How Could She Be a Mother Like That

Just then, Edward stepped forward, his expression grave. "Mom, let me explain.

Carrie's mother was an extremely devout religious fanatic. In her warped mind, women were born burdened with sin. She believed that intercourse and pregnancy—perfectly normal physiological phenomena—were all God's punishment for women."

Edward paused slightly, his eyes full of sorrow, then continued, "She constantly drilled these utterly absurd ideas into Carrie, using those harsh, twisted doctrines to exert near-mad spiritual control over her.

Poor Carrie had lived under an unfounded sense of guilt for so long that she was in unbearable pain. And her mother had no awareness whatsoever of what it meant to be a mother. She never taught Carrie any of the physiological knowledge every girl inevitably faced while growing up."

Edward clenched his fists, anger filling his voice. "Whenever Carrie did anything that displeased her, she would grab a Bible and mercilessly beat Carrie to the ground.

Afterward, she would throw Carrie into a prayer room filled with terrifying religious statues and lock her up, claiming it was to make her reflect on her sins.

And whenever Carrie so much as expressed her own wishes, her mother, Margaret, would lock her in that Hell-like confinement room again and punish her."

Carrie's breathing grew more and more rapid, her eyes filled with pain and fear. As her emotions spiraled out of control, even the air around them seemed to grow restless.

Suddenly, with a deafening bang, the living room lights exploded without warning, glass shards spraying everywhere. Carrie screamed in terror and curled into a ball, as though the end of the world had arrived.

Sarah was startled by the sudden scene as well, but she quickly calmed down. She held Carrie tightly and comforted her softly. "It's okay, Carrie. Don't be afraid. Auntie's here.

This isn't your fault. Don't be scared." But Carrie still trembled uncontrollably, her eyes full of despair and helplessness. The exploding lights seemed like yet another horrifying eruption in her dark life, and she had no idea when she would escape this endless fear and torment.

Sarah held Carrie even tighter, trying to use her warmth to drive away the darkness in Carrie's heart. At the same time, she silently vowed that she would help this poor child escape her suffering.

Sarah looked at Carrie with heartache in her eyes, then raised her head and said firmly to Edward, "Edward, let Carrie stay at our house tonight.

This child has suffered far too much. We can't let her go back to that horrible environment. First thing tomorrow morning, we'll call the police. We absolutely can't let her mother keep hurting Carrie like this."

Night fell like ink, pressing heavily over the entire house. Carrie was arranged to sleep in Lily's room. Everything in it felt unfamiliar, yet it carried a faint warmth, forming a stark contrast to her cold and terrifying home.

Mrs. Sarah entered the room quietly, her steps slow and gentle, afraid of disturbing Carrie. She carried a cup of warm water and placed it softly on the bedside table.

Carrie lay in bed with her eyes wide open, the fear and unease from the day still lingering in them. She stared fixedly at Mrs. Sarah's every movement.

Mrs. Sarah bent over slightly, a gentle smile on her face. "Child, get some sleep. Everything will be better tomorrow."

As she spoke, she reached out and carefully smoothed Carrie's slightly messy hair, her movements as soft as a breeze. Then she straightened up, looked at Carrie once more, and finally turned to leave the room with light steps.

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Carrie shifted slightly and slowly tucked her little head beneath the covers, leaving only her eyes exposed, faintly timid.

At that moment, Edward walked in. Seeing her like that, he comforted her softly. "Don't worry. My mom is a top lawyer. She'll definitely help you get out of this situation." Carrie nodded slightly and replied in a small voice, "Mm."

Edward continued, "Tomorrow, I'll help you ask for leave from school. You can rest here without worry." Carrie blinked and said softly, "Good night." Edward smiled in return. "Good night." With that, he turned, closed the door, and returned to his own room.

The next morning, dawn filtered through the thin clouds, scattering faint rays of light.

Edward got up early. After washing up in a hurry, he told his mother a few things about Carrie and quickly headed for the school bus stop.

He boarded the slightly old school bus. The other students all turned their eyes toward him, and as if a spotlight had landed on him, they greeted him enthusiastically one after another.

After all, Edward was undeniably a star at school. He had outstanding grades, excelled in all kinds of sports, and possessed a unique charm that made him immensely popular with everyone.

Edward smiled politely and returned each greeting before taking a seat by the window.

The school bus slowly started up and traveled down its familiar route. As the wheels rolled, the scenery outside swept backward like a slideshow.

Before long, the bus came to a steady stop again. The doors opened with a hiss, and a black-haired girl stepped lightly aboard.

It was Maria. Her delicate face looked like a painting by a master, her deep eyes like a quiet lake. Her slender figure moved with elegance, and a fragile aura that stirred pity surrounded her.

Yet at that moment, Maria's expression was full of timidity. She kept her eyes lowered, as though she were terrified of everyone on the bus.

What she feared most happened. As she cautiously tried to make her way toward the back of the bus, a leg suddenly stretched across the aisle, blocking her path.

Maria hesitated, the fear on her face becoming increasingly obvious. Seeing this, the students burst into laughter, their piercing voices echoing through the cramped bus.

"Mark, if you want to keep that leg, move it out of the way." Just as all the students were freely mocking Maria, a firm, discordant voice suddenly rang out.

Mark, who had stretched out his leg, looked toward the voice and saw Edward. He immediately flew into a rage out of humiliation and shouted, "What? What's it got to do with you if I put my leg here, good student?"

"Hey, someone's actually standing up for Maria. Did you see that? Hahaha!" one of Mark's lackeys said, and the other boys joined in the laughter.

But when their eyes met Edward's cold gaze, their laughter died as though someone had grabbed them by the throat. None of them dared say another word, and they could only look at one another awkwardly.

At this school, Maria seemed to be the designated punching bag, long reduced to everyone's target for bullying. If anyone thought her beauty meant she should have escaped such treatment, they could not have been more wrong.

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