Chapter 4
The cold wind rushed into the overheated living room, carrying the scent of ozone and impending rain. Evelyn stood frozen between the kitchen island and the glass balcony door, her chest heaving as Nyah’s words hung heavily in the air like a physical blow. The absolute lack of maternal warmth in Nyah’s eyes wasn't just shocking; it was terrifying.
"Nyah, listen to yourself," Evelyn whispered, her voice cracking as she took a cautious step backward, instinctively shielding the open threshold with her own body. "He is your son. He is a little boy who made a simple mistake. We all spill things. You cannot just discard him because your evening was ruined."
Nyah let out a harsh, humorless laugh that sounded more like a bark. She reached down, smoothing her stained beige evening dress with trembling hands, though the dark, sticky stain only smeared further across the shimmering fabric.
"You think this is about a dress, Mother?" Nyah snarled, stepping closer, her voice dropping into a venomous hiss. "This is about a lifetime of being held back. Every single opportunity I’ve ever had, every gala, every promotion, every chance to escape the life you built for us—he ruins it. Always. He is an anchor tied to my ankles, dragging me down into the dirt."
Leo shrank back against the balcony railing, the breath catching in his throat. The words pierced deeper than any physical injury ever could. He wasn't just a child who had been locked out; he was an unwanted burden in his own home.
Evelyn’s face drained of color, replaced instantly by a fierce, protective wrath. She raised a hand, pointing a trembling finger squarely at her daughter's face.
"You shut your mouth," Evelyn commanded, her voice vibrating with a lethal intensity that made even Nyah flinch slightly. "I raised you alone, and I never once looked at you the way you are looking at your own flesh and blood right now. You are sick, Nyah. Success has rotted your soul from the inside out."
Without waiting for a reply, Evelyn spun around, stepping fully out onto the cold balcony. She dropped to her knees in front of Leo, wrapping her warm, sturdy arms around his shivering shoulders and pulling him fiercely against her chest.
"Come on, baby," Evelyn whispered softly against his hair, her voice thick with unshed tears. "We're going home. Right now."
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Leo buried his face in the crook of his grandmother's neck, sobbing quietly as she hoisted him up into her arms. As Evelyn turned to carry him back across the threshold, Nyah didn't move to stop them. Instead, she walked over to the kitchen counter, picked up her half-empty glass of wine, and watched them with a dead, unblinking stare.
"Take him," Nyah repeated, her voice eerily quiet as Evelyn reached the ruined front door. "And don't bother bringing him back for visitation. My lawyer will serve you with the permanent relinquishment papers by Monday morning."
