OUT OF THE ASHES

CHAPTER 5

Celine finally arrived home. Her mother Rebecca Ross had already finished cooking lunch. Although she was over forty years old, no one could determine her age.

With a tall, slim, and trim figure, her exquisite face seemed to lack the wrinkles that would be present with age. It was as if the events from a year ago had not harmed her at all.

"You're home! I've just finished cooking." Rebecca smiled as she welcomed them.

"How are you, Auntie?" Annie greeted her politely but her eyes were whirling as she looked around the room.

Since they were forced out of the Garcia family home with nothing on their backs, they only lived in a small one-room apartment.

"The little one is fast asleep and won't be awake for a while. Wash your hands first and eat. The baby will be up soon." Rebecca knew what Celine was thinking. After she spoke, she turned around and walked into the kitchen before serving all the dishes.

Celine cast away the suffocating feeling of Renan Montenegro's sudden appearance and walked toward the cradle to pick up the sleeping baby, planting a kiss on his little face while he was sound asleep. Indeed, all of her worries melted away as soon as she saw her baby.

Although Annie knew that the little one was asleep, she circled over and gazed upon his expressionless yet adorable sleeping face. She could not help but sigh. "How could something so small be so cute?" He was so cute that one would feel the urge to nibble on him.

"For that, you'd have to see the person who gave birth to him," Celine replied complacently as she carried the little baby to the dining table.

Rebecca smiled as she watched them while calling them for the meal.

"You've been taking care of my daughter since she was pregnant in school. There's no need to be courteous in this house, this is your home as well."

"Of course I won't hold back. Your cooking is so delicious, auntie! Courtesy would be a crime," Annie grinned as she replied. She then picked up her spoon and fork, and began eating.

"Mom, she's like a locust, why are you saying these things to her?" Celine replied without a hint of politeness. She was carrying the little baby with one hand while eating her food with another.

Due to the addition of Annie, their lunch was very merry and was filled with laughter.

However, since Annie had to rush to catch the train back home, she had to leave soon after lunch but managed to wait for the little darling to awaken.

The little baby did not cry or make a fuss when he woke up. His large eyes only looked around and his little lips gurgled as if he was speaking his own language. He also waved his little hands as if he was waving goodbye to his godmother.

After sending her roommate off, Celine carried her son back into the apartment. She held his tiny hand with one hand and cooed, "Say Mommy, Mommy."

"Ya ya..." He opened his little mouth and drooled.

"Mom, Mom, get the camera! Take his picture, quickly," Celine exclaimed excitedly. If her son ever becomes as icy and cold like a certain someone, she could use this to commemorate the fact that her son had once been adorable.

Rebecca looked at her daughter helplessly as she cleared the dining table.

Celine placed her son on the sofa as she took photos of his silly and cute face with her phone.

"Mom, I ran into Renan Montenegro today," Celine murmured as she took more pictures of her son.

Rebecca paused as she was wiping the table. The corners of her lips still retained a gentle smile.

"How did you run into him?"

"He knows about the little darling, so..." Celine slowly replied in a slightly anxious voice.

"When you were pregnant back then, it had been such a big matter and I never agreed for you to keep it from him. Now that he knows, it could be a good thing as well," Rebecca softly said. She put her cleaning cloth down and washed her hands before taking a seat next to Celine. "What did he say?"

"He wanted the child but I don't want to give the baby to him. I was the one who gave birth to this little one," Celine replied, feeling depressed. She always felt that the child was hers alone. Otherwise, she would not have hidden it when she was pregnant.

For someone who was soon to become an ex-wife, there was no need to mention that she was expecting, right?

Rebecca knew that her daughter was still bothered by the events which had happened a year ago. She reached out to stroke her head while saying, "But he's the little baby's father, isn't he?"

"I just don't want to give in to him. I gave birth to him and raised him… Why should I hand him over just like that?" Celine childishly replied and pulled her son into her arms.

The little baby blinked his large eyes. He tried to push his mother's face with his tiny hands but to no avail. His tiny arms were too short and he could not reach her. He could only gurgle in place.

Rebecca stared at her daughter helplessly. "Then what do you plan to do? You don't understand Renan's character. There's nothing he wouldn't be able to do if he puts his mind to it."

Celine knew this very well, and it was the reason she was upset.

"Why don't I take the baby and run away?" Celine stared and blinked at her mother, feeling that this was not entirely impossible.

Rebecca rose to her feet straight away. She was too lazy to even spare her daughter a glance as she replied, "You think about it. Whatever Renan Montenegro wants you to do, it's best that you do it. Even better, don't drag me, your mother, down with you."

The corners of Celine's mouth pricked up as she stared at her mother, who was walking back to the bedroom. She could not stop herself from blinking.

"Mother, I'm your flesh and blood," she cried out. How is it possible that a mother could be like this? She really wanted to cry.

"Rubbish. If you're not my biological child, do I need to fear being dragged down as well?" Once Rebecca had said her piece, she shut the bedroom door.

Celine pursed her lips and lowered her head to gaze at the gurgling little baby. She was curious how Renan suddenly found out about the little one as he was clearly in the dark all this time.

Early the next day, Celine was yanked up from the bed by her mother while she was still asleep.

"Renan Montenegro called and asked you to hurry over. Come on, wake up," Rebecca said as she slapped her daughter's bum.

Celine yelped. She then sat up and stared resentfully at her own mother. Even if her mother was selling her own daughter off, would anyone else be in such a hurry to get rid of her?

" I don't want to go, I want to sleep more," Celine murmured. She lay down once again, clearly expressing that she did not want to move.

But Rebecca didn't listen to her, she even started packing all her possessions along with the little baby's things.

"Get up, quickly. There's only one room here and you shouldn't sleep with your mother all the time," Rebecca said as she pulled her daughter up from the bed.

Celine cried out and scratched her head as she stared at Rebecca. "Mom, be honest with me. Did you hate me? That you wanted to sell me off because you hated me?!"

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