Sienna looked into her daughter's clear eyes and fell silent for a few seconds. This time, she didn't cover for Ethan as she had before.
She stroked Zoey's cheek, her voice calm. "He isn't coming home tonight."
"Why?" Zoey asked blankly.
"Because he's with another woman." Sienna neither softened nor concealed the truth. "Zoey, Daddy has someone he wants to be with. He has left our home behind."
Tears flooded Zoey's eyes at once. Her lips trembled. "Zoey wants Daddy..."
Sienna's eyes burned, but she didn't promise, as she once would have, that Daddy would be home soon.
She gathered her daughter into her arms. Her voice was gentle but firm. "Mommy will always be here."
Lowering her head, she kissed Zoey's forehead. "Mommy will look at this picture for you. Zoey drew it so beautifully.
