CHAP 3 — The Child Behind the Sofa
Dominic tried to step inside.
I did not move.
“Vivian,” he said quietly, “do not make this ugly.”
I looked past him toward Isabelle.
“It became ugly when you rehearsed this in the car and decided my son should witness it.”
Isabelle’s face tightened.
“I never wanted to hurt your child.”
“No,” I said. “You only wanted his home.”
She flinched.
Dominic snapped, “Enough.”
That word used to work on me.
Enough.
It meant stop embarrassing me. Stop being emotional. Stop reminding me I am cruel.
Now it sounded small.
Behind me, Noah had climbed over the sofa and stood in the living room, clutching the blanket he only used when Dominic broke promises. His eyes moved from me to his father to Isabelle’s belly.
“Is that baby Daddy’s?” he whispered.
Dominic closed his eyes.
For half a second, guilt appeared.
Then pride killed it.
“Yes,” he said. “And that baby needs me too.”
Noah’s face crumpled.
I turned quickly.
“Sweetheart, go to Mrs. Reed’s house next door. Right now.”
He looked terrified.
“Are you coming?”
“Yes. I promise.”
Dominic stepped forward.
“Noah, stay.”
I swung my eyes back to him.
“You do not give him orders right now.”
The coldness in my voice stopped even him.
Noah ran to the side door that connected to our neighbor’s garden path. Mrs. Reed had known for months that if Noah came over alone, she was to take him in and call me.
The door shut behind him.
Only then did I turn back.
Dominic’s anger rose the moment the child was gone.
“You think you can keep my son from me?”
“I think you just introduced him to your pregnant mistress in his own living room.”
“He needed to know.”
“No. You needed control.”
Isabelle touched Dominic’s sleeve.
“Maybe we should go.”
That was the first intelligent thing she had said.
Dominic ignored her.
“I am not abandoning my child.”
“Which one?” I asked.
His face twisted.
“Do not start.”
“You started when you rang my doorbell.”
He leaned closer.
“Isabelle will be cared for. I will not have my child born into some rented apartment because you want to punish me.”
I stared at him.
There it was.
The real demand.
Not love.
Housing.
Status.
Legitimacy.
He wanted my house to bless his affair.
“My answer is no.”
Dominic’s voice dropped.
“Then I will take Noah half the time, and you can explain to him why his father had to leave.”
I almost smiled.
Threats are useful when recorded clearly.
I glanced above the porch.
The camera light glowed blue.
Dominic followed my gaze.
His expression changed.
“What is that?”
“Our front door camera.”
Isabelle’s hand left her belly.
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
“You recorded us?”
“You rang the bell.”
For the first time since arriving, he looked uncertain.
I stepped back and closed my hand around the door.
“Leave.”
“Vivian.”
“Leave before I send this recording to Grace.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Grace Keller?”
I smiled then.
The first real smile of the night.
“Yes. My attorney.”
The smoke alarm began screaming from the kitchen.
I looked at Dominic one last time.
May you like
“You burned dinner, Dominic. Not me.”
Then I shut the door in his face.
