“Enough of this,” she said softly.
“Claire, put that down,” Ms. Parker warned.
Ethan spoke before anyone else.
“Aunt Claire…”
His voice wasn’t shaking anymore.
“You said that the night of the crash too.”
The silence shattered.
“What did you say?” Ryan demanded.
“I heard you in the kitchen,” Ethan said. “You said Mom would never sign. And Aunt Claire said one curve could fix what a judge would complicate.”
Claire cursed under her breath.
“Shut up.”
But Ethan didn’t.
“You said you’d tell everyone Mom was tired. And that you’d take me away after.”
Ryan moved toward him.
“Come here.”
“Don’t touch him,” Ms. Parker said.
The metal object shifted again.
I wanted to scream.
To move.
To protect my son.
But I could only do one thing.
I moved my hand.
This time—not just a finger.
My whole hand.
Ethan felt it. He turned to me, eyes full, but stayed silent.
Claire saw it.
