“I didn’t do anything special,” she said quietly.
“I just stopped telling them they couldn’t try.”
Before Ethan could speak—
Click. Click. Click.
High heels.
Elaine stepped onto the patio, clutching a folder.
“Ethan, thank God you’re here,” she said dramatically.
Then she saw the boys.
Her smile faltered.
“Get away from them!” Elaine screamed.
“She’s abusing them! I saw her hit Noah!”
“What?” Ethan said coldly.
“And she stole your mother’s ring,” Elaine added quickly.
“It’s in her bag.”
Maria went pale.
“I swear I didn’t—”
“Check it!” Elaine demanded.
Ethan did.
Inside the bag: the emerald ring.
Elaine smiled.
“See? Thief.”
Ethan didn’t smile back.
“The security system logs safe access,” he said calmly.
“My office safe opened at 3:32 p.m.”
“By you, Elaine.”
Silence.
Elaine’s face drained of color.
“You planted it,” Ethan said.
Elaine exploded.
“I was protecting you!”
“You’re weak! You can’t raise them!”
Ethan stood tall.
“You have one hour,” he said quietly.
“Pack your things.”
“You can’t kick me out!” Elaine screamed.
“I’m family!”
Ethan looked at his sons—standing, laughing, alive.
“No,” he said.
“They are.”
Elaine left in silence.