The Billionaire Ex-Wife and the Beggar He Became novel Chapter 449

Winona shielded Tiana with her body, her eyes lifting to look at her daughter's blood-smeared face, tear-streaked cheeks, and swollen forehead.

Her heart felt like it was hemorrhaging.

"Tell Mommy what's happened to you these past few months," Winona pleaded through her tears.

"If you're not trying to die, then get out of the road!" the driver yelled, laying on his horn.

Winona finally snapped back to reality. She scooped Tiana up and quickly retreated into the residential complex.

A crowd of onlookers had gathered both inside and outside the gate.

Winona wanted to take her home, but Tiana spoke up, her words muffled by her bloody, gap-toothed mouth. "Mommy, I'm not going back with you. I don't want to scare Mommy. I hurt Mommy, I'm sorry. Mommy will be scared of me. I won't go back with you."

She struggled to get down from Winona's arms.

Fearing she might try to harm herself again, Winona gently set her down.

She soothed Tiana in a soft voice, "No matter what Tiana did to Mommy, Mommy isn't angry anymore. Just tell me, what happened to you?"

Tiana's eyes remained dazed, empty, and lifeless.

Julian, Janetta, Forrest, along with Yves Prescott, Mia, Zane, and Helga, had all gathered around Tiana, their faces etched with concern.

Though Tiana's eyes were vacant, they were brimming with tears, so full that her pupils were barely visible beneath the shimmering surface. Her forehead was a swollen purple knot, her cheeks were chapped from the tear tracks, and her small lips were caked with blood that had smeared all over her chin. Her slightly parted mouth revealed the gaps where several baby teeth had been.

She hadn't cried out loud or complained of pain once. She just stood there, empty and silent.

The onlookers began to cry.

"This is the most pitiful child I've ever seen in my life. She reminds me of a newborn kitten abandoned on the street—terrified, lost, bullied by other animals, with no way to fight back, so she just stops feeling the pain… It's too tragic!"

"Sweetheart, I'll never secretly meet up with my female colleague again. I'll give you every single penny of my salary. Please forgive me. From now on, let's talk things through and be more understanding. Let's never get divorced, okay?"

"Okay, honey!"

"Let's go home."

A young couple on the verge of divorce decisively chose to stay together for life.

Winona's voice was raw from crying. "Tiana, I promise you, Mommy will never, ever leave you. I will always love and protect you, until the day you're grown up. Please come home with Mommy, okay?"

"Tiana, come back with your mom. Aunt Mia loves you."

"Tiana, great-grandma loves you, my poor child… sob…" Great-grandma's cries were filled with sorrow.

Zane wrapped both his arms around Tiana. "Who hit my sister?" he sobbed. "I will go hit them back…"