Under the table, Madison grabbed Harper’s hand so tightly their knuckles turned white. Fear flashed across their faces—but Daniel didn’t see it.
That night, as Sophia packed Daniel’s suitcase, she overheard Vanessa speaking on the terrace.
“Yes, Lauren, I’m almost there,” Vanessa said, her voice stripped of sweetness. “Once we’re married, those kids are gone. I’ve already looked into a boarding school in Switzerland. I’m not spending my life wiping noses. Daniel leaves tomorrow. Three days is plenty of time to show them who’s in control.”
Sophia felt the blood drain from her face. This wasn’t impatience. It was cruelty.
The next morning, Daniel left. Madison clung to his leg, sobbing harder than she had in months. Vanessa gently pried her away, smiling.
“Go. We’ll be just fine.”
The car disappeared down the driveway.
The house went cold.
Vanessa’s smile vanished. “Enough pretending,” she hissed. “Upstairs. And I don’t want to hear a sound.”
The next two days were suffocating. The girls were confined to their room. Meals were skipped under the excuse that they needed to “watch their weight.” Sophia smuggled sandwiches and fruit to them in secret.
“I’m hungry,” Harper whispered one night.