Emma nodded, gently running her fingers through Betty's uneven hair.
"Hm… daughter, who cut your hair this badly? Did they not even know the basics of a proper haircut?"
She frowned, lifting a few jagged strands between her fingers.
"Go fetch me a pair of scissors. I'll fix this and make it look good."
Betty gave a small nod and turned toward the bedroom.
'Thank God she believed my lie. And… she's right, my hair looks terrible.'
Her gaze landed on Sophia, who sat on the bed playing quietly with her dolls. Betty shook her head, careful not to disturb her, and walked over to the dressing table mirror.
'Cutting my hair with a knife was a bad idea… and in the dark mall, no less.'
---
"Here… Mother." She hesitated on the word, handing over the scissors before sitting beside her.
Emma accepted them with a soft sigh and began trimming the uneven ends with delicate precision.
'My princess… she's calling me 'Mother,' not 'Mommy' like she used to.'
