Less than a year after his divorce from Christina Yates, Liam Horton already regretted it.

He desperately begged her to remarry him. When she refused, he had her parents abducted and strapped with explosives.

"Chrissy, I love you. Don't push me to the point where I have to hurt you," he said, a crazed light in his eyes. "You've got 30 seconds. If you still won't say yes, I'll kill your parents, and then I'll die with you!"

Unwilling to drag her parents down with her, Christina could only agree to marry him again.

Liam changed profoundly after they remarried. He traded the dazzling nightlife for a quiet life centered entirely around Christina. Once a pampered heir who never knew his way around a kitchen, he now found joy in cooking for her, meticulously preparing three meals a day with his own hands.

On their first Valentine's Day back together, he spent a fortune showering Los Angeles in rose petals. The city was drenched in a crimson rain of roses—a spectacle of breathtaking romance.

Swept up in this whirlwind of romance, Christina nearly believed he had truly changed.

Then, one day, she went to the hospital to visit her father, but the moment she stepped inside, she saw Liam and a doctor pushing a gurney out.

The person lying on it was none other than Eleanor Sheridan, Liam's childhood sweetheart.

Eleanor cradled a newborn in her arms. Though she looked weak, she wore a happy smile. "Liam, look at our son. He's so cute..."

Liam looked down at her and wrapped his arms around her gently, as if she were something precious and fragile. "Thank you for everything."

Christina froze where she stood. For a moment, she couldn't even believe what she had just heard.

His friends showered him with well-wishes. "Liam, congratulations!" one of them said. "Your wife is truly amazing. You've got a healthy baby boy now."

Liam's expression turned cold. "Watch your words. My wife is Chrissy."

"Oh, right, my mistake. I almost forgot you two remarried," the man said quickly. "Christina divorced you because of Eleanor, and now Eleanor's had your child. What if Christina finds out—"

Liam cut him off in a chilling tone. "That's exactly why she can't find out.

"If this gets out, I will make you pay!"

Everyone fell silent at once.

At that moment, Christina pushed the door open and walked in.

The atmosphere instantly grew tense. Liam quickly let go of Eleanor. "Chrissy, what are you doing here?"

Christina smiled. Perhaps because he had already cheated on her once, she didn't feel any pain this time. She didn't cry or make a scene, and when she spoke, her voice was calm. "I came to congratulate you on your son."

"Chrissy, you've misunderstood." Liam panicked. "I didn't cheat on you. Eleanor got pregnant before we remarried.

"When I found out, I tried to force her to terminate it, but she refused. I had no choice but to hide her away...

"Chrissy, you have to believe me. I did have feelings for her before, but I don't anymore. You're the one I love. You're the only person I'll ever love in this lifetime."

Liam kept saying he loved Christina, yet behind her back, he had a child with another woman.

Christina said nothing. She walked straight up to Eleanor and slapped her across the face.

Tears immediately streamed down Eleanor's cheeks. Dragging her weak body, she dropped to the ground in front of Christina. "Chrissy, I know you hate me, but the baby is innocent... Please, don't force Liam to cut ties with me. I don't want anything, and I won't take him away from you. I just want my child to grow up with a father..."

Christina raised her hand again, her face expressionless, ready to strike a second time.

This time, Liam seized her wrist midair.

"Chrissy, that's enough," he said, his face dark. "Ellie just gave birth!"

Christina glanced at him coldly. "Didn't you just say you have no feelings for her now?"

Liam's expression darkened further. "That's true, but she just gave birth to my child. I can't just stand here and watch you treat her with such contempt!"

He had probably forgotten that before their divorce, Eleanor had slapped Christina multiple times, right after she lost her unborn baby.

Back then, he had looked on without a word, but now he couldn't tolerate even a second slap from Christina in return.

Exhaustion filled Christina's eyes. "I'll stop if you go with me to the courthouse right now and file for divorce."

Liam's face twisted with rage. He grabbed her chin and spoke through clenched teeth. "Divorce? Absolutely not. Chrissy, unless I'm dead, you're not leaving me.

"Last time, you tricked me into signing the divorce papers, but I won't fall for that again. This time, I'll read every document you give me word for word. Don't even think about fooling me into signing anything again!"

Since he refused to divorce her, Christina didn't bother wasting another word. She raised her hand again to slap Eleanor.

