"Vincent, if you won't handle this, I will."
"Starting today, you and your daughter don't get another cent from me."
"And I'm going to find out exactly what happened at that school."
"You touched my daughter. I'll make you pay for it."
I helped Irene to her feet and walked out.
"Where are you taking her?" Vincent panicked, reaching to stop me.
"To the hospital! To document her injuries!"
I shoved past him and didn't look back at that suffocating house.
Behind me, Vincent shouted, his voice cracking with fury:
"Margot! If you walk out that door, don't bother coming back!"
"And if Blanche suffers because of this, you and I are finished!"
I let out a cold laugh.
Finished?
Good. I wasn't planning on letting this go either.
In the car, Irene clutched the hem of my shirt, crying softly.
"Mom, did I cause trouble for you?"
"Dad said if I didn't behave, you wouldn't want me anymore..."
My heart shattered. I pulled her closer.
"That's not true. I will never stop wanting you."
"Irene, from now on, Mommy's going to protect you."
"Everyone who hurt you—I won't let a single one of them get away with it."
At the hospital, the doctor's frown deepened as he treated Irene's wounds.