Chapter 1
Lily was crying when I walked into the dining room.
My five-year-old daughter stood beside the table with one hand pressed to her stomach and the other holding half a dinner roll.
Her cheek was wet.
Her lips trembled.
Across from her, Vanessa pointed like Lily was something filthy.
“You do not take food from my son.”
Mason, Vanessa’s seven-year-old, sat with a full plate in front of him.
Chicken.
Potatoes.
Bread.
Everything.
Lily whispered, “I was hungry.”
Vanessa snatched the roll from her hand.
“I told you that was Mason’s.”
“But there’s more.”
“Don’t argue.”
Mason looked down at his plate.
“Mom, she can have mine.”
Vanessa snapped, “Stay out of this.”
Lily reached toward the breadbasket again.
Vanessa slapped her.
The sound cracked through the room.
Lily stumbled into a chair and covered her face.
“I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “I’m sorry.”
Vanessa grabbed her wrist.
“You need to learn that everything in this house isn’t yours.”
That was when I dropped my work bag.
“What did you just do?”
Vanessa froze.
“Michael.”
I stepped into the room.
My daughter’s cheek was already turning red.
Vanessa lifted her chin.
“She was stealing Mason’s food.”
“She is five.”
“She needs discipline.”
Lily ran to me.
“Daddy, I was just hungry.”
I lifted her into my arms.
Her little body shook so hard I felt it in my chest.
Then Mason spoke softly.
“She didn’t steal anything.”
Vanessa turned.
“Mason.”
He looked at me instead.
“Mom told Lily she wasn’t allowed to eat dinner.”
My stomach dropped.
I set Lily behind me.
“Is that true?”
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“She was being difficult.”
I walked toward her.
“Did you hit my daughter because she wanted food?”
“Michael, don’t start.”
I slapped Vanessa across the face.
She stumbled against the table.
“You hit me?”
“You put your hands on my child.”
Then Lily tugged my sleeve.
“Daddy…”
I turned.
She pointed toward the pantry.
“Sometimes she locks the food in there so I can’t get any.”
May you like
Vanessa’s face changed.
And Mason whispered, “Dad… that’s not the worst thing she does when you’re at work.”
