“Nobody here to protect you now,prince,” the wolf jeered.
The video cut off abruptly there, leaving me to wonder what happened next.
I should have felt horrified. Concerned. Maybe even guilty for sending them there.
Instead, a strange sense of satisfaction washed over me. For years, I’d protected them from the harsh realities of the world. I’d worked extra shifts to keep Derek’s failing business afloat. I’d spent thousands on Oliver’s special treatments and elite schooling.
Without me, they were learning just how cruel the world could be.
I put down my phone, picked up my wine glass, and took a long, satisfying sip. For the first time in years, I didn’t have to worry
about anyone but myself.
Sleep came surprisingly easy. No worrying about work schedules or school pick–ups. No lying awake wondering if Derek would ever make his company profitable. Just peaceful, uninterrupted rest.
I woke to the sound of shouting outside my window. Bleary–eyed, I glanced at the clock–7:30 AM. The yelling continued, a
child’s voice calling repeatedly.
“Mom! Mom, please!”
I pulled back the curtains and peered down at my front lawn. Derek stood there, disheveled and defeated, with Oliver in his arms.
My son’s face was streaked with tears, his injured leg still bandaged.
“Mom!” Oliver called out again, spotting me in the window. “Mom, please help
us!”
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