She Outshines Them All (Athena and Matthew)

Chapter 346

Paityn was desperate to rush over, hug Josie, kiss her face, and tell her, "I'm your mother."

Sitting beside her, Saanvi said, "Athena's surrounded. You can get out now."

Paityn, wearing a sunhat and mask, opened the car door and looked toward Athena, who was about 100 feet away.

Athena and Maria had just gotten out of their car when a group of people rushed towards them, pointing cameras, camcorders, and phones at them, shouting loudly, "You're Zayn's sisters, right? We heard Zayn's relationship with the family isn't good. Is that true?" "We heard Zayn had a big fight with the family over who controls the earnings from his work. Is there any truth to that?"

"I have a gift for Zayn. Could you deliver it to him?"

The commotion quickly drew attention from the crowd, who began to gather and watch.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Paityn got out of the car and hurried over to Josie. She squatted down, showing Josie printed photos. "Josie, these are pictures of you before you were three years old. Do you remember any of them?"

Not wanting to scare her, Paityn refrained from saying she was her mother and instead tried to spark Josie's memory.

Josie didn't recognize her and stepped back warily. "Don't come any closer to Josie. This is a school. If you try to take me away, I'll scream for help."

Panicking, Paityn said, "I'm not a bad person. I'm your family. Look at these photos and videos. They're of us together."

She played a video of herself and Alina celebrating a birthday years ago.

Josie furrowed her brows and glanced at the photos and video with curiosity for a moment, but she quickly lost interest and shook her head. "That's not me. I have never taken photos like that."

"You have." Paityn instinctively grabbed her arm. "You're the child in those pictures. Your real name is Alina, and the woman in the photos is your mom."

Before she could finish, Josie screamed, "Ah! A bad person is trying to take a child! Help!"

At once, all eyes turned toward Josie and Paityn.

Athena, noticing the commotion, swiftly pulled out her custom-made, high-power pepper spray and unleashed it on the people blocking her way.

Immediately, they howled in agony, dropping their phones and cameras, clutching their eyes and noses in pain as tears streamed down their faces.

Athena, putting away her spray, strode through the crowd and reached Paityn in seconds. She slapped the sunhat off Paityn's head, grabbed her by the hair, and angrily demanded, "How dare you try to abduct a child in broad daylight? Do you even care about the law?" Shocked, Paityn stammered while covering her face, "I... I wasn't kidnapping Josie! I came to reunite with her."

Athena recognized Paityn and initially intended to give her a good lesson. However, seeing so many people around, she didn't want to make a scène. So, she let go of Paityn's hair and said, "Get out of here. If I catch you bothering my child again, I'll make sure you end up By then, teachers and security staff from the school had arrived, and one of them sternly said, "No way. This woman scared the child. She must be taken to the police for questioning."

Watching from the crowd, Saanvi cursed under her breath. "Useless idiot." Then she pushed through the crowd and loudly announced, "She's Josie's mother. She's here to reconnect with her. No one has the right to send her away." The crowd gasped, and whispers spread like wildfire.

Before Athena could say anything, Josie pointed at Paityn and screamed, "She's not my mom! This woman is a bad person, a kidnapper! The police should arrest her."

The onlookers' fury ignited, and they began shouting at Paityn, How dare you pretend to be her mother and try to kidnap a child? You look decent enough, but you're evil!" "Let's take her to the police."

Hearing Josie's accusations felt like a knife to Paityn's heart. She could barely breathe from the pain.

With tears streaming down her face, Paityn took off her sunglasses and lunged forward to embrace Josie, sobbing, Alina, I'm your mom. I'm your reat mother. Don't you remember? You used to say that I was the best and that you loved me the most..."

Seeing Paityn's face up close, Josie screamed louder, pressing her small hands against Paityn's face and pushing her away

from me!" with all her might. "You're not my mom! You're a bad woman. I hate you.

Maria arrived just in time, scooping Josie into her arms and shielding her face from the cameras. "Ms. Shepard, watch your words. This is not the place for your outbursts. Josie, let's go."

Paityn, ignoring the many eyes on her, spread her arms to block Maria and Josie's path. Tears fell as she said passionately, "Alina, I am your mother.

"The Hello Kitty you're holding is the one I gave you for your second birthday. I signed my name on it. This photo shows you holding that very Hello Kitty, smiling so happily with me. Look at how happy you are in this picture." Frantically, Paityn held up a large printed photo in front of Josie.

Josie glanced at the picture, then at the Hello Kitty in her arms. Suddenly, her face went pale. With a terrified scream, she threw the Hello Kitty at Paityn, crying, "I don't want this Hello Kitty anymore. It's not mine. want to go home. I want my Mommy!"

When she saw Josie so frightened that she abandoned her beloved Hello Kitty, Maria's heart ached. She quickly hugged Josie tighter, burying her face in her shoulder. "Okay, we're going home to see Mommy right now." "You can't leave." Saanvi now blocked their path, spreading her arms wide. "Nothing has been resolved yet."

Athena, without hesitation, aimed her pepper spray at Saanvi's face and pressed the button hard.

Even though Saanvi wore sunglasses, her nose was unprotected, and her mouth was open. The pepper spray's burning effect on her nasal passages and mouth was just as severe. Saanvi collapsed in pain, clutching her face and coughing violently.

Athena aimed the pepper spray at Paityn, ready to give her a taste of it, but then she noticed Paityn slumped on the ground, clutching the Hello Kitty toy and crying uncontrollably, looking utterly lost. Realizing she was deeply hurt by Josie's reaction, Athena put the pepper spray away and walked towards the car.

Maria was already in the car with Josie.