Mark of the destiny

0"You think I abuse my daughter? NO!" Andrea's mother exhaled harshly, she looked at her husband, "Will you say something?"      1

"Miss. Zhao, I know it's a part of your job, and I really appreciate you for it. But trust me, Andrea is our only child, there's no way we'll harm her--"      

"What we? She's obviously pointing at me!" She cut off her husband.     

"Will you let me talk to her?" he snapped. His lips pursed when Suyin stood with folded arms and didn't say a word as if studying them. "Did Andrea say something to you? Let me talk to her. I'm sure there's some misunderstanding."     

Mother, "Yes, there is! My daughter would never say something like this-- wait-- Are you behind all this? Did you ask Andrea to complain about me to child services? Can't believe you'll droop so low."     

Father, "Shut up. I didn't."     

Mother, "Liar. I know you did that so you could prove me as an incompetent mother and get her custody. Let me tell you, Yifeng, Andrea is going with me."     

Father, "She's my daughter too, there's no way I'll let you take her. Especially when you come home drunk after attending those corporate parties. I won't let Andrea grow under the care of servants."     

"SHUT UP. As if you don't attend parties! Besides, don't forget I canceled all my meetings for today's event. For whom I did all that? Of course Andrea!"     

"Don't lie. I know your client missed the flight, that's why the meeting canceled." He protested, ignoring the fact the two were arguing in the presence of a third person. "Though it was your turn to look after her, I took off from work to accompany Andrea."     

Suyin sighed, glancing at the closed door of the classroom outside which the two little ones must be pacing anxiously. "Enough. Take this home and solve it amongst yourself. Not here. Not in school." She picked a drawing file, "Mrs. Bing, tell me about your drinking habit. Did you ever raise hand on Andrea? How did she break her arm?"     

Just as she opened her mouth Suyin interrupted, "Only truth. On the grounds of suspicious child abuse, I have the authority to take Andrea with me and order investigation against you two."     

Andrea's mother looked over at her husband and found him looking at her. "Couple of drinks here and there. Mostly in parties. And I never raised a hand at my daughter. I never would. But a few days back Yifeng and I had an argument over something and--- and--"     

Yifeng spoke up, "--impulsively I rose hand to slap Shyna but... but Andrea came in between to stop me. That's when mistakenly I pushed her and she bumped into the table corner..... "     

"But trust me, it was not a fracture, I checked. We both checked." Afraid Suyin might think something else, Shyna added, "However, in the middle of the night we heard Andrea whimpering in her room. She had this terrible swelling.... Upon probing, she told us she slipped in the bathroom and hit her elbow to the bathtub."     

Suyin's brows twisted, 'Bathroom? But Andrea said she fell from the stairs.'     

Suyin, "How many drinks is the couple, Mrs. Bing?"     

"Just what it means literally. I have got a corporate job and attending such parties is unavoidable. I need contacts. But trust me--" Shyna's fingers clenched around her phone, Suyin noticed the tremors, "--I love my girl. There's no way I'd hurt her. I'm enduring the burden of this hectic corporate life only to give my daughter a good life. This expensive school, her education, everything.... I'm working only for her. Please.... trust me."      

Suyin's shoulders relaxed, and something inside her eased. The mother was definitely not abusing Andrea, so as father. However, it was something else that's bothering their daughter. Something related to the imbalance between the couple.      

"Mr. Bing, I know this is personal, but may I ask if your wife earns more than you?"      

When his voice came, it was self-deprecating, "Y-Yes. She's a senior in the company in which am working."     

Suyin nodded and showed them Andrea's drawing file full of disturbing drawings of their daily fights.     

"That thing- 'you must stay together for the sake of kids' is out of fashion, but let me warn you something... Most of the damages are done before divorce when the kid had to see parents always fighting. You better solve this before it leads to the irrevocable consequences . Meet me in the office on Monday."     

Suyin turned to leave.     

"I won't,"     

"Excuse me," Suyin rose her brows at the lash of Shyna's voice.      

"I know my rights as well. Since it's clear I don't abuse my girl, you don't have a right to interfere in our family matters." Shyna snapped, "I know you'll ask us to take Andrea for therapy. She doesn't need it. It's just a temporary disengagement and once our divorce is settled, she'd adjust. Everyone does."     

Suyin had a sudden itch to punch someone. Best if it could be Shyna. It's not the first time she's facing a parent whose reluctant to take the kid for therapy.      

"Does Andrea often complain of tummy aches, headache, breathlessness, and many such things? And every time you'd rush her to a pediatrician, they couldn't find a thing. Well.... It's a little child's desperate attempt trying to stop her parents from fighting and not get a divorce. I'm sure, her injuries fell in line every time you fight. In short, your daughter is harming herself."     

"Rubbish. She's just five,"     

"Oh, you know that!" Suyin snapped. Her voice dropping dangerously low, "I can also see you don't seem to think you have any problem with your drinking habit. What did you say.... a couple of drinks here and there? Judging by the unhealthy skin color, hand tremors, and musty odor-- congratulations soon you will be hitting the liver transplant list."     

"I-I....."     

Suyin was done with the parents and didn't bother to wait for the response.     

Shyna, "This woman is impossible. I don't drink that much. She's just scaring me."     

Yifeng, "It's for Andrea, let's meet Miss Zhao on Monday."     

"Stop dictating me."     

"I'm not. Don't forget Andrea is harming herself."     

"That's what Suyin said. She's assuming things and scaring us. I'm telling you, Yifeng, you are not taking Andrea anywhere."     

.....     

.....     

Suyin reached to rub her forehead and take deep breaths. A tug on her dress caught her attention.      

Andrea's eyes glistened with tears, "Qiang said you are very powerful and can do anything. Can you ask my parents not to fight? I want to live with both mom and dad, just like other kids."     

Suyin sighed, she doesn't know what to answer. "I-I can only try, sweetie."     

"So they might?"      

Damn, it's so difficult to lie under the pressure of these innocent eyes, looking at you with hope. She kissed her forehead and hugged her tight. Honey peered inside the room, the two adults were busy arguing.     

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