Chapter 19 The two bodyguards were already approaching her. Aunt Tonya rushed forward while beckoning to Sylvia. “Sylvia, take Isabel and get out of here!”. After that, she threw her weight into the two approaching bodyguards. Since they were more or less acquainted by now, the bodyguards were reluctant to use extreme force on Aunt Tonya, thus she successfully bought them some time. Sylvia immediately took Isabel and tried to go around them, heading for the exit. However, she had only taken two steps when she ran into Odell who was standing right by the exit. His large figure nearly cut off the entire path of retreat. Sylvia hesitated briefly, then she leaned into him with her elbow. Unfortunately, Odell stood his ground like a brick wall, completely unfazed despite Sylvia throwing her entire weight into him. Not only did she fail to shove him away, but she was also the one driven backward by him instead. Bang! Her back crashed into an adjacent wall. Odell held her down by pinning his arm against her shoulder and grabbed Isabel with his free. arm. Isabel suddenly jumped up and struggled mightily with her legs. She shoved him away and scratched him when she could. “Stinky uncle! Stop picking on my Mommy!” Odell’forcefully hugged her and let go of Sylvia

Isabel continued to scratch him relentlessly. “Let go of me. I don’t want you to touch me!” No matter how hard she clawed at him, Odell’s slender arms remain wrapped around her with no intention whatsoever of letting go. Sylvia was alerte d by this and lun ged at him again. However, Odell was prepared for this. The moment she pounced forward, he turned slightly to the side and gave himself an advantageous angl e from which he could stretch his arms out and arrest her by the neck. Sylvia found herself trapped in a degrading position underneath Odell’s armpit. Odell scowled in disgust, “You fight like a headless chicken. ” How dare she even think of opposing him when she could not even fight? . Sylvia clenched her jaw in anger whereas Aunt Tonya was also bei ng restrained by the bodyguards. Odell told one of them, “Come here and hold her down. ” The bodyguard quickly wen t to Sylvia. He put her hands behind her and pinned her down. Odell finally rele ased his stranglehold on her neck and stepped back with Isabel still in his arms. The haggard Sylvia raised her head and glared at him. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were red. Shiny tears were pooling in her eyes, and it seemed as if the dam was about to break at any given moment

Her hair that was tied up in a ponytail had broken free from the hair tie and draped d own her shoulders. Despite her horrible state, there was a certain look of tenacity to her, like a thorn-ridden rose that had been freshly plucked. Odell narrowed his eyes and looked at her. All of a sudden, Isa bel began to cry at the top of her voice. “No… Let Mommy go! Stop bullying Mom!” She twisted and turned, her hands stretched out in Sylvia’s direction, and stubbornly cried for her mommy. Sylvia felt a jerk in her chest. Despite her greatest effort to hold them back, her tears fell without restraint. Then, it was as if she made a resolution. Taking a deep b reath, she turned to Odell and pleaded, “Odell, I beg you , I’ll do anything as long as you don’t take Isabel away. Odell looked at her cheeks flush ed with emotions and felt a stra nge feeling rising in his chest. The expression o n her face somew hat troubled him. He frowned, then turned around and walked out with Isabe l in his arms. He paid no further attention to Sylvia be cause he was not going to let her negotiate any further. At the same time, Isabel was still crying. In a mix of rage and sorrow, Sylvia cried out i n anguish, “Odell Carter, we’re not done yet!”