Vanessa’s heels echoed sharply across the marble floor as she entered the living room. The sound cut through the quiet like a warning bell. Miles felt his chest tighten.
The children were already seated on the couch where she had told them to wait. Naomi held a small stuffed rabbit against her chest. Elias swung his legs nervously. Aaron sat upright, his jaw set in concentration.
Vanessa stopped in front of them, her posture stiff.
“Sit still,” she said, her voice stripped of the warmth she displayed in public. “I do not want any chaos today.”
Naomi hugged the rabbit closer. Elias nodded quickly. Aaron glanced up, then lowered his eyes.
Miles felt his stomach drop.
Minutes passed. The tension thickened.
Elias reached for a glass of water on the table, his hands shaking slightly. The glass tipped, spilling onto the floor with a soft splash.
Vanessa’s reaction was immediate.
“Unbelievable,” she snapped. “Can you not do anything right.”
Elias froze, his eyes filling with tears. “I am sorry,” he whispered.
She did not respond to the apology. Instead, she turned her attention to Naomi.
“And that thing,” Vanessa said sharply, pointing at the stuffed rabbit. “You are not a baby. Put it away.”
Naomi hesitated. Vanessa stepped forward and snatched the toy from her hands, tossing it onto a nearby chair. Naomi pressed her lips together, crying silently.
Aaron stood halfway, instinctively stepping between Vanessa and his siblings.
“That is enough,” Vanessa said, her smile thin and unsettling. “Sit down before you make things worse.”
Aaron obeyed, though his hands were clenched tightly at his sides.
Miles gripped the door frame harder, his breath shallow. Every instinct screamed for him to intervene, but he forced himself to wait. He needed to know the full truth, without interruption, without excuses.
Vanessa’s phone rang. She answered it with a bright laugh that made Miles’ skin crawl.
“Yes, everything is under control,” she said lightly. “He has no idea. Honestly, once this marriage is official, things will be much easier.”
She paced the room slowly, her voice dropping.
“The children will not be my responsibility for long. There are services for that.”
Miles felt something inside him break cleanly and completely.
When she ended the call, Vanessa turned back to the couch.
“You will not tell your father anything,” she said quietly, her eyes cold. “No one would believe you anyway.”