Engagement Gift

"Ask away." Scarlett said with a laid-back attitude.

Natasha picked up her phone and dialed James' number, and it only rang slightly before dropping off.

She tried again repeatedly but it never connected even once.

"Is there any problem dear?" Beatrice inched closer wearing a frown.

"I can't call James, there is no network at the moment." Natasha explained.

"I guess it can't be helped." Edward said. The crease on his forehead reduced a little.

Scarlett stood wearing a smug smile.

She knew this would happen. In her past life, the rain fell so heavily that it scrambled the nation's networks, and an apology for the inconvenience was posted on the news the next day.

"If there is nothing else, I'm going up to my room now."

"Wait." Natasha stopped her from leaving. She wasn't done with her just yet.

"Scarlett, have you thought about the gift you would give me and James for our engagement?" She poked around.

Here it comes. Scarlett decided to play along.

"I haven't prepared anything." She replied truthfully.

Beatrice picked up Natasha's signal, "Scarlett, your sister just got engaged, how could you not have prepared any gifts? Are you really so heartless?"

"I've said this already, I don't have a sister like her!" Scarlett scoffed irritably.

"Scarlett, I know you blame me because James chose me instead of you, but you can't be angry at me forever," Natasha sounded aggrieved, "What can I do to make it up to you?"

"Do you want me to break up with James? Alright, I will do it so be nice to me..."

"You shall do no such thing, Natasha." Beatrice cut in, "Scarlett how could you ask such from your sister?! It's not her fault, James likes her instead of you. Plus you are already saddled with a bastard! Aren't you being too selfish?!"

"It is you and your daughter that are bastards!" Scarlett couldn't refrain from cursing.

Natasha was clearly trying to show off her relationship at Scarlett's emotional expense again. If it was in the past she might have been hurt but now she felt nothing but contempt for this conniving bitch.

"If Natasha wants to break up, it's up to her. I'm not in the least bit interested in her ugly matters."

"That's enough!" Edward's voice thundered, "Scarlett you have gone too far this time. You must compensate for this by transferring your shares in Skyrim Hospital to Natasha as an engagement gift. It's the least you can do after all the trouble you've caused."

Scarlett scowled. Finally, their true intentions for this pointless brawl is out.

In this life, she has the opportunity to protect her late mother's hospital, she wouldn't make the same mistakes as last time.

"My mother's hospital shares is one of the few things she left for me before she died. Why do you think I will give it out so easily?"

Edward leered, "What do you mean by your mother's? She might have been the CEO but I built up the hospital with her from scratch. That means it also belongs to me."

Edward always had an inferiority complex to his late wife. She could always do everything better than him and had also turned out more successful than him. He couldn't help feeling less of a man around her.

Now that he was reminded of this shortcoming he became livid.

"Hmph! Asking you to sign it over is just a formality, I can put Natasha in charge of the hospital at my whims. Now, I am giving you some face by asking, you must do it! Must you question my authority every time? Don't overestimate yourself." He grinded.

"Natasha, why have you suddenly turned so quiet? Tell them you don't need a gift from me. My good wishes should be enough for you, right?" Scarlett sneered.

Natasha always pretended to be a saint who only had Scarlett's best interest at heart but gets bullied in return. But now she doesn't even feign disinterest nor try to stop Edward. 

That was how badly she wanted to snatch the hospital away from Scarlett.

Natasha hadn't expected the attack, "I - I…" She stuttered.

Beatrice greedily chipped in, "Scarlett, don't be unreasonable. With the way things are going, the hospital will soon go bankrupt. Why don't you just give it to Natasha? You wouldn't be able to take care of a child and run a company at the same time."

Bankrupt? That was all bullshit.

Skyrim Hospital grossed hundreds of millions of dollars annually under her mother's management. Sure, it might be less performing now that she was dead but it was far from going bankrupt.

Scarlett snickered, "Really? I see why you don't have anything to your name at this age, Beatrice. Your backward mentality made sure of that."

Beatrice turned livid, clearly insulted by Scarlett.

She continued, "Sorry to disappoint, my mother was able to do it with me. I'll also be able to manage well with my child."

Edward's eyes darkened, "It would be pretty hard to do that while living on the streets with your daughter."

Scarlett suddenly became silent, she knew Edward was threatening her.

Cherry had always been her weakness and this family of hers never spared an opportunity to exploit it for their selfish benefit.

