Chapter 13
Sofia’s death changed Marcus differently than I expected.
He broke from Celeste first.
Not Bianca.
His mother.
“You used me.”
Celeste laughed.
“You benefited.”
That silenced him.
Because it was true.
He enjoyed the position.
The access.
The possibility of a council seat.
Maybe he did not want Sofia dead.
He still benefited from her absence.
That mattered.
He looked at me.
“I didn’t know about the medication.”
“I believe you.”
His face changed.
Relief.
Too early.
“You knew about the council.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Sofia threatened it.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Celeste met her.”
“Yes.”
The relief disappeared.
“You chose not to ask enough questions.”
He lowered his head.
“Yes.”
I nodded.
That was the honest shape.
Bianca tried another angle.
“I loved you.”
I looked at her.
Maybe she did.
That was almost worse.
People like to imagine love and cruelty are opposites.
They are not.
Someone can love what you give them.
Your status.
Your attention.
Your future.
And still hurt the parts of your life that resist their control.
“You loved being chosen.”
She stared.
“That’s not fair.”
“No?”
“I stayed after Sofia died.”
“You arrived more fully after Sofia died.”
Her face tightened.
True.
She had stepped into the house slowly.
Helped with Lucy.
Comforted me.
Waited.
Then engagement.
Then pressure.
Then dog bowl.
I looked at her.
“You thought patience made the plan noble.”
She started crying.
“I wanted a family.”
“Then why did you punish Lucy for already having one?”
Silence.
No answer survived that.
Celeste looked disgusted by both children.
Her own.
Marcus guilty.
Bianca emotional.
I saw the system clearly.
Celeste taught them that family was rank.
Usefulness.
Strategic marriage.
Control.
Bianca repeated it with Lucy.
Call me Mommy.
Eat.
Obey.
May you like
Belong.
I was done letting that language live in my house.
