Chapter 168: Say It Again

Miriam glanced sideways at Chelsea. “So? You want to go find him?”

Chelsea nodded without hesitation. “Yes! Please! I’ll do anything you want. Just let him go!”

That caught Miriam off guard. She hadn’t expected her to actually agree.

“I’m not going to let him go. He’s too wild, too defiant. If I don’t teach him a lesson, he’ll never learn who’s in charge,” Miriam said.

Chelsea asked desperately, “Then what do I have to do for you to let him go?”

Miriam gave a low chuckle. “Well… maybe if you called me ‘Mom,’ I might consider it.”

Chelsea hesitated for just a couple of seconds before calling out, “Mom!”

Miriam was momentarily stunned, almost thinking she’d misheard. Out of all the kids she’d taken in, this was the only one who had actually called her Mom. And the way Chelsea said it, so softly, so sincerely, it filled her heart with unexpected warmth.

“Say it again,” she said.

This time, Chelsea didn’t waver. “Mom!”

“Good girl,” Miriam smiled, fully leaning into the role. “Sweetheart, what do you want me to do for you?”

Tears welled up in Chelsea’s eyes, making her look small and heartbreakingly helpless. “Mom,” she whispered, “please let Fabian go. He’s a good person; he’s never done anything wrong. I’ll be your daughter from now on. I promise.”

Miriam lowered her gaze thoughtfully. “I’ll consider your request,” she said slowly. “But just calling me ‘Mom’ isn’t enough to show you’re sincere.”

She nodded to herself. “Here’s the deal. Stay with me for a while. Once I feel the time is right, I’ll let that boy go.”

Chelsea hesitated, then asked cautiously, “Mom, can I…”

“Hm?” Miriam’s tone turned sharp.

Quickly correcting herself, Chelsea said, “Mom, can you please take me to my room?”

Only then did Miriam smile again. “Of course, sweetheart. I’ve got a beautiful princess room just for you. It’s filled with all the dolls little girls love. Once you move in, you’ll be my princess forever.”

Four more days passed. That day, Chelsea couldn’t hold back any longer. She went to find Miriam. “Mom,” she asked, “am I doing okay?”

After a short pause, Miriam nodded. “You’re doing quite well.”

Over the past few days, Chelsea had taken care of everything—bringing coffee, fetching water, washing her…

Chelsea studied her carefully before asking, “Mom, would it be okay if…”

She took a breath, trying to keep her voice steady. “Would it be okay if we let Fabian out? He’s really a good kid. After being locked up for seven days, I’m sure he knows what he did wrong.”

Miriam gently tapped her fingernails against the tabletop. That boy had never once begged for mercy. Honestly, she kind of admired that. Even most adults couldn’t manage that kind of strength.

She got up slowly. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go check on him.”

Chelsea was so excited she nearly squealed, but she quickly slapped her hand over her mouth and glanced nervously at Miriam.

To her surprise, Miriam gave a rare, soft smile. “You’re just a kid. You should smile more.”

Even though Chelsea had been obedient these past few days, Miriam could tell something had been missing. Now, with that smile, she realized what she’d been craving all along was a child’s laughter, not just quiet compliance.