Liam's chest tightened, and almost instinctively, he shoved Christina hard.

Caught off guard, she fell to the ground, the back of her head slamming against the corner of the table as warm blood ran down through her hair.

Without looking at her, Liam pulled Eleanor into his arms and helped her to her feet.

"Ellie, are you okay?" he asked, worry etched across his face.

Christina took a deep breath. She quietly pushed herself up from the floor and walked out.

Outside the hospital, the sunlight was blinding.

She pulled out her phone and dialed a number. "You were right. Liam let me down again.

"Luckily, I followed your advice and had a friend arrange a fake marriage certificate.

"I'm leaving him, but before that, I need to make sure my parents are settled and safe.

"Help me get them out of the country quietly and keep them hidden. Once they are safe, I'll leave."

A low, pleasant male voice came through the line. "Consider it done. I'll get it taken care of in a week."

After hanging up, Christina drove to the post office.

After her last divorce, she had tried to escape, but Liam had caught her and confiscated all her ID and passport, afraid she would run again.

He held every one of her documents tightly in his grasp, determined to strap her to his side.

Fortunately, with a friend's help, she had secretly replaced her ID. Now, once she got a new passport, she could leave him for good.

This time, the ID was under a new name. Liam would never be able to find her again.

At the office, she submitted her application. After verifying her information, the clerk handed her a receipt. "Everything checks out. Come back in seven business days to pick up your new passport."

She thanked the clerk and drove back home.

The moment she pushed the door open, a strong milky scent filled the air, along with the soft cries of a baby.

In the living room, the staff bustled around setting up a crib, formula, bottles, and all kinds of baby supplies. Eleanor, dressed in light pink cotton loungewear, leaned against the couch, holding the baby and softly coaxing him. The household staff surrounded her, some handing her toys, others bottles, all busily attending to her.

Liam was there as well, smiling as he coaxed the child. The moment he saw Christina, his first instinct was to step in front of Eleanor.

That single action spoke volumes.

"Chrissy, I can explain," he said, stopping her, his voice carrying a rare note of panic. "Ellie just gave birth and is too weak. I can't let her stay out there alone. If anything happens to her, I'll feel guilty for the rest of my life.

"I promise, once she's recovered, I'll send her away immediately—"

Before he could finish, Christina cut him off coldly, "You don't need to explain. I don't care."

Liam froze. He had prepared countless explanations and even imagined Christina crying, screaming, or throwing Eleanor's belongings out in a rage. He had even thought about how he would calm her down if she lost control.

However, she did none of that. That simple "I don't care" caught him completely off guard.

A surge of irritation rose in him. "How could she not care?" Liam wondered.

With that restless anger building inside him, he almost instinctively tried to provoke her, wanting to see some sign that she still cared. "Since you're being so generous, that works out. Ellie needs something nourishing while she recovers, and she doesn't like what the nanny makes. You're a good cook, so go make her some chicken broth."

He thought Christina would finally snap.

No woman could endure the humiliation of serving her husband's mistress during postpartum recovery, yet Christina said nothing and headed straight into the kitchen.

Liam's pupils trembled as he stared at her slender back. There was no satisfaction in him, only growing unease.

Christina lit the stove, boiled water, and prepared the ingredients. Half an hour later, she came out carrying a pot of steaming chicken broth.

She set it on the coffee table, took a mug, and ladled out a serving.

Eleanor reached out to take it. "Chrissy, thank you—"

Before she could finish, Christina tilted her head back and drank the entire mug.

"Liam, take a good look," Christina said coldly. "I drank this myself. There's no poison in it. When she drinks it later, whether she gets a headache or a stomachache, it has nothing to do with me."

With that, she threw the mug onto the floor and turned to leave.

A year ago, Eleanor had been hospitalized and said she didn't want anything except the BBQ ribs Christina made.

Christina hadn't wanted to cook, but Liam forced her into the kitchen. Enduring the humiliation, she made a platter of BBQ ribs with trembling hands.

After Eleanor ate, she began vomiting and having severe diarrhea and was rushed to the hospital.

The doctor diagnosed her with food poisoning.

Back then, what had Liam done?

He had gone completely mad, refusing to investigate or listen to Christina's explanation. He was convinced she had acted out of jealousy and deliberately poisoned the food.

