Pembroke Family Living Room


    Smack!


    Adrian nted his foot on the sofa, pped Giselle''s hand away from his cheek, and hurled his toy to the floor with all the force a six-year-old could muster.


    "Go away!"


    "You''re a liar!"


    Giselle froze, knuckles whitening around the video game controller in her hands. After a few seconds, she looked at Adrian, her face twisted with hurt. "Adrian, you think I''m... a liar?"


    "That''s right!" Adrian jabbed a finger at her, the words bursting out in a rush. "It''s all your fault! That''s why my mom never wants to be around me. I don''t want to y your stupid games-I want my mom! I want my mom!"


    He leapt from the sofa and ran to Nathaniel, shoving theptop off hisp and grabbing fistfuls of his shirt. “You jerk, give me back my phone! I want to see my mom!"


    "She''s noting back."


    The words dropped into the room like a stone, killing all sound.


    Giselle, who had stood motionless until then, slowly turned around. A faint, cold smile curled her lips, though her eyes were nk. Each word came out sharp as ice. "Didn''t you know? Your mother came back already. The moment her nended, she went straight to the hospital to see Julian. She left you behind. She''s noting back."


    "Adrian, don''t you get it yet?"


    "Your mother doesn''t love you. She loves Julian-the good, obedient, perfect Julian. How could she possibly love a troublemaker like you? You''re the kid who pushed someone down the stairs. You''re always acting out. Only I-only I love you, Adrian. I never judge you, I always believe you, and I''ll never abandon you. Only me!"


    Giselle was nearly hysterical.


    Ever since the Montgomery family got involved, she hadn''t been able to get close to Adrian. And yet, at some point, the little boy she''d always been able to control had started slipping away from her grasp.


    She couldn''t ept it.


    It was all M''s fault!


    "Giselle! That''s enough!"


    Nathaniel, who''d just stooped to pick up his batteredptop, felt his nerves snap at her words. He barked at her and reached out, trying to cover Adrian''s ears.


    Toote.


    Adrian stood there, stunned for two seconds, then let out a piercing shriek.


    "You''re lying! I don''t believe you! I want my mom! My mom would never-she, she...” His voice shook as he screamed, but his eyes were filling with tears, and soon his voice faded.


    It was true, wasn''t it?


    He was always so naughty, always fussing and making trouble. That must be why his mom never came to see him... But he''d tried so hard. He studied, he tried not to lie, he tried not to fight... Julian wasn''t even pushed by him... So why didn''t his mome? Why didn''t she care?


    Was it because she didn''t believe him?


    Because Julian was better?


    Because he was a bad kid?


    Huge tears rolled down his cheeks, one after another, until he was on the verge of breaking into loud, helpless sobs-when suddenly,motion erupted outside the door.


    A man in a white shirt strode in.


    Forrest.


    Behind him, a flustered housekeeper hurried after and bowed apologetically to Nathaniel. "I''m so sorry, sir. This gentleman forced his way in. We couldn''t stop him."


    "It''s fine. Just go," Nathaniel said tiredly, waving her off. He nced at Adrian, who was silently sobbing, and pressed his fingers to his aching forehead, at a loss for what to do.


    "Seems like I came at a bad time?" Forrest asked, shing an easy smile.


    He didn''t wait for an answer.


    Without ceremony, he stepped past Nathaniel and dropped to one knee


    meeting Adrian''s eyes. Gently, Forrest wiped away the boy''s te with his thumb, his voice calm, warm, and steady. "Hey, Adrian. I''m someone your mom trusts very much. She asked me toe check on you first."


    "My name is Whitmore."


    "You can call me Mr. Whitmore."


    Hospital Emergency Stairwell


    As the heavy door mmed shut, M yanked Sophia by the arm, sending her thudding into the wall with a muffled grunt.


    "Hey, take it easy," Sophia muttered.


    M didn''t care if she was hurt. She pinned Sophia against the wall, jaw clenched, her thoughts spinning with images of the frail child in the hospital bed and the doctor''s grim words. "What did you do to Julian?"


    Sophia looked back at her, meeting M''s furious re with a sh of cold amusement. "Oh, how


    interesting. But let''s not get distracted. Shouldn''t we be talking about what your kid did to mine? If we can''t resolve that, your darling is headed for court and a criminal record. That''s a stain that''ll never wash out."


    Her own child was lying unconscious in a hospital bed, but Sophia still spoke as if


    this was just another business negotiation.


    How could this be a business deal?


    M''s grip on Sophia''s shoulder tightened.


    "Hey, let go," Sophia snapped, swatting M''s hand away and fishing a cigarette


    from her pocket. "This dump doesn''t even let you smoke. Can we make this quick, or do you want to take this outside?"