I wanted nothing for myself and everything for my child

I wanted nothing for myself and everything for my child
The child said cutely, “My mommy bought me from the market for a lot of dollars.”

Saddie gasped again and covered her face with her hands.

“Cris,” she groaned.

I laughed openly this time. “Did your daddy tell you that,” I asked gently.

“No,” Criston said with a shrug. “Grandma did. But I do not care. I got the best mommy.”

“And what about daddy,” Gino asked with an evil smirk.

Criston tilted his head and considered the question very seriously.

“So so,” he said finally. “I asked Mommy if we can give Daddy back to Grandma, but Daddy refused to go. When I get older and stronger and taller than him, we will put him in a home for old people and mean people.”

The room erupted with laughter, and even Dante could not hide his smile.

“Is Daddy mean to you,” I asked softly, curious.

Criston nodded solemnly. “I sleep with Mommy, and he puts me back in my nursery. He takes my place when I am sleeping. He is jealous of me.”

“Of course he is,” I said gently. “You are amazing.”

Criston looked at his mother again and announced proudly, “I like this beautiful fat aunty.”

Gino laughed so hard that he nearly doubled over, while Nico shot him a sharp glare.

“Your son is a menace, just like you,” Nico said to Dante.

Dante sighed dramatically. “I know.”

Later, when Criston was distracted with toys and the men were deep in conversation, I sat with Saddie and asked her about her journey to motherhood. She took a deep breath before speaking, and I could tell that this was not a story she told lightly.

She told me that after years of IVF, countless failures, and heartbreaks that seemed never ending, she and Dante were exhausted. In the same hospital where she was undergoing treatment, there was a teenage girl who gave birth to Criston. The girl had grown up in foster care and had no support system. The baby was the result of a one night stand, and the girl could barely afford to go to college, let alone raise a child on her own.

Saddie’s voice trembled as she continued. The girl did not want such a life for her child when she herself could barely survive. There were days when Criston went hungry because she could not find stable work, and whenever she did find a job, the money was never enough. One day, completely defeated by life, she attempted suicide because she could no longer bear the weight of everything she was carrying.

The police and child services got involved, and that was when the doctors introduced Dante and Saddie to Criston.

“That is how we adopted him,” Saddie said quietly.

I swallowed hard and asked, “What happened to his biological parents?”

“The father relinquished his rights when Criston was born,” Saddie replied. “He wanted nothing to do with them. The mother was only eighteen. She is a child herself. Dante and I are helping her get into college and choose a career of her choice. We decided to support her education, and we will always be there if she needs us. I feel deeply for her, and we will never stop her from meeting Criston if she wishes.”

I pulled Saddie into a tight hug, my heart aching and overflowing at the same time.

“I hope happiness stays in your life, Saddie,” I whispered.

Her eyes filled with tears as she hugged me back.

“I can never thank you enough, Serena,” she said softly. “You recognized that I needed help even when I refused to admit it. You forced me to stay with Lucia when I could no longer fight for myself. She taught me how to fight back and how to survive.”

I laughed when I heard her using Lucia’s vocabulary so naturally.

“Thank you for bringing happiness into my life,” Saddie continued. “I pray that the Lord protects your child from all evil and harm, and that your child lives a happy life, free from worries and hatred.”

I closed my eyes as she said those words.

That was the prayer I needed most.

I wanted nothing for myself and everything for my child.
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Author’s Note

Hi everyone, I’m back!

This month I will be posting 50 chapters, and the updates can come at any time, but I promise that all 50 chapters will be uploaded by the end of January. I also want to let you know that I’ve already placed six chapters on timed release, so you’ll get to enjoy new updates over the next few days while I continue writing the upcoming ones. By the time you’re reading this chapter, it will already be the fourth chapter released.

I wish you all a very Happy New Year, and as always, please leave your comments whenever you can—they truly motivate me and mean a lot. 💙