CHAPTER 5 — THE LIE THAT ALMOST WORKED
The next few hours changed everything.
Victoria moved faster than Sarah expected.
Before Sarah could contact anyone, Victoria made the first call.
To the authorities.
When Sarah saw the number on her phone, she froze.
"Who did you call?"
Victoria looked calm.
"Someone who needs to hear the truth."
Sarah’s heart dropped.
Within an hour, a social worker arrived.
Victoria immediately became a different person.
Her voice softened.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I’m so sorry this happened."
Sarah stared at her.
She couldn't believe it.
The same woman who had locked a child outside was now pretending to be heartbroken.
The social worker looked at Sarah.
"Can you explain what happened?"
Sarah opened her mouth.
But Victoria interrupted.
"Sarah has been under a lot of stress."
Sarah turned.
"What?"
Victoria shook her head sadly.
"I didn't want to say anything."
The social worker looked concerned.
"But?"
Victoria sighed.
"Ethan has been having problems."
Sarah felt anger explode inside her.
"Stop lying."
Victoria looked hurt.
"See?"
The social worker noticed.
Sarah immediately realized the trap.
Victoria wanted her to look angry.
Unstable.
Dangerous.
Sarah took a breath.
She walked to Ethan.
She knelt beside him.
"Tell her the truth, sweetheart."
Ethan looked scared.
The social worker smiled gently.
"It's okay. You can tell me."
The little boy looked at Victoria.
Then looked at his mother.
His lips started shaking.
"She..."
He stopped.
Sarah’s heart broke.
Because she understood.
Ethan was scared.
He had been threatened.
He didn't know who to trust.
Then Victoria whispered:
"Remember what we talked about."
Sarah heard it.
The social worker didn't.
But Ethan did.
His eyes widened.
Sarah stood.
"What did you just say?"
Victoria smiled.
"I don't know what you mean."
The social worker looked confused.
Sarah knew she needed another way.
Then Ethan suddenly reached into his pocket.
He pulled out something small.
A phone.
Sarah recognized it.
It was an old phone she had given him to play games.
"Mommy..."
Ethan whispered.
"I recorded it."
Everyone froze.
Victoria’s face changed.
"What?"
Ethan handed the phone to Sarah.
"I was scared."
Sarah pressed the screen.
A recording appeared.
She played it.
And Victoria’s own voice filled the room.
"If you tell your mother anything, nobody will believe you."
Silence.
Complete silence.
The social worker looked shocked.
Victoria stepped backward.
"No..."
Sarah looked at her.
"You made one mistake."
Victoria stared.
"What?"
"You thought my son was powerless."
Sarah held Ethan close.
"But he was brave enough to save himself."
Victoria’s expression turned dark.
And then...
She smiled.
May you like
Because even after everything...
She still had one more secret.