As punishment, he had a doctor prepare a dose of potent poison, then grabbed her chin and forced it down her throat.

"Since you like poisoning people so much, you can have a taste of it yourself!"

That night, Christina writhed in pain on the cold tiled floor. Her face was pale as paper, her clothes soaked through with cold sweat. Half-conscious, she kept calling his name, begging him to save her.

However, Liam stayed upstairs with Eleanor.

It wasn't until the next morning that he discovered Christina had passed out from the pain, blood pooling beneath her.

That had been their first child, gone before it had even formed.

The memories surged back, and Christina closed her eyes, unwilling to think any further.

At that moment, Liam pushed the door open and walked in.

He seemed to recall the same incident, and his expression shifted. "Chrissy, I was wrong about you before, but I've already made it up to you. Stop bringing up the past. You're making things awkward for everyone."

Christina froze.

She had endured an entire night of agony and lost her child, yet in his eyes, it was nothing more than something that could be "made up for."

Furthermore, it was something she wasn't even allowed to mention again.

Bringing it up meant she was being unreasonable and deliberately making everyone uncomfortable.

"If you don't want me to bring it up, then don't make me live with her," Christina said calmly. "I can move out and make room for you two."

"What are you saying?" Liam snapped. As if afraid she might actually leave, he pulled her tightly into his arms. "Chrissy, you're my wife, the rightful Mrs. Horton. This is your home, and you're not going anywhere.

"I'm not letting you go. You're staying by my side, no matter what."

At that moment, a baby's cry rang out from outside.

Immediately afterward, a maid knocked on the door. "Mr. Horton, something's wrong with Mr. Theodore. Please come check on him."

Only then did Liam reluctantly release Christina. "I'll go check on him. I'll be right back."

After saying that, he turned and left.

He never came back that night.

Christina was already used to it. She turned off the lights and went to sleep, no longer waiting through the night like she used to, only to be left heartbroken.

The next morning, she was woken by Eleanor's cries. "Theo, what's wrong? Please wake up. Don't scare me like that..."

Christina frowned, turned over, and went back to sleep, unwilling to get involved.

Half an hour later, Liam kicked her door open, his face dark.

"Chrissy, tell me what you did last night," he demanded in a tone that brooked no argument as an oppressive aura radiated off of him. "Tell me the truth, and I won't punish you."

Christina had seen this kind of scene far too many times a year ago.

Now that the same drama was playing out again, she only found it tiresome. "Liam, what are you losing your mind over this time?"

Liam's expression turned viciously ugly. He stared at her as if he wanted to tear her apart alive. "Theo is unconscious. The doctor said he was given an overdose of sleeping pills."

At that, Christina let out a laugh. "Let me guess. You haven't investigated anything, and you don't have a single piece of evidence that I did it, but that doesn't matter. The moment Eleanor sheds a tear, you decide I'm the one responsible.

"Liam, doesn't this feel familiar to you? Aren't you and Eleanor tired of pulling the same stunt over and over again? I know I am."

Liam let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Chrissy, you really won't give up until you're staring death in the face.

"Since you want evidence, I'll give you evidence."

With that, he tipped his chin toward his men. They immediately brought in a projector, and he played the surveillance footage from the nursery the night before.

In the video, the nursery lights were off, leaving the image dim and grainy. Around three in the morning, a figure slipped in through the door. The person moved stealthily to the crib, bent down, and fed the baby something.

The figure kept her back to the camera the entire time. Her face wasn't visible, but the footage clearly showed she was wearing a light purple silk nightgown.

It was identical to the one Christina was wearing.

Even the figure's build and hairstyle looked remarkably similar to hers.

As soon as the footage ended, Liam stepped forward and slapped her across the face. "Christina Yates, what else do you have to say for yourself?

"I thought you just didn't like Ellie, but I never imagined you would go as far as to hurt a newborn!

"I've told you again and again that once Ellie recovers, I'll send her and the baby away. They'll never threaten your position, so why would you still do something this cruel?"

The slap landed hard. Christina's ears rang, and a trace of blood appeared at the corner of her lips.

She lifted her head and looked at him, her gaze bloodshot and filled with grief. Then, she gave a faint, desolate smile. "Liam, there's nothing left for me to say to you."

The footage hadn't shown her face, only the nightgown, which wasn't some one-of-a-kind piece. It was an ordinary design that anyone could buy at a department store.

