The Bound Between Us

Chapter 385

The little girl’s reaction made Herman frown.

“Layna, you haven’t told us how you found your way here,” Anastasia said quickly. “Did you come alone at this hour? Does your dad know?”

“Duncan isn’t my dad,” Layna boasted proudly. “Mom, I took a cab here all by myself. Duncan wanted to keep me from coming back to you, but I didn’t let him have his way.”

Such malicious words were not what one would expect from a girl who was not yet five years old.

Anastasia frowned at Herman. “This is the child I was telling you about.”

Herman’s first impression of the child was that she was impolite, but he held his tongue since she could be Anastasia’s daughter.

“This child snuck out, Anastasia said. “I’ll call her father to inform him, and then we’ll send her back.”

Upon hearing this, Layna started to cry. “Mom, don’t you want me anymore? I don’t want to go back. Duncan is not my dad. I want to live with you.” Anastasia had no choice but to let the child stay for the time being.

“Let’s go inside,” Herman said..

As the door closed behind them, Penny emerged from the shadows. Her gaze was dark and fixed on their home.

She really was Anastasia’s daughter.

The more she thought about it, the more Penny felt a sense of injustice. She had lost her son, and Anastasia had not only had a child but now had a daughter, too.

Inside, Anastasia called Duncan, who had been out looking for his daughter and was about to call the cops.

“Ungrateful brat,” Duncan cursed over the phone. “I’ve wasted my time raising her. If she leaves, she better not come back.” With that, he hung up. Anastasia had not been prepared for Layna’s sudden arrival.

Just then, Pattie woke up and came out of her room. “Mom, Dad,” she said.

Pattie had had a nightmare and was frightened, so she rushed out without even bothering to put on her shoes. Herman quickly scooped her up! “Sweetheart, you can’t come outside without your shoes. The floor’s cold.”

“Dad, I had a bad dream, Pattie said, her voice so sweet and soft it could melt hearts.

Layna immediately became jealous when she saw another girl about her age in her house. “Mom, who is she? Is she your daughter, too?” She instantly disliked Pattie. Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.

Anastasia explained, “This is Pattie, my daughter. You two are about the same age, so you can call her your sister.”

“I don’t want a sister,” Layna said, raising her voice. “Mom can only have me as her child.”

At this outburst, Herman’s brow furrowed. There will be no yelling,” he warned.

Layna immediately burst into tears and hid behind Anastasia. “Mom, Mom.”

Anastasia had a headache. Pattie was a bit confused about suddenly having a sister, especially one who seemed so aggressive and prone to tears. Clinging to Herman’s neck, she didn’t dare to say a word. Pattie was a bit timid.

Salma, who had been sleeping in the next room, woke up. “What’s going on? Why is Pattie crying…?”

Thinking it was Pattie crying, she came out to see a strange little girl. “Who’s this child?” she asked in confusion.

This is Layna, the child I told you about. She just showed up in the middle of the night,” Anastasia explained.

Upon hearing that this was the lost child, Salma moved closer to get a better look. “She’s grown so much,” she murmured. “She was just a tiny bundle when she was born, with such a small face. I can hardly recognize her.”

Children changed so quickly, and Salma couldn’t recognize the girl. If she hadn’t watched her grow up, she wouldn’t have been able to identify her.

Anastasia didn’t know what to do with an extra child in the house late at night. “Mom, it’s late. You can sleep with Layna tonight.”

Layna stopped crying but looked pitifully at Anastasia. “Mom, I want to sleep with you. I’ve never slept with you before.”