Chapter 3

All the hurt Mia had been holding in finally erupted. She couldn't stop crying.

Julian looked at her irritably.

"If you keep crying, I'm throwing you out of this car!"

Mia sobbed so hard she could barely breathe.

"Daddy, you're not being fair. Grandma's not being fair either......"

I held Mia in my arms and wiped away her tears.

Hunter snapped at her.

"Can you stop crying already? It's so annoying!"

Mia couldn't stop.

Hunter turned to Julian and whined.

"Uncle Julian, can't you make her shut up? I can't even hear my music anymore."

Mia cried even harder.

"Daddy doesn't love me anymore......"

Julian's patience finally ran out.

He pulled Mia out of the car and left her on the side of the road.

"How many times do I have to tell you before you get it? Stand out here and think about what you did!"

I got out to pull Mia back in. Julian immediately shut the door in my face.

"You can stay out here and reflect too!"

Chloe and Hunter watched us smugly from inside the car as it drove off.

The night air was freezing.

Mia was barely dressed for it and started shivering.

"Mommy, I didn't do anything wrong. Why is Daddy treating me like this?"

I took off my coat and wrapped it around her, then texted Julian.

"It's cold out here. Mia's still getting over a cold. Come back right now."

Five minutes later, Julian finally replied.

"It's barely been any time. How could she have learned her lesson already? She needs to stay out there longer!"

"Mia's only five! What are you trying to prove?!"

"Exactly because she's young—that's when she needs to be disciplined."

When I saw that message, my phone was down to ten percent battery.

"Julian, my phone's about to die. Come back and pick up Mia!"

Half an hour later, he responded.

"If you want me to come get you, go apologize to Hunter."

"Why should I?"

"Because you upset Hunter!"

Battery: eight percent.

Martha tagged me in the family group chat.

"Just apologize to the kid already!"

Chloe posted several photos to the chat.

Everyone eating dinner together—Julian, Chloe, Hunter, and Julian's parents.

All five of them smiling around the table.

Not a single person had come to look for us.

Mia started coughing.

"Mommy, I'm so cold......"

Julian posted on social media.

Family gathering.

The pictures were the same ones Chloe had sent.

Battery: six percent.

Mia's coughing got worse and worse.

I swallowed my pride and begged Julian.

"Please, come get us. I'm really scared something's going to happen to Mia."

Julian softened slightly.

"Fine. Record an apology video and post it in the group chat."

Standing there in the freezing wind, I said it word by word.

"Hunter, I'm sorry for trying to touch your drone. Can you forgive me?"

Chloe replied in the group chat immediately.

"Oh, honey, it's fine. We're all family. No need to take it so seriously."

She tagged Julian.

"Go pick them up. They can still make it back for dinner."

Battery: four percent.

I waited for an hour. Julian never came.

Battery: two percent.

I used the last bit of charge to text my father.

"Dad, I lost."

"I'll do whatever you think is best from now on."

My dad replied instantly.

"Got it. I've already handled the situation with Julian."

Battery: zero percent.

My phone died completely.

I took Mia's hand and started walking in the opposite direction.

I didn't look back.