CHAPTER 3: THE FAMILY TAKES SIDES
News traveled through the Walker family before sunset.
Margaret made sure of it.
By evening, Ethan's older sister, Rebecca, and his uncle Charles were sitting in the living room.
Margaret sat between them, pretending to cry.
"I've sacrificed everything for this family."
Rebecca glared at Emma.
"She turned Ethan against his own mother."
Emma remained silent.
She was too exhausted to argue.
Charles shook his head.
"Throwing your mother out over one misunderstanding?"
Ethan placed his laptop on the coffee table.
"It wasn't a misunderstanding."
He pressed Play.
The nursery footage filled the television.
Nobody spoke.
Margaret's voice echoed through the room.
"You'll never belong in this family."
Then—
The slap.
Emma falling.
Margaret dragging her across the floor by her hair.
Rebecca covered her mouth.
Charles lowered his eyes.
The recording ended.
Ethan slowly closed the laptop.
"Does anyone still believe my wife deserved that?"
No one answered.
Margaret finally exploded.
"So you're choosing HER over your own mother?"
Ethan looked directly into her eyes.
"I'm choosing what's right."
"You'll regret this."
"No."
"I regret not protecting my family sooner."
Margaret's expression hardened.
"If I leave this house..."
"...don't expect to see me again."
Ethan nodded once.
"I won't."
Margaret waited for him to stop her.
He never did.
She grabbed her suitcase and stormed toward the front door.
It closed behind her with one loud slam.
For the first time since Emma married into the Walker family...
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The house felt peaceful.
But the nightmare wasn't over.
