“Yeah.” Alessia knew he was referring to what had happened the night before.


    “And where are York and Ivan?”


    “They’re in the bedroom,” Karen answered before Alessia could ask. “Lessie, go call them out for breakfast.”


    “Alright.”


    Even though it was technically her own room, Alessia knocked politely before turning the handle and stepping inside.


    next to


    To her surprise, York–usually such a bundle of energy–was quietly s Ivan, clutching a pencil and scratching something onto a piece of pap was not his strong suit; his page was covered with a few mysterious, unidentifiable


    creatures.


    early, art


    Ivan, meanwhile, was hunched over a picture book, studying it with the concentration of an art critic, his face deadly serious. Next to him sat a freshlypleted drawing, and if you looked closely, you could spot a faint flower hidden


    in the corner.


    As for Rex, he was curled up in the far corner of the room, fast asleep.


    “Well, aren’t you two on your best behavior?”


    “Alessia!” York’s eyes lit up as he bounced to attention–then, as if remembering something, he shot a guilty look at the bookshelf.


    Alessia raised an eyebrow, ncing toward the shelves. York swallowed hard, looking like he was about to confess, but before he could say a word, Ivan suddenly stood up and pped his sketchbook on top of another book.


    “What’s going on?” Alessia paused, giving them a skeptical look.


    “I’m hungry.”


    “Yeah! Hungry! Really hungry!” York blurted, eager to change the subject, while Ivan only shot him a withering side–eye.


    There was no need to dig deeper–kids had their secrets, and it was obvious Ivan


    was trying to cover for York. If they didn’t want to talk, Alessia wasn’t about to y detective.


    “Alright, time for breakfast. Ivan, take York to wash his hands.”


    <b>1/2 </b>


    <b>13:17 </b>


    Ivan nodded, and York immediatelytched onto his side–only to be brushed off as Ivan edged away with a look of mild annoyance.


    Alessia followed the two boys out, quietly amused by their antics.


    At the table, York swung his legs under his chair, eating with gusto. Karen watched him with a smile, moving his favorite dish closer to his te.


    “If you like it, have some more. Next time you visit, I’ll make it again for you,” Karen promised.


    York nodded eagerly, reaching for more–only to have Alessia intercept his fork.


    “Thank you, ma’am,” York piped up quickly, catching on in an instant.


    “Smart kid,” Brendan remarked, a note of admiration in his voice.


    “Yeah, and it looks like Ivan really likes having York around. I think he’s finally made his first real friend, right, Ivan?” Karen nced at Ivan, who hesitated for a second before dropping his gaze and digging into his food.


    No one was surprised by Ivan’s silence; the family was used to it by now.


    “But York, what made you run off like that yesterday?”


    Alessia paused, but York didn’t hesitate–he blurted out the whole story in one breath.


    “It was that Ileana! She couldn’t win the argument, so she tried to push me down the stairs. Rex stopped her, but then she slipped and fell herself. Then she lied and told everyone I pushed her. Ugh!” He scowled, making his feelings perfectly clear.


    Kids didn’t bother with adult subtleties, and York’s honesty brought both the Mortons and Zachary to a sudden halt, their forks frozen in midair.


    “York, what did you just say?”


    Unfazed by the shift in mood, York swallowed his bite and looked Karen straight in the eye.


    “I said Ileana tried to push me down the stairs, but she slipped and fell. Then she told the housekeeper I pushed her, so I got mad and ran out…”


    Karen didn’t catch anything after that.


    Her fork slipped from her fingers and ttered onto her te, the room falling into an ufortable silence.


    “She’s mean! She hits people! Bad!” York’s voice rang out, echoing in the stillness.


    13:17


    <b>Chapter </b>151