, dragging me to her car the moment we stepped out of the cop station.

"No... no.. no, grandma," I disagreed with her, smiling genuinely and pulling her back, causing her to stop and turn to look at me. Her brows creased in a questioning manner.

"What is it, Lexi? You wouldn't have been in this mess if I hadn't set you up with my narcissistic grandson. I brought this upon you, so let me make things right. I'm ready to adopt you as my granddaughter," Old Lillian spurted out with an unwavering gaze. I guessed she had made up her mind and nobody would be able to stop her.

"It's fine, Granny. You did nothing wrong. I know you wanted the best for the both of us. Don't beat yourself so hard. What happened is not your fault," I assured her with a sad, half-smile. "But I will not be going with you. I'm going home," I continued, earning a surprise look from her. I was certain that she must be thinking that I have gone mad. I mean, someone who is in her right state of mind wouldn't return to the same place she was treated like a doormat. But who will I leave my baby for? Who will I leave Isabelle for?

To Ryan, who is foolishly in love with his concubine? Or to Jasmine, whose body reeked of her horrible and annoying behavior?

"What! Why do you...?" Old Lillian wanted to ask a question, but I stopped her before she could do so.

"I cannot leave my baby there. I can't leave Isabelle with Ryan. And he will never let me take her with me. I just need to endure whatever shits they soiled me with," I explained, pains vivid in my shaky timbre. It was painful. Hurt by my helplessness. If only I had other choices. I was scared Isabelle would grow to experience the horrible and pathetic life her mother has been living.

Old Lillian glanced at me and opened her mouth, but no words crept out. She closed her mouth back and swallowed whatever she tried to say. Heaving, she patted my shoulders comfortingly and signaled for me to enter the car.

"Let's go. I think I need to set things straight in that house. I don't know how Ryan grew up to become a bastard," she gritted, ordering her chauffeur to start the ride.

Within forty minutes, we were already at the Middleton mansion. Stepping into the house, we met Emily and her mother, Zoe, in the dining room, wining and dining. I guessed it was all because of me. They were busy celebrating my downfall. Oh! The pain in their asses was gone. The bone clogging their throat had been taken away." I guessed that was what they were jubilating on.

Zoe sprang up as soon as she sighted Old Lillian. If there was someone who she feared, it was Old Lillian. They were never close because of her annoying character, and Zoe also wished Old Lillian could slump and die every day.

"Mother, why are you...?" She attempted to ask questions, but Old Lillian stopped her before she could do that. "Shut the crab, Zoe! What kind of a mother-in-law are you?" She growled, her eyes moving from the sumptuous meals on the table to Emily and to her mother. There was irritation in her eyes, and I could feel the terrifying aura that was emanating from her as I stood beside her.

Zoe and Emily swayed their gazes over me, throwing daggers. Even though I was unable to read their minds, I knew they must be cursing me and blaming me for bringing Old Lillian home.

"Mum,... I...," Zoe tried to talk again but she was shunned.

"You watched your own son arrest his wife, and you couldn't do anything. Instead, you sat here and were feasting with your daughter. What is the occasion? What are you both celebrating?" Old Lillian threw questions at them.

Emily rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed and terrified. Flashing a sheepish smile, she took steps closer to Old Lillian and said, "Grandmother!"

However, before she could reach her, she recoiled, causing Emily to touch the air. "And why are you so happy, Emily? I have told you a number of times not to follow your mother's steps, but you refused. Is this the type of life you want to live too? To become a witch to your son's wife? To scare her away?" She reprimanded her in a threatening and harsh tone. After pausing briefly, she continued, chuckling, "Tssk! Tssk!! I don't pity you. I pity the family you are going to marry into. I just hope they will be benevolent and patient enough to keep up with this overbearing character of yours," she added.

Tears lingered in Emily's eyes with her mouth pouted as she fought with the tears threatening to fall from her eyes even though they were crocodile tears.

"Grandmother!" She cried out.

"Lexi is back, and she's back for good. I am here to warn you guys. If anything happens to even a strand of her hair, you will have me to contend with. And tell that foolish grandson of mine to see me before 24 hours ends," she said in a commanding tone.

Without waiting for their response, she returned her gaze to me and mumbled a few words of encouragement and assurance to me. "You are not alone, Lexi. I am always here with you. My door is open if you cannot do it anymore. I will gladly adopt you and make you my daughter." After saying this, she patted me and prompted me to go to my room before she leaves, which I did.

Emily's and Zoe's eyes turned bloodshot as they watched Old Lillian hop into her car and leave the compound. If only look could make a car explode, Old Lillian's car would have.

"That bastard! How did she manage to inform Grandma that she had been taken away? I have suddenly lost my appetite after seeing her ugly, nauseating face," Zoe gritted, clenching her fists and seething with anger.

Meanwhile at the hospital, Ryan's eyes almost popped out of the sockets as he jumped up from the swivel chair he was sitting on. "What! What do you mean by she has a kidney failure? How could Jasmine have a kidney failure all of a sudden?"