Claudia shoved the barefoot child through the open terrace doors into the snow and threw the gift after him
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Chapter 13 / 17
Chapter 13
Mark’s hardest apology was to Noah.
He waited until the boy was five.
Old enough to understand something.
Young enough that explanation had to stay small.
“I put you outside when it was cold.”
Noah nodded.
“That was wrong.”
Another nod.
“I took food when I was angry.”
Noah frowned.
“Bad.”
“Yes.”
Then:
“I told you Mommy didn’t want you.”
Noah stared.
Grace’s hand tightened beside him.
Mark’s voice broke.
“That was a lie.”
Noah looked at Grace.
She nodded.
Then he asked:
“Why?”
Mark answered:
“Because I was angry at her and wanted you on my side.”
There.
The truth stripped of adult language.
Noah thought for a while.
Then:
“Don’t.”
“I won’t.”
No hug.
May you like
Not that day.
Enough.
