Chapter 12
I brought Ethan back into the room for one reason.
Not to hear confessions.
To answer one question.
He sat beside Nathan with juice in both hands.
I crouched.
“Buddy?”
“Yes?”
“Before Mommy's crash, did Daddy or Aunt Claire ever ask you questions about living somewhere else?”
Ryan said:
“Emily.”
I raised one finger.
He stopped.
Ethan frowned.
Thinking.
“Aunt Claire said big house.”
Claire went still.
“What big house?”
He shrugged.
“Victor house.”
Silence.
I looked at Claire.
She smiled weakly.
“Children invent things.”
Ethan continued.
“She said pool.”
I knew Victor's estate.
Indoor pool.
My stomach tightened.
“What else?”
“She said Mommy busy.”
Claire looked at the ceiling.
Ethan kept going.
“And Daddy said boys need Daddy.”
Ryan closed his eyes.
I stared.
“Did he say where Mommy would be?”
Ethan's little face changed.
“Sleeping.”
Silence.
Not dead.
Sleeping.
The word adults use when they want children to accept absence without understanding it.
I swallowed.
“Anything else?”
He looked at Ryan.
Then at me.
“Daddy said don't tell Mommy because she'd get mad.”
My heart hurt.
I touched his knee.
“You didn't do anything wrong.”
He nodded.
Ryan laughed bitterly.
“Can we stop?”
I looked at him.
“No.”
“He's confused.”
“He's consistent.”
“He's four.”
“Yes.”
Claire rolled her eyes.
“Exactly.”
I turned.
She smiled cruelly.
“A preschooler is now your intelligence network.”
“No.”
I stood.
“My son is the person you were stupid enough to talk around because you thought he didn't matter.”
Claire's smile disappeared.
Ethan looked at me.
“Can I go?”
“Yes.”
That mattered.
Choice.
Nathan took him out.
When the door closed, I looked at Ryan.
“You were preparing him.”
“No.”
“You told him boys need Daddy.”
“So?”
“You told him I would be sleeping.”
“Because that's what Claire said.”
He pointed at her.
She laughed.
“Pathetic.”
Ryan snapped:
“You started it.”
“I suggested Victor's house.”
“You told him Emily wouldn't be around.”
“You agreed.”
They turned on each other fully now.
I watched.
Claire pointed at Ryan.
“He was going to move Ethan before your funeral.”
My blood went cold.
Ryan stared.
“You said wait.”
Claire continued.
“I said it would look suspicious.”
Malcolm whispered:
“Enough.”
Claire turned.
“No.”
She smiled.
“You're finished too.”
Then back to me.
“Ryan wanted Ethan moved the first night.”
I stared at my husband.
“Why?”
He said nothing.
“Why?”
His voice finally came.
“Because he would've asked for you.”
My stomach twisted.
“You wanted to stop our son asking for me.”
“He would've made everything harder.”
There.
Again.
Need.
Grief.
Love.
All logistical problems.
“What did you plan to tell him?”
Ryan looked away.
Claire answered.
“That Mommy chose work.”
I stared.
Ryan turned on her.
“You said that.”
Claire laughed.
“And you liked it.”
I couldn't breathe for a moment.
They were going to make my son believe I chose the organization over him.
After killing me.
Cruelty beyond strategy.
A rewrite of love.
I looked at Malcolm.
“Did Victor know?”
He said nothing.
“Did he approve?”
Nothing.
Claire smiled.
“Victor loved it.”
Ryan stared.
She continued.
“He said a boy who resents his mother won't spend adulthood trying to avenge her.”
Silence.
There.
Long-term control.
Not just remove me.
Change Ethan's memory of me.
Make grief useful.
I looked at Claire.
“You were going to raise him believing I abandoned him.”
She shrugged.
“Children need simple stories.”
I stepped closer.
“No.”
Her smile faded.
“You needed a simple child.”
Silence.
One who didn't ask.
Didn't cry.
Didn't remember.
Didn't challenge the adults shaping him.
I looked at Ryan.
“You agreed.”
He stared.
Then said the worst possible thing.
“He would've adjusted.”
My hands curled.
“Just like you adjusted to being underboss?”
His face hardened.
Good.
I turned toward Malcolm.
“Call Victor.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“He won't answer.”
“Then why are you afraid?”
Malcolm stared.
There.
Fear.
Not for Victor.
Of him.
Interesting.
I smiled faintly.
“You all planned my death for a man none of you trust.”
Nobody spoke.
Then one of the bodyguards entered.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“Victor Hale is at the south entrance.”
Silence.
Ryan stopped breathing.
Claire whispered:
“He came.”
I looked toward the hallway.
May you like
Of course he did.
The man who had spent months moving everyone else had finally decided the board was safe enough to enter.
