Chapter 1 - The Chair
Valentina waited until my three-year-old daughter was lowering herself into the chair beside my empty place before she yanked it backward.
Ruby hit the carpet.
I stepped out of the adjoining council room just in time to see my daughter staring up from the floor, shocked before the tears even came.
Valentina handed the chair to her own son, Ethan.
“Sit here,” she told him.
Then she looked down at Ruby.
“You can stay where you are.”
I lifted her against my chest.
“What happened?”
Valentina’s face changed immediately.
“She slipped.”
Ruby shook her head against my shoulder.
“Auntie pulled it.”
I looked at the chair.
Then at the dozen people who had seen everything.
Nobody spoke.
Ruby suddenly pointed toward the staircase.
“My room gone.”
I froze.
“What do you mean?”
“Bags.”
Her closet was empty.
Her stuffed animals were packed into two suitcases.
Her little dresses were folded into a third.
Even the framed picture of her late mother, Isabella, had been wrapped in newspaper.
Valentina followed us.
“Domenico, we can explain.”
“Explain why my daughter’s room is packed.”
He grabbed my jacket.
“She can sleep in the storage room. Stop acting like this is a crisis.”
He swung first.
I blocked him, twisted his arm, and drove him back against the wall without striking him again.
“Touch me in my own house one more time.”
Marcus went pale.
Valentina reached for Ruby.
I stepped away.
“No.”
“Domenico—”
“No.”
I carried Ruby back downstairs.
The guests were still standing beside untouched plates.
I looked at Valentina.
“You took my daughter’s chair.”
“And you packed her life before I knew there was a problem.”
Her lips trembled.
“So now you pack yours.”
That was when our housekeeper, Teresa, entered holding an envelope.
“Mr. Falcone,” she whispered. “I found this in Mrs. Falcone’s desk.”
Inside was a petition for emergency guardianship of Ruby.
May you like
My signature was already on it.
Except I had never signed a thing.
