The Invisible Wife Turned Savage novel Chapter 194

194 A Child in the Crossfire

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Selene let out a harsh laugh. “If I’d been stupid enough to have that child, he’d probably be fighting me for custody now. He just wanted to leech off my womb.”

Her eyes reddened. “I really did love him once. I was just too blind to see what a selfish man he was.”

Lana cursed under her breath. “Men like that deserve to rot alone. Any woman who marries them is doomed to a lifetime of misery.”

Estella, who had known her own share of suffering in marriage, squeezed Selene’s shoulder gently. “Leaving him behind means our days can only get better.”

Selene took a swallow of wine, trying to press down the ache in her chest. “That relationship used up every ounce of pain I had to give in this life.”

Lana scoffed. “You brought it on yourself by falling for that loser. What did you even see in him?”

Selene sighed. “Back in high school, he looked a little like a celebrity. That was enough to fool me. Forget it. No point dragging it out. I’m single now, and that means I can find as many handsome boyfriends as I like.”

She forced out a laugh, but the sorrow still flickered in her eyes. “If you take love too seriously, you only end up suffering. Better to keep things light. Men aren’t worth the weight.”

Lana poured her a glass of juice. “Go easy on the alcohol. The way you’re drinking, you’re making me worry. Next time you date, don’t get attached. Do it my way—stay single, no commitments, live free and happy.”

By the end of the night, both Selene and Lana were drunk.

Estella, the only one sober, carted the two of them back to her place. Thankfully, they were quiet drunks, collapsing on the bed without fuss.

While they slept, Estella slipped out to buy some medicine. When she returned, she ran into Jonathan–accompanied by a boy no older than seven or eight.

“Mr. Bennett, who’s this?” she asked curiously.

“A client’s son,” Jonathan explained.

Estella’s eyes went straight to the bandages on the boy’s face and arm. Her heart tightened. “Has he eaten? Let me make him something.”

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15:01 Mon, Oct 27 B…

Chapter 194 A Child in the Crossfire

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The child shrank behind Jonathan, wary of strangers.

Jonathan looked down at him, then back at her. “If you don’t mind, could you?”

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She nodded and ushered them inside. In her kitchen, she prepared two steaming bowls of macaroni and cheese.

The boy’s name was Arthur, seven years old, from a struggling neighborhood nearby. Jonathan had found him on the street. His mother had been badly injured–severe enough to be taken straight into intensive care. Arthur, less hurt, had nowhere to go, so Jonathan brought him back.

Arthur ate quietly, then curled up on the sofa to watch cartoons.

Estella joined Jonathan in the kitchen. “What happened to him?”

“His father beat both him and his mother,” Jonathan said grimly. “I called the police, but they brushed it off as a family matter. According to Arthur, his father refuses to divorce, so they can’t get away. I’ve decided to take their case.”

Once, Jonathan never would have touched cases like this. But after seeing Estella’s scars, watching Nathaniel’s relentless torment, he’d begun to change. Compassion for her had broadened into compassion for women and children suffering the same. His firm now offered legal aid–free help for those with nowhere else to turn.

Estella’s chest ached for the boy. “Send him to my arts center during the day. He shouldn’t be left alone, and we’ve got teachers who can keep him busy. It might distract him from everything.”

Jonathan’s voice softened. “Thank you.”

She smiled faintly. “I want to do something for him too.”

The next day, on her lunch break, Estella took Arthur shopping for clothes.

The boy tugged at her sleeve nervously. “Ms. Hayes, I already have clothes. If you want to spend money on me, could you give it to my mom instead? She needs it for her medicine.”

Her throat tightened as she patted his head. “You’re a good boy, Arthur. But don’t worry–Mr. Bennett is already paying for your mother’s treatment. You just let us handle that.”

She picked out warm coats, sweaters, and fleece–lined pants, then led him to the shoe store.

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