The little girl's face was damp with tears, her eyes red and swollen. She sat on the floor, watching her mother gather her things at the front of the house.
"This is all of her things, Mr. Edward. You can take her now," Edna said, her voice tight as she turned her head away, guilt flashing in her eyes.
Mr. Edward, a man in his fifties, smirked devilishly. "Very well, then."
He looked down at the little girl, who stared back with wide, tear-filled eyes.
"Come on, then," he muttered.
But she shook her head violently, spinning toward her mother.
"No! No!"
She stood, tugging desperately at her mother's skirt. "Mama! Please! Don't send me away. I'll do whatever you want. I won't cause trouble anymore!" she sobbed.
Edna kicked her away and turned her back on her daughter.
Two other children, a boy and a girl, stood silently at the corner of the house, watching the scene unfold.
Edward motioned to the two men beside him. "Take her—and her things."
One man slung her small bag over his shoulder. The other grabbed the girl and hoisted her up like a sack, tossing her over his shoulder.
"Put me down!! Let me go!! Mama!!" she screamed, thrashing against him.
But no one came.
In desperation, she sank her teeth into the man's shoulder. He let out a sharp grunt, blood trickling down where she bit him. He growled, glaring at her, but said nothing. The girl kept crying—louder now—as the house faded behind her.
⸻
Lady Eveline, a graceful woman in her thirties, led Esla down a quiet corridor and opened a door to a large shared room where several girls, some her age and others older, sat or lay on small beds.
Eveline crouched to her level.
"My dear, don't cry anymore," she said gently, brushing her hair. "You'll love this place. And you have so many friends here to play with, okay?"
"I want to see my mama," was all Esla could manage. Her voice trembled.
Eveline's chest ached. She hated this part.
"Sleep well, dear one," she whispered, closing the door behind her.
⸻
Outside, Eveline found Edward waiting. Her face darkened.
"You promised to stop taking girls who don't want to come," she hissed.
Edward turned casually. "Her mother begged me—pestered me. What could I have done? I helped the family."
"Nonsense!" Eveline snapped. "We can't keep doing this, Edward. If it happens again, I'm done with this organization."
"Now, now—chill, Eve. It won't happen again. I promise," he said smoothly.
Silence.
"Happy now?" he added, a smirk returning to his lips.
Eveline shot him a hard glare before walking away without another word.