Yet, Liam had taken that single, common nightgown as proof and decided the person in the footage was her.

Some people would never change.

No matter how deeply he regretted it, no matter how sincerely he cried or how desperately he begged, he would never change.

"Christina, what did you just say?" Liam suddenly reached out and grabbed her chin, his expression dark and dangerous, as if her words had struck a nerve. "What do you mean there's nothing left for you to say to me?

"Have I not spoiled you enough? Theo is my son! You almost killed him! Even so, I didn't plan to do anything to you, because I know how much you suffered before. I feel sorry for you. Even if you really did something wrong, I couldn't bear to punish you!

"If you had just told the truth when I asked you earlier, I would've forgiven you. Instead, you denied everything and kept bringing up the past to guilt-trip Ellie and me. I've had enough of it!"

He paused, his dark eyes turning cold and venomous. "Guards, drag her to the chapel and make sure she stays there. She doesn't leave until Theo wakes up."

December brought biting winds, and the Horton family's chapel was built on the shaded side of the estate, where the cold seemed to gather, leaving the place devoid of any warmth.

Christina wore only a thin nightgown as she was pinned to the cold, hard stone floor. The chill crept up from her knees, gradually seeping into her bones until even her bones ached from the cold.

Liam had probably forgotten. A year ago, for Eleanor's sake, he had locked Christina in an ice cellar for three days and three nights.

Since then, her body had never fully recovered, and she could no longer endure the cold.

Now, he was using the same method again, forcing her to stay in the chapel in the dead of winter.

Past and present overlapped, and Christina let out a quiet, self-mocking laugh.

This was the last time.

"Liam, once I leave this time, we will never see each other again for the rest of our lives," she vowed to herself.

Time slowly trickled by. Christina sat in the chapel from day into night, and from night into the next day.

By the end, her legs had gone numb and throbbed with pain, as if countless needles were piercing deep into her bones. Her body temperature dropped, her lips turned purple, and the cold air filled her lungs until even breathing felt like a slow, relentless torture.

Just as her consciousness began to fade from the cold, a small, warm body suddenly threw itself into her arms, tiny hands wrapping around her.

"Mommy..."

The soft, childish voice snapped Christina back to awareness. She looked down and saw her daughter, Clarissa Horton.

Clarissa had always been kept at the Horton's manor, raised personally by Liam's mother, Fiona Horton. This was another way Liam controlled Christina. As long as he had their daughter, Christina wouldn't dare run.

Three days from now was Christina's birthday, and she had been allowed to see her daughter that day as an exception. She had originally planned to take Clarissa with her when she left.

She hadn't expected her to come tonight.

Christina pulled her into her arms. "Clary, why are you here?"

"Grandma...went to see Theo," Clarissa said, her words slightly slurred. "Theo!"

A chill ran through Christina. Liam had promised that once Eleanor finished her postpartum recovery, he would send her and the child away. Now that Fiona already knew about her grandson, there was a low chance that the baby would really be sent away.

"Theo! Awake!" Clarissa tugged on Christina's hand, pulling her toward the door.

Led by her daughter, Christina walked to the large floor-to-ceiling window in the main building's living room.

Through the glass, she saw Fiona holding the baby, smiling as she gently coaxed him. Liam and Eleanor stood beside her, the three generations gathered together in warm harmony.

The soft yellow lighting inside made the scene feel warm and peaceful, a sharp contrast to the freezing wind outside.

Several household staff passed through the back garden, whispering among themselves, "Mr. Theo actually woke up two days ago. He's been lively and can drink almost half a bottle at a time."

"Really? Then why is Mrs. Horton still in the chapel? Should we go tell her?"

"Are you trying to get yourself in trouble? Mr. Horton clearly wants to wear her down. We're better off minding our own business."

A gust of cold wind blew through, and something icy struck Christina.

It was hailing.

The pellets were tiny, yet when they hit her skin, they felt painfully cold.

As it turned out, Eleanor's son had woken up two days ago, yet Liam had never told her. He had let her stay in the freezing wind for two full days and nights without a word.

If her daughter hadn't come, she would have continued staying there through the night.

Perhaps it was simply too cold as Christina finally couldn't hold on any longer. Her vision went dark, and she collapsed into unconsciousness.

