She abruptly changed the subject, pretending to be sensible as she wiped away her tears, took Zeke's hand, and started to walk out, her voice full of humility: "I never thought of letting Zeke fight for anything. Since Sister Clara can't tolerate him, then I'll take him away now and never bother you again."
"Don't go!" Liam grabbed Vanessa's shoulder and turned to look at me, his eyes as cold as ice. Before I could say another word, he raised his hand and slapped me across the face. The sharp "smack" was particularly jarring in the silent corridor, and a burning pain instantly shot through half of my cheek, blood trickling from the corner of my mouth.
“Clara, I’ll say it again, now that I’ve decided to adopt Zeke, he’s my rightful son.” He grabbed my collar, his tone full of threat. “Whether you accept him or not, you have to treat him well! If you dare lay a finger on him again, I won’t let you get away with it!”