Chapter 2
I had never heard Julian scream like that.
Not when our marriage ended.
Not when I caught him lying.
Not when Noah cried so hard he threw up after Julian forgot his birthday.
This scream came from somewhere ugly.
Somewhere terrified.
The box slipped from Julian’s hands and hit the floor.
Something small rolled out.
A flash drive.
And a silver baby bracelet.
Victoria’s smile disappeared.
Julian stared at the bracelet like it had teeth.
“Noah,” he whispered. “Where did you get this?”
Noah held the microphone with both hands.
“You left it in the garage apartment.”
People turned.
Whispers started.
I stepped toward my son, but he looked at me once and shook his head.
He needed to do this.
So I stopped.
Julian bent down, reaching for the flash drive.
Noah spoke into the microphone.
“Don’t touch it. I already gave copies to Mom’s lawyer.”
My breath caught.
My lawyer?
Julian looked at me.
I had no idea what Noah meant.
Victoria grabbed Julian’s arm.
“What is that?”
He didn’t answer.
Noah did.
“It belonged to my sister.”
The room froze.
I stopped breathing.
My sister.
Those two words moved through me like a blade.
I looked at Julian.
“What is he talking about?”
Julian’s face drained.
Victoria stepped back.
“Julian?”
Noah’s voice shook for the first time.
“Dad told everyone Mom was trash because he didn’t want anyone asking what happened before I was born.”
The flash drive lay between Julian’s shoes.
The bracelet glittered under the chandelier.
Tiny.
Silver.
Engraved with one name.
Lila.
I had never seen it before.
But Julian had.
His knees bent like his body could not hold him.
“Noah,” he said. “Stop.”
May you like
Noah looked at him.
“You stopped being my dad first.”