The last thing she saw before she fainted was her daughter's tear-filled eyes.

When Christina woke again, she found herself lying in her bedroom.

The room was warm, and a thick wool blanket covered her body. An IV needle was inserted into the back of her hand, while a half-empty IV bag hung beside the bed.

Liam sat next to her, gripping her hand tightly. His sharply defined face showed clear signs of exhaustion and worry. "Chrissy, you're finally awake. How do you feel? Is anything bothering you?"

Christina turned her head away, making it clear she didn't want to speak to him or even look at him.

Her rejection was so obvious that it made Liam's chest tighten with pain.

"Chrissy, are you blaming me?" he asked, his voice slightly hoarse. "This is on me. I've been busy taking care of the baby these past few days, so I didn't get to you. You still matter to me. I had someone watching over you in secret, and I specifically told him to report everything to me immediately, no matter how big or small.

"I didn't expect that useless idiot to slack off. You even fainted, and he didn't notice. Don't worry, I've already dealt with him. This won't happen again."

He was still lying.

Everything about taking care of the baby and arranging for someone to watch her was nothing but an excuse.

He hadn't changed at all.

Christina lowered her gaze, hiding the exhaustion in her eyes. "Where's Clary?"

That was the only thing she said after waking up.

Liam's expression darkened immediately, and a trace of dissatisfaction laced his voice. "Chrissy, I stayed by your side for two days and two nights, and the moment you wake up, you won't even look at me. All you care about is the child. You don't care about me at all."

Christina let out a soft laugh, then looked at him calmly, her eyes completely devoid of love. "I was in the chapel for two days and two nights, and you didn't come to see me either.

"Clary came. I haven't seen her in over a year, yet the moment she returned, she came straight to me. Liam, what makes you think you can compare to her?"

Liam's face darkened with suppressed anger. Although he was on the verge of losing control, he knew he was in the wrong, so he forced himself to look away and spoke in a cold tone. "My mother took Clary back with her. Tomorrow is your birthday, and I'll bring her over then.

"Everyone in the house is busy taking care of Theo right now, so no one has time for Clary. She'll be better taken care of there."

Christina found it almost laughable. Eleanor could keep her child by her side, yet she couldn't even see her own daughter.

Between the two of them, it was hard to tell who was the wife and who was the mistress.

There was no point in saying anything more. Christina closed her eyes, too exhausted to argue.

Seeing her silent and withdrawn, Liam grew more irritated, yet he still softened his tone. "Chrissy, don't do this. You'll see Clary tomorrow. Have some oatmeal first, because you've been unconscious for two days and haven't eaten anything."

Christina didn't respond at all, as if she were nothing more than an empty shell.

A restless anger rose in Liam's chest. He hated seeing her like this because it felt as though he had completely disappeared from her world.

"Chrissy..." he began, clearly wanting to say more, but before he could continue, someone knocked on the door.

"Mr. Horton, Mr. Theodore just threw up again. Please come take a look."

Liam had no choice but to stand. "Chrissy, get some rest. I'll go check on him."

With that, he hurried out.

Christina closed her eyes and refused to think about anything anymore. She only wanted to get through this final day and leave him forever.

That evening, a maid entered carrying a steaming mug of chicken broth.

"Mrs. Horton, Mr. Horton had this prepared for you. Please drink some to warm up."

After being unconscious for two days and two nights, Christina was indeed hungry.

She picked up the mug and took a small sip.

The moment the liquid touched her tongue, she realized something was wrong.

This wasn't chicken broth.

She frowned, then used a spoon to scoop from the bottom of the mug, lifting out a strangely shaped piece of meat.

"Christina, do you taste it?" Eleanor's voice suddenly came from the doorway. She leaned against the frame, smiling faintly. "Your precious Clary is in that mug."

It felt as if something had exploded in Christina's mind, making everything inside her shatter into pieces.

"Ah!"

A scream tore out of her throat, sharp and distorted, almost inhuman. She hurled the mug at Eleanor and lunged at her like a lunatic.

"Eleanor Sheridan, you monster! What did you do to Clary?

"Murderer! I'll make you pay for this with your life!"

She grabbed Eleanor by the throat and struck her wildly. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her sanity collapsed, leaving behind nothing but raw hatred and madness.

