My stomach clenched watching them, as bile rose in my throat—one which I struggled to gulp down.

My mother said nothing.

Her lips pressed tight in a hard line as she watched Vivian with hard eyes.

Her silence angered Vivian, making her face crease in anger and she landed another slap on my mother's face.

I flinched from the sound of the slap.

My chest burnt with pain, and I watched helplessly as my mother struggled to cover the pain she felt and appear strong before Vivian.

Tears ...