Chapter 11 I Saw Mommy

A group of individuals burst through the door as Paula and Richard were discussing their next move. "You're a fortunate CEO, Mr. Hatcher! When will you repay the eighty million dollars debt you owe us?" It turned out that these people were from a debt collection agency, and they had the Hatcher family surrounded. "What... What is going on?!" Paula said, gasping for breath. Richard shouted, "Stop! Do you have any idea who we are? The Crawford family in Clodston are our relatives!" Unfortunately, the Crawford family car had already driven away, leaving Richard with no support. The two rows of black Maybachs were so intimidating that onlookers kept their distance. The miserable Hatcher family stood in stark contrast... The burly men from the debt collection agency laughed. "Oh, that's quite a reputation. You claim to be the Crawfords' relatives, but do they even care about you?" Richard's face turned bright red! The people from the debt collection agency were all hooligans. How could he get them to listen to reason or stop beating him up just because he was weak and old? Immediately, a resounding smack was heard as Richard and Paula were both slapped hard and fell to their knees! Violence of every kind, including punching and kicking, was directed at them. After some time, Paula and Richard both had swollen faces and bruised noses. They wailed in agony. Everything was falling apart. The once impressive Hatcher family had suffered a mental breakdown after being humiliated in front of everyone. In the end, the villa was emptied, and all the luggage was thrown out. Debbie, with blood covering her face, was also thrown out. The entire family was in a pathetic state! The nearby residents whispered to each other. "Do you know? That little Hatcher girl is the granddaughter of the Crawford family in Clodston!" "What?! That skinny little girl? The one who lost her mother at the age of two?" "Oh my goodness! It must have been so hard for the Hatcher family. I would have lost my mind if I were them!" "They deserve what happened to them! I once saw that child being punished by standing outside in the heat. I said a few words and got scolded by Old Mrs. Hatcher." "Hahaha! Didn't that old lady always say that her granddaughter is the family's curse? They're probably regretting their past actions now!" Whether the Hatcher family's regret was genuine or not, the onlookers clearly enjoyed their misery from a distance. They deserved it indeed! Stephen kept coughing, his ears buzzing as he spat out bloody foam. "Stephen, how are you?" Debbie cried, concerned. Paula vented her anger on her, saying, "Why are you crying? Where were you earlier? Why didn't I see you just now?" "I saw Lilly just now, so I begged her to forgive Grandpa and Granny because they're old... but she refused..." Debbie sobbed. Paula's hatred grew, and she blamed Lilly for all the humiliation they had suffered that day. They had raised that wretched girl for more than three years, hadn't they? She had no gratitude at all! She was an ungrateful child, just like her dead mother! That wretched little girl cursed her own mother and caused her death. She also led to her son's bankruptcy and brought ruin upon them. All of this was because of her! The more Paula thought about it, the angrier she became. She wanted to say that they didn't care about Lilly, but now that they did, she wanted to hold onto her and never let her go! Paula had no outlet for her grievances, so she could only curse inwardly, wishing bad luck upon everyone in the Crawford family! ... Anthony tapped his fingers on the car screen and sent a message, saying, "Get rid of the Hatcher family." "Kill them?" came the reply from the other end. Anthony sneered. "Kill them?" He couldn't possibly commit murder to deal with some trash. Even if he desired revenge, the Crawford family must remain innocent. "Let them experience something worse than death." Lilly sat quietly in the car, holding her stuffed rabbit and parrot. Hugh softened his tone and tried to appear friendly. "Lilly, let's go home!" Gilbert added, "Our home is in Clodston. We'll be taking a plane later." Lilly obediently nodded and remained silent. The cuteness she had when she was coaxing the parrot had disappeared. But it was still better than before. Hugh's heart ached. Lilly's obedience made him feel worse. Only children who grew up in a traumatic environment would be so quiet. How much had Lilly gone through to become like this? "Let's... Let's go home," Hugh murmured. Suddenly, Lilly asked, "Grandpa... Can we bring Mommy's ashes home too?" Hugh sadly nodded. "Okay. Let's all go home together." Lilly felt relieved. The Crawford family had chartered a private plane. Lilly looked out the window at the sky, and the clouds seemed to fly alongside her. She craned her neck, then set down the stuffed rabbit and crossed her arms, resting them on the plane window as she peered outside. "Lilly, what are you looking at?" Bryson asked, smiling warmly. "Uncle Bryson, are we in the sky now?" Lilly asked, turning her head. Bryson nodded and said, "Yes." She had never been on a plane before... Suddenly, Lilly asked, "Then, is Mommy up here?" Bryson and Gilbert, who were sitting nearby, were stunned and both exclaimed, "What?" Lilly lowered her eyes, looked out the window silently, and said quietly, "They said Mommy died and went to heaven... So we can see Mommy later, right?" Lilly was looking out the window with her back to the crowd, tears welling in her eyes. She knew that the story she had been told, that anyone who died would be in heaven, was a lie told to children. Mommy wouldn't be up here in the sky... But she couldn't help but feel excited. She really wanted to see her mother here... All of a sudden, Hugh's eyes filled with tears. The other brothers were also silent, their heads turned to look outside, their fists clenched tightly. Gilbert cradled Lilly in his arms and whispered softly, "Lilly, it's time to sleep. You can see your mother in your dreams when you fall asleep..." Lilly murmured in agreement, her tears silently streaming down her cheeks as she nestled in Gilbert's embrace. Uncle Gilbert is lying too. She had fallen asleep countless times, but she had never dreamt of her mother even once. Unbeknownst to Lilly, she had drifted off to sleep. A faint glow emanated from the red string encircling her wrist, barely noticeable unless one paid close attention. In her dream, Lilly felt a warm sensation enveloping her body, as if basking in the sunlight. She felt incredibly light, almost as if she could soar through the air... Surrounded by fluffy white clouds resembling cotton candy, Lilly cautiously reached out, plucked a small piece, and placed it in her mouth. Her eyes sparkled with delight. It was also sweet! A gentle and familiar voice called out from behind her, "Lilly..." Lilly's eyes widened, and she turned around to see her mother standing not far away. Her mother gazed at her with teary eyes. "Mommy!" Lilly rushed over and was embraced tightly by her mother. Jean tenderly caressed her little head and whispered, "From now on, Lilly, Grandpa and all your uncles will be your family. You must live a happy life, alright?" Tears streamed down Lilly's cheeks as she obediently replied, "Yes, Mommy. I will." Jean continued, "Grandma is also in poor health. Can you help me take care of Grandma?" Lilly nodded vigorously, struggling to hold back her tears. I will. I will definitely take care of Grandma. Jean smiled. She was about to say more, but her figure began to glow faintly and fade away. "I love you, Lilly. I will always love you!" Lilly called out to her mother in her slumber, her face drenched in tears...