"I was raised by Olivia. She is my whole world. If you keep making up these stories to get me back home, Maddie, I haven't said before that I wouldn't hit a woman."
I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down.
"Fine. Call Olivia right now and see if she answers. Then you'll know if I'm lying."
Emily interjected suddenly.
"Judging whether someone's in trouble just because they don't answer their phone is really childish."
Jason stopped dialing the phone.
"An hour ago, there was a serious car accident right outside this mall. You must have heard about it. The person hit by that car was Olivia."
At my words, Emily shrank into Jason's arms, her shoulders trembling.
Jason patted her back soothingly, then turned to glare at me.
"Maddie, Emily's mental health has been fragile lately. Stop saying things that will upset her.
"We did see the accident earlier. The victim was badly injured, covered in blood. If it was my sister, I would have recognized her, wouldn't I?"
The truth was, when I saw Olivia at the hospital, she was unrecognizable, covered head-to-toe in blood.
I was completely desperate and fell to my knees on the ground.
"Jason, Olivia gave me my life. I'm begging you, please save her. The person you saw... that was Olivia."
Thinking of Olivia lying in the hospital, waiting for a blood transfusion to save her life, I couldn't stop the sobs that escaped my lips.
The commotion drew a crowd of onlookers.
"Look at this scene, how shameless. The mistress showed up while the wife is pregnant and buying baby things. I'd have slapped her already if I were the wife."
"The wife is so patient. She's pregnant and this woman comes to cause trouble. She's going to face her retribution for sure."
The onlookers whispered.
I was sitting on the ground, the focus of their judgmental whispers, while Jason said nothing.
Emily, still nestled in Jason's arms, looked up and softly asked, "I saw a set of children's toys I liked. Can we go look at them?"
Jason nodded, guiding her away.
I suddenly sprang up, blocking their path, my eyes locked on Jason's.
"Do you really have to stay with this woman today?"
"Move, Maddie. Don't test my patience," Jason barked.
Emily, putting on a pitiful face, turned to me.
"I just wanted Jason to help me buy some baby things, Maddie. Do you really have to stop us?"
As she spoke, tears began to fall from her eyes.