angel baby (heavy editing)

1.0

TEN YEARS OLD. 

Lia held Chris’ hand they walked home after she picked him up from school. Today was his birthday but he wasn’t excited about it because just like every other day the kids at his school were mean to him. Talking with the school supervisors hadn't changed that and she couldn't afford transferring him to another school. She really couldn't win at life.  Lia had tried to improve his mood even buying him his favorite ice cream flavor but it was fruitless. 

“Chris, baby I cooked your favorite. After you finish your homework, you can watch TV and stay up as long as you want”

But just like the past ten years, there was barely any reaction from him. Instead, he seemed engrossed with the paper swan in his hand. 

Lia sighed. Ever since she found out that he was autistic when he was four years old, she knew taking care of him would be twice as difficult. They’ve had good days but the ugly days were the worst, days when Lia would break down wishing she could just abandon Chris or give him up for adoption. No one prepared her for this life. She was thirty and had reached rock bottom already.
They neared Lia’s worn down house, the worn down house she inherited from her mother; the only thing she inherited from her mother actually.  She was quite surprised to see the crowd gathered in front of the apartment complex beside her house. A man, a contractor looking one stood in front of them trying to address the loud crowd. Lia’s heart leaped in her chest as she moved closer. 

Could it be…

“Listen”, the man tried again. 
“NO!! YOU CANNOT JUST CRUSH OUR HOMES BECAUSE OF SOME SHOPPING COMPLEXES!!!” Someone from the crowd yelled as everyone agreed. 
“Where do you expect us to go?” Another person yelled.
No, this can’t be happening. No, Lia thought

A few months ago, a group of men came with an order that every house from the apartment complex to the barber’s shop down the street was to be demolished in order to build shopping complexes and Lia’s house wasn’t left out. Of course no one took them seriously but now, here they were. 
“We have permission from the governor and we already settled the owners of every building to be demolished”
 The crowd roared in disagreement. 
But not me, Lia thought. I own the building and I haven’t gotten any settlement.
Lia pushed through the crowd with her son trying to reach the man at the front. 

When she was close enough, she yelled out,
“Sir, Mister, Sir”
The man looked down at her after a few seconds. 
“I own my building and I haven’t gotten any settlement”, she rose her voice trying to speak over the crowd. 
“Let me see a paperwork of your ownership and we’ll discuss”
Lia paled. She didn’t have a paperwork. Her mother who she inherited the house from had died a year before she had Chris. She was depressed and didn’t think to do that.
The man must have noticed her reaction. 
“That’s what I thought. Stop wasting my time and hold your girl close before someone matches on her”, he told her as he turned to face the crowd again. 
Lia had let go of Chris’s hand due to the shock but she immediately turned and pulled him closer to her. He had his ears covered as he cowered. She immediately pulled him close.
And he’s a boy, but she didn’t bother saying it out loud. She was about to lose her house, her only place of abode. 
“I apologize for the inconvenience but you have twenty four hours to move out before we proceed”
Lia paled further. She was going to be homeless. Her life was over. 
The crowd erupted, some yelling, some as pale as Lia, some already in tears.
“Order from Jessica Borghese”
Lia barely heard that name but she knew who that was alright. Everyone did. Arguably the most powerful woman in the whole country, a woman who was not seeing the gates of heaven.

“EAT THE RICH!!!” A little girl not more than eight yelled out beside Lia. A little chuckle escaped her but the ugly truth was Lia was about to face hell and she didn’t know what to do.

TEN YEARS OLD

Oliver sulked in the corner a frown on his face. It was his birthday but as usual, his little sister Emilia who was born a few months earlier had stolen the spotlight as all attention was on her. Oliver watched as everyone, including his friends from school coo over her. Because of her, his parents had abandoned him, his friends had abandoned him. He was all alone. His frown deepened as he crossed his arms. 
“H-hi”, a soft voice stuttered from behind where Oliver was standing. He turned to see a girl around his age standing there. His mood worsened. 
“I-I’m Emily from ho-home economics class. Happy Birthday”, she stretched out a gift bag towards him. 
Oliver eyed it curiously. He took the gift bag from her hands and dropped it on the floor stomping on it.
Emily’s smile which she had a second earlier because Oliver Borghese had received a present from her immediately disappeared. 
“Stay away from me and get your dirty paws and trash gift away from me. You're so gross"
Emily's lips trembled as her eyes filled with tears. She ran off crying.

Jessica on the other hand who and seen the interaction between them frowned. Her son was turning into something else and that scared her. 
Her eyes met his and the little smile he was sporting made her face pale.
Who is this and what happened to my son? 

Later that night, Oliver sat in Emily's nursery playing a game on his phone. His parents, who saw off the last guests of the night had told him to watch over his sister Emalia who laid in her crib a few feet away from Oliver as she cried on top of her lungs,  but Oliver couldn't be bothered to console her. Instead he was happy she was in tears. That would teach her a lesson to never ever steal the spotlight from him.
He continued on his phone totally ignoring his sister.
His parents entered a few minutes later both shocked to see Emalia crying and Oliver doing nothing about it. 

Jessica quickly rushed to her cot and picked her up. 

"Oh my goodness, she's burning up", she turned abruptly to face Oliver,  "Oliver I told you to watch over her. Why didn't you do something?" 

Oliver without looking away from his phone replied shrugging, "I don't know. I don't care" 

He continued with his game. 
Jessica frowned and looked at her husband. She shook her head. 
Daniel sighed. He walked towards his son and snatched his phone from him.
He was even too young to have one but Lisa wouldn’t listen.
“Dad”, Oliver whined. 
“You’re grounded, for a month. No cell phone, including your tab by the way. You’re also to come home immediately after school”
Oliver groaned stomping his feet like a five year old. 
“Dad, Mom?” he turned to face his mom pouting for effect. 
Jessica’s heart broke, it really did. Her son was so spoilt and it was mostly her fault. He needed to learn. 
She turned away and exited the room. 
Tears filled Oliver’s eyes but he quickly blinked it back as he huffed and crossed his arms. 
"Stop throwing a tantrum and go to your room. You'll feel better in the morning"
"I hate you", he yelled at them before he ran in his direction of his room. He didn't stop when they called him stop.

Update a/n: I was such a shitty writer in 2021. I made Oliver so mean though, tf.