Chenle sat on the edge of his bed, his emotionless eyes boring into the bleakly wooden floor ahead of him.

Her crestfallen expression and slumped shoulders that screamed exhaustion inscribed itself into his mind.

"Sorry."

Her soft, drained voice echoed around as it resonated with the feeble, hurt tone from the young boy that cried out with agonising tears staining his reddened cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Not enough." The woman spoke unfazed by his breathless words in between his gut wrenching cries.

He was unable to continue, head down as he kneeled on the ground- bloodied knees scraping against the cold concrete beneath him; lips pressed together in attempts to cease his sobs.

She was sat on a large armchair in front of him, her ethereal black dress trailing down the length of her body and pooling on the ground- big glistening rings on her fingers and an expensive weighted necklace adorning her neck.

Piercing black eyes staring directly at her son, unmoving or concerned for him as he continued to cry.

She tore her emotionless eyes away from him, irritated as he wouldn't cease his painful sobs.

"Get up." Her blunt, cut off tone slashed through the air, clear and loud enough for his lips to clamp together in fear.

"Get up." She repeated harshly, glowering at him as the terrified boy shakily got up to his feet; head bowed down with tears neverending.

The tormenting clicking of her heels rang through the room, each one growing closer and louder in sound as he practically held his breath.

Her black pointed shoes stopped in his eyeline, nothing was said as the room was thick with tension.

The ten year old boy was quivering in his place, knees almost giving in if it wasn't for the fact her overpowering figure loomed over him.

"Look at me." She commanded.

Chenle swiped his tongue over the salty tears residing on his lips, glancing up at her as she stared bleakly and coldly down at him.

Her hair was sleek back into a bun, straight postured as she never broke the eye contact.

Without any hesitance, she brutally and abruptly slapped Chenle- the sound of the impact ringing through the room as his head was forced to the side.

A breath hitched painfully at his throat, eyesight blurring and cheek stinging as her many rings slashed into him.

Remorselessly, she watched him.

"How dare you embarrass your Father- you're such an embarrassment to our family."

Chenle bit down at his bottom lip harshly, the pain of it reliving the one burning in his cheek as he balled his fists up.

"You're the Mafia leader's son and you can't even fire a simple fucking gun!" She screamed out.

Chenle flinched no matter how many times the same scream sounded through the room over the years.

His breaths were shallow and angry yet beyond upset.

Forcefully, she gripped his hair with her fingers which elicited a yelp of pain as she yanked his head back.

"Apologize right now." She seethed out.

"I said apologize you bastard!"

Another smack to the face- blood now beading at the cuts and drooling down his skin mixed with his tears.

She scoffed.

She leaned in towards him with a bitterly cold glare.

"You're only alive because I allowed you to be." Her low mutter cut through the air.

"I didn't ask to be alive, I hate you!" He spat back in fury.

Her eyes widened in anger, inhaling a deep breath as she clenched her jaw.

"I am your Mother-"

"You're not my Mum!" He screamed out, the heart wrenching wail bouncing off the walls and furiously- she gripped his face between her thumb and finger.

Her finger digging into his cut as she held it tightly.

"I have birth to you, I brought you into this world you worthless piece of shit." She spat out.

Chenle's teary eyed eyes flickered up to hers in pain.

"You'll never be my Mum!"

With his strength and adrenaline, he pushed her off of him as she went crashing to the ground.

Sobbing, he turned away run out of the door.

"Zhong Chenle!" She screamed out.

The boy didn't stop, he ran through the halls to the room he knew best- seeking her warmth.

He bursted through the doors to see the infirmary nurse tending to someone's wounds.

"Chenle-ah?" Her gentle concerned voice spoke out.

She reached out towards him upon seeing his bloodied face but a large figure strided over.

He clasped a hand over her wrist, oozing power.

The Mafia leader.

"Xiao Jiayi." He warned and she tore her eyes away from the hurt crying boy.

Chenle's Father turned towards him, harshly gripping his upper arm tightly and began dragging him out.

Chenle kicked and screamed, pleading for the Woman- the only woman who cared for him to help.

It was hard to live in a world when your own parents never acted like ones.

It was even harder when the only Woman you saw as a motherly figure- died.