Chapter 6
Peter Lang emptied his office before police arrived.
His assistant said he left for a conference.
His passport was missing.
His accounts were not.
Money moved from Claire’s trust into shell companies the same morning I found the hidden rooms.
Harris called it panic.
I called it proof.
Claire was released from the hospital under protective care four days later.
Not healed.
Not close.
But stable enough to leave.
We stayed at my brother Ethan’s house because our home was a crime scene and I could not bear the thought of taking the children back there.
Ethan opened the door and hugged me hard.
Then he saw Claire.
His face drained.
He remembered her.
That hurt worse than I expected.
“You came to our wedding,” Claire whispered.
Ethan covered his mouth.
“I thought you died.”
“So did everyone.”
Lily watched from behind my leg.
Mia held Claire’s hand.
Noah slept in my arms.
We looked like strangers trying to assemble a family from broken pieces.
That night, Lily woke screaming.
I ran in.
She was sitting up in bed, clutching her blanket.
“Mommy said they would take me if I told.”
I sat beside her.
“Caroline can’t take you.”
“Is Claire mad at me?”
“No.”
“I called Caroline Mommy.”
My throat closed.
“You were little.”
“But Claire cried when I said it.”
“She cried because she loves you.”
Lily looked toward the other bed where Mia slept.
“Is Mia my sister?”
“Yes.”
“And Noah?”
“Yes.”
“And Claire is my first mommy?”
I nodded.
Her chin trembled.
“Can I love two mommies if one did bad things?”
I pulled her into my arms.
“You can feel anything. But you never have to protect someone who hurt you.”
She cried quietly into my shirt.
In the doorway, Claire stood with one hand over her mouth.
She had heard everything.
May you like
I expected pain.
Instead, she whispered, “Thank you for not making her hate herself.”
