Wings Of Fire As Humans ~ 3 ~ {GLORYBRINGER}

[24] Before It's Too Late

This is the flashback that I had written but apparently not published :/ (ps. This was supposed to be published, like, two books ago, but anyway–)

~Glory~

"I won," Grandeur said. "Hand her over."

"She is still my daughter," Pear said fiercely, clutching her newborn close to her chest. Tears stained her face as anger took over.

"Biologically, sure, but she doesn't have to know that," Grandeur said, casually shrugging. "And you lost custody."

"Because you lied to the judge!" Pear cried. "She didn't give the right verdict. This isn't fair! She is my daughter! Will I ever even get to see her again?"

"Never," Grandeur snapped. "Never ever. I told you so. I warned you. I warned you that the men of the outside world were horrible. I had a perfectly arranged marriage awaiting you, and you threw that all away! Now where's your boyfriend, huh?"

"You killed him!" Pear yelled. "Well, I'm pretty sure you did because he literally just disappeared, and he loved me. He'd never leave me! He was so happy when he found out I was pregnant, and the only person who wasn't was you."

"Hand her over, Pear," Grandeur snapped. "I will raise her right this time. You're nothing but a disappointment."

"You won't get to raise her in a cage with all these–these ridiculous rules!" Pear cried. "She deserves freedom, Mother! She deserves what I never had!"

Grandeur marched forward and snatched the now crying infant from Pear's arms. "Get out of my house and never show your face here again! Or, so help me, I will get you arrested!"

"But—my baby!" Pear said, now crying. She reached for the infant, but Grandeur pulled away, frowning. "Please. Let me at least say goodbye. Please."

Grandeur thought about it before scoffing, "No," shoving Pear out of the house, and slamming the door in her face.

"*"

I ran my fingers through my hair, gently laying down the loose strands. I was trying to be as elegant as ever, my demeanor calm and appropriate.

Clear mind. Clear mind.

I touched up on my makeup–lightly–and then clipped on some black earrings embedded with silver.

Deathbringer entered the bathroom, standing behind me, close. He stared at me through the mirror, but I pretended I didn't notice.

"Glory–"

"I'm fine," I instantly said, searching my makeup bag for soft lipstick. Deathbringer sighed, resting his hands on my waist from behind me.

"It's okay if you aren't."

"But I am," I said.

"But your outfit–you don't usually–"

"It's what my mother would have wanted," I replied, finally glancing up to stare back through the mirror.

"She would have wanted for you to be happy," Deathbringer softly said, hugging me closer. "And you aren't."

I finished applying the lipstick and put it away, grabbing ahold of my purse.

"You don't know what she would have wanted," I said a little harshly as I brushed past him out of the bathroom and headed downstairs. Ember was there, crouched in front of Silver and Cosmo as she filled their cat bowls.

The earthquake hadn't caused too much damage, but we did lose a lot of silverware. The dust took forever to clear out, and some precious family photos were broken, but no one was harmed, which was saying a lot for this family.