leaving a tense, ugly silence in its wake. I stood by the window, star

cookies on a plate. Next to it was a glass of milk. He picked up the plate and the glass a

" Alex told her gently. "I

ateful smile. "Thank you

cker of smug victory in her

me. My son, my Alex, was nurturing the woman who was destroying my life. He

s feeling unsteady. "Alex. I

ept his focus on Lily. "We

y voice dangero

sperated sigh and followe

ed before I could even speak. "Can'

, my voice shaking with disbelief. "Wha

his jaw set. "It's my little brother

d over me. "How lo

raightened his shoulders, defiant.

said noth

"Dad was scared. He didn't know what to do

lungs. "Help? What

ooking away. "When you were working late. I would te

I loved, but Alex... Alex was my son. I had raised him. I had tucked him in at night, bandaged his scraped knees, stayed up with him when

oulders. "Don't blame him, Sarah. He was in an impossible posit

reamed, the sound tearing from my thr

constant reminder of her power. "Please," she said, her voice soft and cloying.

in my home, with my husband and my son, talking about the

ned to me, his eyes cold and full of a judgmen

said, his voice dripping with contempt. "Maybe if you paid more attent

The words struck me with th

as watching me with a calculated, pitying expression. I turned my gaze to her stoma

id, my voice devoid of all

." David

Lily's belly again and felt a wave of pure, unadulterate

-