Little Maddy was paralyzed with terror. Tears streamed down her flushed face as she wailed, her small voice cracking under the strain. "Daddy, it’s not Mommy’s fault! I guessed it! Mommy didn't say anything to me, I promise..."
It was the heartbreaking truth. Even in the depths of her fever and betrayal, Sarah Vance had not uttered a single disparaging word about Arthur Vance to their daughter. She had guarded Arthur’s image like a sacred relic, even as he systematically dismantled her life.
But Arthur was beyond the reach of truth. His guilt had curdled into a defensive malice that required a villain, and he had chosen Sarah.
He stooped down and scooped Maddy up into his arms, his eyes burning with a cold, righteous fury. "You aren't fit to be her mother," he snarled at Sarah. "You don
