Standing in the dark nursery, holding my son, I finally understood the architecture of what had happened.
Vivian and Ethan had locked me in because they believed trapping me would preserve their convenience.
They never understood that by locking me in, they had locked themselves out forever.
When I went back to my room, I saw Vivian’s unopened envelope on my dresser. I picked it up. Thick, expensive paper. Probably guilt. Threats. A new performance.
I carried it downstairs, opened the kitchen trash can, and dropped it in unopened.
The war was over.
And I had won the only home worth keeping.
