Chapter 8: Echoes in the Walls**
Despite Mark’s detention, Elena could not sleep. Every creak of the suburban house sounded like an intruder. Leo slept in her bed, clutching a small flashlight.
"Mom," Leo whispered in the middle of the night, "did Dad ever love us?"
The question cut deeper than any legal betrayal. Elena held her son close, staring up at the shadow-streaked ceiling.
"I think he loved winning, Leo. And he loved control. But real love doesn't hurt people, and it doesn't hide behind secrets."
"I took pictures of his desk," Leo muttered, his voice heavy with sleep.
Elena sat up. "What did you say, sweetheart?"
"When he was yelling at the man on the phone last week, I used my tablet to take pictures of the papers on his desk because he told me never to look at them. I thought they were game cheats."
May you like
Elena retrieved Leo’s tablet from his backpack and unlocked the photo gallery.
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