I Forgot I Ever Loved You (Zoe and Hayden) novel Chapter 145

Zoe refused to leave Lily's side.

Barely half an hour after they returned home, Lily finally fluttered her eyes open.

"Mommy—"

Seeing Zoe sitting right beside her, Lily instantly threw her arms around her neck.

Every trace of the terror from the hospital vanished.

Her mommy hadn't lied to her. Her mommy didn't let that scary Aunt Sienna take her away.

Her mommy really loved her.

Lily was so overwhelmingly happy.

Zoe frantically checked every inch of her daughter.

"Where did they take you? Did they hurt you? Are you hurting anywhere, baby? Tell Mommy. If anyone laid a finger on you, I swear I'll destroy them."

Lily sniffled and shook her head, her tiny hands refusing to let go of Zoe's shirt.

"I fell asleep after they carried me away. I don't remember anything. But I know you really love me, Mommy."

For as long as Lily could remember, she had always assumed her mother disliked her just as much as her father did.

She only ever felt like her mother needed her around for appearances.

Zoe would take her places, braid her hair, and dress her in pretty clothes.

But she never took her out for treats or to the amusement park.

Every single meal she ate was strictly controlled.

It was always bland food she hated, though Mrs. Gable constantly insisted it was "nutritious."

She saw other kids laughing and eating with their parents all the time.

But she had never once shared a meal with her daddy.

And her mommy always felt distant, hard to hug.

Lily thought she must be a bad girl, which was why neither of them loved her.

But Mommy was so different now.

She even fought that mean Aunt Sienna's brother to protect her.

Before, Mommy never did that.

Even when her older cousin bullied her, Mommy stayed quiet.

Sometimes she would even scold Lily instead.

And Lily never understood what she had done wrong.

Holding onto Zoe's neck, Lily alternated between sobbing and giggling.

Mommy was protecting her.

Lily ran over. The two ugly turtles the mean boy had drawn on the doors yesterday were gone.

This car looked even more stunning than the one her mother had picked her up in.

Zoe's lips curled up slightly.

Her mood hovered between neutral and annoyed.

She assumed Hayden had simply sent her car to the shop for a fresh coat of paint.

But when she pressed the unlock button on her key fob, nothing happened.

Mrs. Gable rushed over with a brand-new set of keys.

"Ma'am, Mr. Thorne asked me to give these to you. He said he bought you a new car so you can drop the little miss off at school in style."

Zoe let out a soft, mocking snort.

Only after his precious sweetheart's kid destroyed her property did he suddenly decide to play the generous husband.

She snatched the keys, completely devoid of gratitude.

If he thought throwing a luxury SUV at her would make her forget about Sienna, he was an idiot.

He could buy her whatever he wanted, but Sienna was still going to pay for the damage to the original car.

Business was business.