Anneliese''s fingers shifted slightly in his grasp. Emotion stirred in her chest, though a trace of unease followed.


    He didn''t have to go this far for her.


    Jonathan noticed her movement, nced down, and caught her eyes. He gave her hand a small, steady squeeze.


    Then he turned back to Elizabeth. "Both projects have already been reassigned. The contracts are signed. There''s nothing to change."


    Elizabeth''s expression faltered. Her earlier words had been a subtle way of admitting fault.


    She''d thought that backing down and promising not to bother Anneliese again would satisfy him.


    But Jonathan didn''t budge.


    Anger boiled through her veins.


    Humiliation settled in her chest as she realized the truth. Without those contracts, the Hoff family wouldn''tst.


    Once they fell apart, she would be the one everyone mocked.


    And when people learned that her own son had been the one to cut off the family''s financial support, her reputation would be ruinedpletely.


    All the appearances she''d worked so hard to keep up would crumble.


    Fury surged in her.


    She red at Jonathan and snapped, "You ungrateful son!" before swinging her hand toward him.


    The p nevernded.


    A sharp cry escaped her instead as she stumbled backward and crashed into the couch.


    The sound echoed through the room.


    Her once-perfect hair came undone, strands falling loose across her face, leaving her disheveled and stunned.


    She stared at Anneliese, eyes wide. "You pushed me!"


    Anneliese had barely said a word the entire time. Elizabeth had thought she was just acting meek for Jonathan''s sake. She hadn''t expected her to actually fight back.


    A daughter-inw having the gall toy a hand on her mother-inw right in front of her husband—it was unthinkable.


    Anneliese pulled her hand back. Seeing Elizabeth''s wild, furious face, she didn''t regret it, though guilt still pricked at her chest.


    She''d been taught all her life to respect her elders. And Elizabeth was Jonathan''s mother. What if he minded?


    Quickly, she tucked her hand behind her back, as if hiding the evidence.


    But the gesture was too obvious, and it only made her look guiltier.


    Jonathan caught every subtle move from the woman beside him. He couldn''t help it; his lips curved into a small smile.


    He reached out and ruffled Anneliese''s hair, a gesture that felt like bothfort and praise.


    He turned to Elizabeth. "My wife was defending me. Is that a problem with you?"


    Elizabeth''s chest tightened. She


    wanted to snap back, but when her eyes met Jonathan''s, she froze. His gaze was cold and distant, stripped of any warm It was the look a man gave to a stranger, not his mother. The words stuck in her throat.


    By the time she recovered, Jonathan was already leading Anneliese upstairs by the hand.


    Therge living room fell silent. Elizabeth sat slumped on the couch, humiliated and alone.


    Her hands and feet were cold as ice.


    She clenched them tightly, only now


    realizing that whatever fragile tie she still had with her son had been


    still


    severedpletely-because of the way she treated Anneliese


    The scene turns to the second floor.


    Anneliese stayed quiet as Jonathan led her into the main bedroom. When the door


    shut behind them, she looked up carefully.


    "Are you okay?"


    Jonathan brushed her nose with his finger. "She didn''t hit me. I wasn''t hurt. Thank you, sweetheart."


    He hadn''t nned to dodge earlier No matter how strained things were, Elizabeth was still his mother. I she wanted to hit him he wouldve let her


    If Anneliese hadn''t stepped in, that p would''vended. He''d been ready for it. What he hadn''t expected was for her to act so quickly—and push Elizabeth away. Anneliese looked at the faint smile on his lips and ced her hand on his chest.


    "What about here?"


    She knew that kind of pain. The sting of being mistreated by your own parents. Back when she lived with the Whites, before she learned they weren''t her real parents, she''d been scolded and pped more times than she could count.


    Every time, no matter how fierce she acted, the ache inside was something only she could feel.


    Jonathan, though, felt nothing. He was a grown man, long past needing affection from his mother.


    And he had known for years that Elizabeth never loved him.