Chapter 15 - The Ultimatum
The old firehouse stood beside a closed industrial block, its red doors rusted and windows boarded. Dean wanted them there Friday because Daniel's final rescue had become a local legend, while the truth behind it had been buried under rumors.
Sarah met with Officer Patel and a family lawyer. They agreed to provide the original footage and give formal statements. Dean was warned to stop contacting Ethan, but he did not respond.
"You don't have to meet him," Sarah told her son. "The police can handle the evidence."
"If I don't go, he'll keep saying I ran away."
"You don't owe him a performance."
Ethan rubbed the scar on his thumb, left by a shard of glass from the fire. "I don't want to hide behind you anymore. But I won't go alone."
"Then we go with the officer."
At school, Ethan faced a disciplinary meeting. He admitted hitting Lily and accepted his suspension. He did not blame the cake or the messages. He agreed to counseling, a restorative plan, and supervised contact with his sister until she felt safe. The principal said his honesty mattered, but it did not erase the harm.
When Ethan came home, Lily had drawn a picture of the family. Sarah stood in the middle. Lily held her rabbit. Ethan was several steps away, with a small heart between them.
"I didn't know where to put you," Lily said. "So I put you there."
Ethan crouched at a distance. "That's okay. You can put me wherever you want."
He put the drawing on the refrigerator without asking for a hug.
At 7:20 Friday evening, Officer Patel called. Dean had refused to meet with her and said he intended to release the footage at eight. As Sarah gathered the evidence, Ethan's phone buzzed.
Come alone, or your mother will never hear the end of what she did.
May you like
Ethan read it. "He's trying to make me choose between telling the truth and protecting you."
Sarah grabbed her coat. "Then he still doesn't understand us. We're going together."
