I Stopped Loving Him When He Let Me Bleed Out novel Chapter 227

"Dad," York sobbed.

Finn immediately withdrew his hand.

Sienna stepped sideways, placing distance between them.

Finn walked over to York.

Sienna's lower back still burned from his touch.

She pulled herself together and walked over to Maya.

Crouching down, she gently held Maya's arm.

"Did you hit him?"

Maya puffed out her little chest.

"I did. He deserved it."

"Who started it?" Sienna knew there had to be more to the story.

Maya answered without hesitation.

"I hit him first. I wanted to beat him up!"

Sienna's expression turned stern.

"Maya, you can't do that. You have to be reasonable."

"He wasn't being reasonable, so I wasn't going to be reasonable either."

Maya kept her chin raised. Her eyes were red, but she stubbornly refused to cry.

Across the room, York was hiding behind Finn's leg. His head was bowed, tears silently splashing onto the hardwood floor. Despite his crying, he looked incredibly stubborn, refusing to make a sound.

Finn crouched down to meet York's eye level.

"Did you say something to her?"

York remained silent.

Knowing York's personality, Finn was certain the boy had said something offensive.

"York, tell me, what did you say?"

"I said she didn't have a mom," York hiccuped through his sobs. "I didn't mean it... I didn't know her mom passed away."

Maya's head snapped up.

"You dare say it again?!"

Sienna gently squeezed her shoulders to calm her down.

York shrank further behind Finn.

"I didn't do it on purpose."

Maya glared at him, the tears pooling in her eyes finally spilling over.

"You're a liar. I'm not motherless. I have a mom."

She looked up through tear-filled eyes and gripped Sienna's hand tightly.

"She is my mom!"

Sienna's heart ached for the little girl. She pulled Maya into her embrace, cradling the back of her head so she could bury her face in her shoulder.

Though Sienna didn't utter a word, the protective gesture spoke volumes. She was silently agreeing.

"I'm a boy, not a man."

Maya was momentarily speechless, then scoffed.

"Fine. We'll let this go today. But if you ever mess with me again..."

York shook his head vigorously.

"I won't! I promise I won't."

The crisp sound of leather dress shoes clicking against the hardwood floor echoed down the hall.

Silas strode in wearing a light gray tailored suit with platinum cufflinks, his executive assistant trailing behind him.

His gaze swept over everyone in the room, but he didn't ask what had happened.

"Maya."

Maya ran over and grabbed Silas's hand, looking up at him with a sudden, radiant smile.

She looked so sweet and angelic, completely unlike the fiercely bristling kitten from moments ago.

"Dad, Mom just protected me."

Sienna's stomach dropped.

Sienna hurried over, feeling so incredibly awkward she didn't know where to look.

She looked at Silas apologetically.

"Mr. Hayes, there's a reason she called me that. Just now..."

"It's fine." Silas met her eyes. "Maya likes calling you mom. As long as you don't mind, it's not a problem."