Chapter 2 - The Part Nobody Heard
"Play the rest," Adrian said. His voice sounded strange to his own ears.
Olivia shook her head. "First, get Emma away from Aunt Vanessa."
The room turned silent again. Vanessa held Emma against her shoulder, suddenly rigid. Adrian approached and carefully took the baby back. Emma reached for Clara, her little hands opening and closing.
"She wants her mom," Olivia said.
Adrian passed Emma to Clara. Clara held her close but did not look at him. She checked the baby's head, kissed her forehead, and breathed through the sting in her cheek.
On the television, the footage continued. Vanessa stood over Clara while Clara was still on the floor, trying to release the stroller harness. "You should've kept your nose out of my accounts," Vanessa hissed. "Now look what happened."
"You put a baby on those stairs," Clara answered, horrified.
"Nobody will believe you. Adrian always chooses his own blood."
Olivia stopped the clip. "I heard her threatening Clara yesterday. That's why I started recording when she went near Emma. I yelled, but Clara was already running."
Vanessa recovered enough to cross her arms. "It's edited. That girl hates me because I take her phone away when she breaks rules."
"You never take my phone," Olivia said. "You didn't even know I was home."
Adrian turned to his sister. "Tell me why you touched the stroller."
"I was moving it out of the way. It slipped. Clara jumped in and made it worse."
"I watched you push," he said.
Clara walked toward the front door. "We're going to the hospital. Emma needs to be checked."
"I'll drive," Adrian offered.
"No. You just hit me. I'll call someone I trust."
Those words hurt him. He knew they were supposed to.
Olivia took Clara's free hand. "I'm coming with you."
Vanessa's expression tightened. "Olivia, give me that phone. You are sixteen. You don't understand what adults are dealing with."
Olivia held it behind her back. "I understand you tried to hurt my sister."
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Vanessa's phone lit up. Adrian caught just four words on its screen before she turned it over: DID SHE FIND THE FILE?
HE SLAPPED THE WOMAN WHO SAVED HIS BABY |
