Caleb had always been a fragile child, born with a weak constitution. He needed more care than most, and William had never lifted a finger to help. I had given up everything—my career, my independence—to raise him.
And yet, in his eyes, I was nothing compared to a woman who took him out for junk food and entertainment.
A sudden crack of thunder outside jolted me from my thoughts.
It had started to rain.
I rushed to the balcony to grab my potted flowers, but when I got there, I froze.
They had already been destroyed.
The delicate petals had been crushed, the stems snapped and bent beyond repair. Someone had stomped them into the ground.
Before I could even process the loss, I heard a sharp click behind me.
The lock.
I spun around and grabbed the handle. “Caleb, open the door!” I pounded on the glass, my voice urgent.
Through the window, I saw him grinning. “Godmother, come look! She’s a drowned rat!”
Luna laughed, tapping him playfully on the head. “You little rascal. Come on, let’s go buy some snacks.”
“Yay!”
Without a second thought, Caleb grabbed Luna’s hand and skipped away.
He didn’t even look back.
Lightning streaked across the sky as the rain poured down, soaking me to the bone. I curled up in the corner of the balcony, my entire body trembling from cold and something even worse.
I stayed there, watching as the last petal of my flowers was washed away.
Only then did William finally unlock the door.
Under the harsh glow of the overhead lights, I must’ve looked like a ghost—pale, drenched, hair plastered to my face.
Luna covered her mouth in mock surprise. “Oh dear, Susie, what happened to you?”
Caleb peeked out from behind her, sticking out his tongue and making a face at me.
William barely spared me a glance before sighing, exasperated. “Susie, you’re an adult. How do you even manage to get yourself locked out on the balcony? Be more careful next time.”
I didn’t say a word.
I just reached for Caleb, wanting to grab his wrist.
William’s expression darkened, and in an instant, he shoved me back. “What are you doing? He’s just a kid! Are you really picking a fight with a child?
“He doesn’t understand, but you should.”
The force of his shove knocked me off balance, and I fell hard onto the floor.
Luna gasped in fake concern. Caleb, on the other hand, burst into laughter.
And in this twisted little courtroom, I—the only victim—had somehow become the one on trial.
