“It’s just the two of us here,” I said flatly. “You can drop the act. I’m not buying it.”
Just as the words left my lips, the bathroom door swung open.
Hugo stepped inside, and right behind him, Jasper rushed in. The moment he spotted Ava’s tear-streaked face, he ran to her, standing protectively in front of her like a tiny shield.
“Mom, I won’t let you bully Aunt Ava! You’re a bad woman!”
A bad woman?
For a moment, I thought I’d misheard. My son, the child I had cherished and raised, was looking at me with nothing but hostility.
What did I do wrong?
I was the one who had been hurt, yet even Hugo’s gaze held disappointment as if I were the one truly at fault.
“I understand that you don’t like Ava, but you can’t keep looking for chances to bully her.”
“You’ve changed, Audrey. You weren’t like this before. You used to be so understanding. Look at you now; you’re completely unreasonable.”
Who was the one who changed?
Once, no matter what happened, they stood by my side without question. Now, all they did was blame me, refusing to listen or see. And yet, they dared to say I had changed?