DAPHNE
A hundred thoughts churn through my head, each one more suffocating than the last. I don't know if I should believe my father and worse, I can't bring myself to ask Ezekiel for the truth. The thought of hearing his answer terrifies me. I don't even know what he would say, but deep down, I'm certain I wouldn't like it.
By the time we return to Ezekiel's mansion, my mind is still a tangled mess. In the living room, Maria is sprawled on the carpet, her small hands busy arranging her toys with Laura's help. Harvey sits nearby, one leg crossed over the other, watching them with an expression I can't quite read.
The moment they see us, movement ripples through the room. Maria's face lights up, and she scrambles to her feet, darting toward us with a squeal. She throws her little arms a
