Naomi finally stopped, scoffing coldly before scooping up our daughter. The three of them rushed out in a panic, and despite everything, I followed.
I couldn’t let myself relax until I knew she was alright.
Thankfully, the cuts on her face weren’t serious. A bit of cleaning, some ointment, and antibiotics, and she’d be fine.
It was well past midnight by the time we got everything sorted out.
Then, just as things had started to settle, Naomi got a call—another out-of-town competition.
But the moment she tried to leave, Zelene clung to her and started wailing hysterically.
“Mommy, don’t go! Daddy’s gonna have people kidnap me tonight! They’re gonna break my legs and cut out my tongue! He's going to kill me!”
Naomi shot me a look so sharp it could’ve cut through bone.
“No!” I held my hands up. “That’s not true. If you don’t believe me, I’ll call the police right now.”
She snatched the phone from my hand, seething.
“What, you want to air our dirty laundry? Ruin our daughter’s reputation for the world to see?” she spat. “Or do you want everyone to find out what you forced her to do?!”
Then she turned to our daughter.
“Zelene, Grandma and Grandpa will stay with you tonight. If he so much as touches you, Mommy will come back and end him.”
By now, her parents had calmed down a bit.
“Naomi, let’s think about this,” her mother said gently. “What kind of father would hurt his own child?”
Her father nodded and added, “Don’t forget that when you were giving birth, the doctors thought both of you might not make it. But Garth swore he’d give his life to save you two. Zelene is his heart and soul. There’s no way he’d hurt her."
Her mother also suggested, "Maybe those photos and videos really are some kind of misunderstanding. Isn’t AI editing all the rage now?”
I nodded eagerly, deeply moved by how fair and reasonable they were being.
Zelene stayed quiet in Naomi’s arms, but when she looked at me, her eyes were full of smug defiance.
“Daddy,” she said, “I want to watch cartoons.”
I numbly pulled up her favorite show on my phone and held it in front of her.
Ever since Naomi gave birth to her six years ago, I’d given up my job to stay home and raise her. I’d done everything just to make sure she had a happy, loving childhood.
All I ever wanted was for her to grow up kind and thoughtful.
So why? Why had she turned into this?
After Naomi left, her parents and I took turns watching over Zelene.