Natasha smirked. She knew this was the end of the road.

"Alright, I'll sign it." Scarlett succumbed.

"Good. A lawyer will come with the necessary documents tomorrow. Now get out of here, you reek."

Throwing her away after getting what they want. Classic.

"Goodnight Scarlett. Remember there is a lot of cake in the fridge if you want some." Natasha said sweetly.

Scarlett spared her not another glance and walked up the stairs. 

She only agreed to their unreasonable demands this time to get them off her back. If Edward decided to throw them out, she had a hundred and one ideas to easily take care of herself and her daughter.

Till she gets out of here she can only make them think she is still someone that can be easily controlled.

Once one is too relaxed, they let their guard down and become more clumsy in their deeds. She shall exploit such clumsiness by playing dumb.

"Hmph, finally a decent opponent I don't beat under thirty seconds," The little girl sitting on the bed vigorously tapped various buttons on her tablet's screen filled with green strings of data, with an excited look on her small face.

"Ha, he set up a stronger firewall, how smart!"

Scarlett watched cherry by the door frame overwhelmed by emotions.

°Mommy's back° °Mommy's back° °Mommy's back° A cheery multicolored parrot squawked excitedly as it flew around in circles.

Fefe's squawking had alerted little cherry. She immediately abandoned her tablet and yelled happily, "Mommy!"

She got off her bed and ran to hug Scarlett at the door.

"Oh, my sweet cherry!" Scarlett hugged Cherry tightly and began to cry.

Now that she'd set eyes on the most important person since her rebirth, Scarlett couldn't help but shed tears.

She was glad to have not been reborn a time before she conceived Cherry. No matter the circumstances, Cherry was not a mistake.

She was her whole life and this time she would make sure nothing bad happened to her!

Fefe's settled on Scarlett's shoulder and rubbed his head against her cheeks °Welcome mommy, welcome mommy.°

"Thank you, Fefe." Scarlett said, releasing Cherry from the hug.

"Mommy, why are you crying?" Cherry pouted her small lips worriedly and held her mother's face, "Did grandma and grandpa bully you again?"

Scarlett smiled, "Mommy is not crying because she is sad, mommy just loves Cherry so much her eyes can't stop watering. It's happy tears, not sad tears"

Cherry still looked unhappy, "But I don't want mommy to cry, even because of me."

Scarlett chuckled at her sweet innocence, "Alright mommy won't cry anymore. Are you happy now?"

Cherry nodded with a smile. Her cheeks puffed up so cutely.

"Have you eaten dinner yet?"

"Yes mommy, I also fed Fefe some seeds. She likes the new bag." Cherry replied.

°Seeds, seeds° Fefe flapped her wings happily.

"It's good you enjoyed it, Fefe. I'll buy that brand from now on."

"Ah! I've made you directly." Scarlett spotted mud on Cherry's clothes.

"Come on, let mommy give you a warm bath." She led Cherry into the room and closed the door behind her.

"Mommy I am five years old. I'm mature now and I know how to bathe myself." Cherry said proudly.

"Mature, really?" Scarlett was amused.

"Yes." She nodded.

"I see. Mommy forgets sometimes that you are growing up so fast." Scarlett sighed.

Cherry noticed that her mommy looked sad and quickly said, "I'm too tired today, please bathe me, mommy."

Scarlett marveled at Cherry's sudden change of mind, "Alright, I'll run you a nice warm bath now."

Scarlett bathed Cherry and wore her some fluffy nightwear before taking a shower. 

She tucked Cherry in and told her a fascinating animal story filled with moral lessons. Cherry loved animals so she listened carefully.

"... and that's why little kids shouldn't tell lies." Scarlett concluded.

"I'll be very honest mommy," Cherry said with a yawn.

"Good girl. Now go to sleep, you have school tomorrow." She kissed Cherry's forehead and properly covered her with a blanket.

"Okay mommy, goodnight." Cherry said sleepily.

°Goodnight mommy° Fefe cooed, resting on Cherry's pillow.

"Goodnight my babies." Scarlett grabbed Cherry's tablet and left her little room, softly closing the door behind her.

Cherry's eyes opened when Scarlett left. She'd asked her mommy about the mud in the bathroom but she had not given her a straight answer.

Cherry was sure evil grandma and grandpa had bullied her mommy. She closed her eyes, thinking with renewed resolve.

"I must work harder to find daddy soon. If I find daddy no one would ever bully mommy again!"