Eleanor struggled to breathe, yet a strange, triumphant smile flickered across her face. She didn't fight back and only weakly clawed at Christina's hands, putting on a helpless act as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Chrissy...let go. I can't breathe..."

Right on cue, Liam appeared in the doorway.

"Christina Yates, what are you doing? Let go of her!"

He pulled Christina away with one hand, then stepped forward to shield Eleanor, who had collapsed to the ground, coughing. "What's wrong with you? Ellie made you broth out of kindness. Why would you treat her like this?"

His protectiveness toward her was as clear as day.

"She killed Clary!" Christina screamed, her voice breaking and soaked in despair. "The broth she made me drink was made from my daughter!"

The accusation was so horrifying that Liam froze. He turned to Eleanor in disbelief. "Is that true?"

"I didn't!" Eleanor cried, tears streaming down her face. "It's just chicken broth!

"Chrissy, are you losing your mind? I'm a mother, too. How could I possibly do something as horrifying as cooking your daughter and feeding her to you?

"Clary is perfectly fine. She's at the Horton's manor with Madam Horton. If you don't believe me, we can call right now and have her brought over."

Without any hesitation, Liam immediately ordered someone to bring Clarissa back from the Horton's manor.

Half an hour later, his men returned with her.

"Mommy!" Clarissa cried as she ran straight into Christina's arms.

Christina froze in place.

Clarissa was alive, so what had been in that mug?

Realization struck her instantly, and she looked up at Eleanor.

Eleanor stood behind Liam, her lips curling into a smug, satisfied smile.

At that moment, Christina understood everything.

This had been a setup from the very beginning. Eleanor had deliberately lied to provoke her, just so she would lose control in front of Liam.

"Christina, do you see it now?" Liam's voice was ice-cold. "Clary is standing right here, perfectly fine. What else do you have to say?"

Christina closed her eyes. She had lost, and there was nothing left to say.

Eleanor crossed her arms and wiped her tears, looking wronged.

A long gash marked her arm, which had been caused earlier when Christina lost control and cut her with a shard of porcelain.

That injury, combined with her pitiful expression, erased the last trace of warmth in Liam's eyes and replaced it with cold, violent fury.

"Christina Yates, you actually made up something as insane as her cooking your daughter alive just to drive Ellie away?

"You've beaten her into this state, so even I can't defend you anymore. Guards, slap her a hundred times.

"From now on, think carefully before you speak, and make sure you know what you can and cannot say."

As soon as he finished speaking, his men stepped forward, forced Christina to the ground, and began striking her face.

After only two blows, blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.

"Mommy! Don't hit Mommy!" Clarissa cried as she rushed forward. One of the men swung his arm without hesitation and struck Clarissa across the head.

Her small body was sent flying before crashing to the ground, blood instantly seeping from her head.

"Clary!" Christina struggled desperately to get up and reach her daughter, but Liam's men pinned her down so tightly that she couldn't move at all.

Liam simply watched coldly and said, "Keep going. Make sure she learns her lesson."

The blows continued one after another.

By the time it stopped, Christina's face was already a bloody mess, and she couldn't even speak.

Only then did Liam seem satisfied. "You and Clary can stay in your room and reflect. I'll take Ellie to the hospital."

With that, he left while protecting Eleanor.

Christina was in so much pain she was on the verge of passing out, yet she still forced herself to crawl toward her daughter with the last bit of strength she had left. "Clary...how are you? Wake up. Don't scare me..."

The small body in her arms didn't move, didn't cry, and had no warmth at all. The only movement was the blood slowly flowing from the wound on her head.

Christina froze as her trembling hand reached for her daughter's pulse.

There was no heartbeat.

Her daughter was dead, on the very night they were supposed to leave.

Just as despair completely consumed her, her phone suddenly rang. When she answered, a familiar male voice said, "Chrissy, I've already sent your parents abroad and arranged new identities for them. They're safe now.

"Your visa is ready, too. I picked it up from the post office, and I'm outside your house right now. Are you coming with me?"

Christina didn't say a word. She held her daughter's small body and slowly walked toward the door, step by step.

Outside, a black Rolls-Royce was parked on the dark asphalt road.

She got into the car with her daughter in her arms, then gently kissed her cold little face as tears streamed down uncontrollably.

"Clary, Mommy's taking you away from here," she thought. "Don't be afraid, because this time we'll never be separated again."