Chapter 2

Every word cut deep. Celine leaned back against the couch with her eyes closed, saying nothing.

Zane's smartwatch buzzed. His face lit up as he scooped up an armful of supplies and dumped them in front of Celine.

"The teacher assigned this craft project. You finish gluing it. I'm going to find Dad!" he barked out the order and took off running.

Celine opened her eyes and looked down at the mess. A bead mosaic kit. The project itself wasn't particularly large, but the beads were microscopic.

There had to be over a thousand of them, all needing to be sorted by color and painstakingly placed one by one. The whole thing would take all night.

In the past, she would have helped, but she would have made Zane sit with her and work on it together. She would have taught him that his responsibilities were his own and not to put off until tomorrow what could be done today.

Now, she didn't move.

About half an hour later, Steven emerged from his room, phone in hand, head bent over the screen. His expression was soft in a way it never was with her.

Celine pressed her fingers against her throbbing temples. "Steven, are you free tomorrow?"

"What for?" He glanced up, his face blank and cold.

"There's something important I need to talk to you about." Even though she'd already decided to leave them both behind, she still instinctively wanted to shield Zane from the details of the contract.

"Why aren't you answering me?" The voice that came through the speaker was bright and playful.

Steven had turned down the volume, but Celine heard it perfectly. He immediately looked back at his phone, then gave Celine a vague nod without really looking at her. Apparently, that counted as agreement.

Celine watched him disappear into the kitchen, then got up and went to the guest bedroom.

When Steven came to bed that night, he found the master bedroom empty. Assuming Celine was sulking about something again, he climbed into bed, irritated and alone.

…

The next morning, Celine woke to raised voices. She shuffled out of the guest room in her pajamas and slippers, only to find Quinn sitting in the living room. Zane, who should have been at school, was bouncing around her in excitement.

"Yes! Quinn is the best! I've been wanting to enter that competition forever! But Mom never lets me do anything fun. She's always like this. Such a killjoy!"

Zane spun in a circle as he ranted, and when he completed his turn, he spotted Celine standing in the doorway of the guest room. He lifted his chin with smug satisfaction.

"Dad said I can skip school today so Quinn can take me to the Ocean Park competition!"

Celine knew the place. The mall had sectioned off part of the building for a sandbox amusement zone. She thought it was a breeding ground for germs, which was why she'd always refused to let Zane go.

But a killjoy?

Her gaze drifted sideways to the corner of the living room, where she'd painstakingly set up miniature versions of the exact same equipment from that park. Smaller models, sure, but the same experience without the crowds and bacteria.

She almost laughed. She couldn't even muster anger anymore. There was only numbness.

She nodded without expression. "Go ahead."

Quinn gave her an apologetic look. "Celine, why don't you come with us? You'd probably be bored staying home alone."

Celine opened her mouth to refuse.

"No! I don't want her to come!" Zane's voice shot up several decibels.

"I don't want to go anywhere with her! All she does is complain about everything being dirty or dangerous. She's so annoying! Quinn, let's go without her."

His tone in the second half softened noticeably, almost wheedling.

"Kids just like to have fun. Don't take it personally." Quinn glanced toward the bedroom, where Steven had just emerged, freshly dressed and devastatingly handsome. His expression warmed considerably.

"Alright, Celine. I'll take Zane out to play. Please don't be upset."

Steven's gaze immediately snapped to Celine. He didn't say a word, but his look said everything. Quinn was doing her a favor by watching her kid. What was there to be upset about?

The irony wasn't lost on Celine. She hadn't said a single word, and somehow, she was still in the wrong.

She didn't bother defending herself. She just stood there in the guest room doorway like hired help.

Steven grabbed Zane's hand. "Let's go."

Zane clutched Steven's hand with one of his own and Quinn's with the other, practically skipping toward the door. From behind, they looked like the perfect family of three.

Celine blinked away the sting in her eyes. She went back to her room, washed up, changed clothes, and left the house.

Then, she went to the orphanage.