She approached Emma gently and asked if she needed help. The young woman looked startled, her voice barely steady as she insisted she was fine—just tired. When Margaret asked when she had last slept through the night, Emma couldn’t even answer.
Jason didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Didn’t help.
He just asked for a beer.
That night, Margaret calmly suggested Jason come stay at her house “to rest.” He agreed immediately, complaining about the stress of his own family.
But Margaret had already made up her mind.
The next morning at exactly eight, she returned. When Emma opened the door holding one of the twins, Margaret took her arm firmly and told her to come with her. She had already hired two nannies for the day.
Emma resisted at first, guilt written all over her face, but Margaret didn’t give her a choice.
As they drove away, Margaret’s expression in the mirror was cold and determined.
She had seen enough.
And what she planned next would shake everything.
Their first stop was an upscale salon downtown. Emma hesitated, shrinking into herself, but Margaret guided her firmly into the chair.
When Emma looked at her reflection under the bright lights, tears slipped down her face.