Chapter 4 The Unraveling

Vivian clutched her cheek, stunned. "Mom?"

With tears streaming down her face, Daniel's mother shook her head. "I'm not your mother. I raised you, and gave you all the care I could, and once you graduated, we cut those ties.

"Your name was taken off our family registry. Don't call me 'Mom' anymore. There's no blood between us."

With one arm around Vivian, Daniel looked at his mother, pleading, "Mom, this isn't her fault. I'm the one responsible here. Isn't it enough that you sent her away for all those years? She's even expecting our child now."

Clutching her chest as if to shield herself from further pain, his mother replied, "To me, there's only one grandchild, and that was Noah. She can't be part of our family with a child, thinking it'll change things. She can forget about it!"

Daniel's father supported her, his gaze heavy on Daniel. "All our efforts raising you, teaching you what was right and just, and this is where we end up? You're a disappointment!"

Daniel retorted, "I