She wiped at her face.
“I’m sorry.”
“I believe you.”
Ethan looked up.
I continued:
“Helping your daughter was not the betrayal.”
I turned toward him.
“Taking money from our family and lying to me about why was.”
Isla looked at me.
“I thought you knew about me.”
That hurt unexpectedly.
“No, honey.”
My voice softened.
“I didn’t know you existed.”
And then I understood another part of Ethan’s deception.
He had allowed Isla to believe that I knew about her.
That I had agreed she should remain outside our family.
When Ethan tried to reach for me, I stepped backward.
“You’re not coming home tonight.”
“Nora.”
“No.”
“The boys need me.”
“They need honesty more.”
“I’m their father.”
“And I’m the mother you blamed every time the truth became inconvenient.”
His hand fell.
“You know where Kai and Theo are.”
I took a breath.
