Chapter 3

The drive home was a blur of confusion and rising anger.

The condo, our condo, felt alien.

Kevin was there, waiting. His demeanor had shifted from public concern to cold calculation.

"What was that, Kevin? Jessie? And what is this about Emily?" I demanded, my voice tight.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Look, Sarah, Jessie is an old friend. She's going through a tough time. I'm just trying to help her out."

"Help her out by claiming her child is yours? By saying I'm mentally unstable? By enrolling her daughter in Parkside using my money and Emily's spot?"

He flinched at the directness.

"It's complicated," he said, avoiding my gaze. "Jessie's daughter needed a good school, and you're always so busy with work."

"So you just decided to swap our daughters? Where is my Emily, Kevin? Where is our daughter?"

The question hung in the air, heavy and terrifying.

He finally looked at me, his eyes devoid of warmth.

"Emily is fine. She's with my mother."

"With Karen? In that run-down trailer park in Pennsylvania? Are you insane?"

Karen Miller was overbearing, neglectful, and lived in squalor. The thought of Emily there...

"She needed to toughen up," Kevin said, his voice chillingly casual. "You coddle her too much. And with all your work travel, she needed stability. Mom can provide that."

"Stability? In a trailer with no proper food or care? You sent our daughter there?"

The gaslighting was suffocating. He was twisting reality, making his monstrous actions sound reasonable, almost benevolent.

"She'll be fine. It's good for her character."

"Good for her character?" I repeated, the words like ash in my mouth. "You did this. You planned this with Jessie. You sent our child away and replaced her."

He shrugged. "You're overreacting, Sarah. As usual. You're too emotional."

His entitlement was astounding. He spoke as if he had every right to make these decisions, to dispose of our child, to destroy our life.

The awful truth settled in, cold and sharp. This wasn't just about helping an old friend. This was a deliberate, cruel deception.

My Emily was in danger.