MARIA POV
I nodded in assent, my voice dripping with feeling as if to emphasize a point: "You're right, Mom." Then I sat down next to her on the couch and stared at the screen, but my mind was somewhere else. The weight of Philip's actions burrowed deep inside my brain.
"For him to yell at me, it means there's a high chance of him exposing me," I added, my tone dripping with concern. The thought sent a shiver down my spine; all the vulnerability I was feeling made my skin crawl.
I turned to Mom, imploring; my voice laced with desperation, "What am I to do, Mom?"-asking, my eyes seeking hers for answers. She looked composed, but her eyes twinkled with a hint of resolve.
"I think you should kidnap him," she suggested-clearly, considering the pros and cons of such a drastic measure.
I re
