Noah let out a soft laugh.“Mr. Cole,” he said, glancing between me and the open doorway, “I didn’t realize you were living here.”The question landed exactly the way he meant it to.Before I could answer, I pulled Theo behind me on instinct, shielding him from Noah’s gaze.“I—”“They’re family,” Vivian cut in before I could finish. “They’ve been staying here for a while.”It wasn’t the first time.But every time she denied us like that, it struck the same place in my chest.I opened my mouth to say something, but Theo spoke first.“Hi, Aunt Vivian.”I turned to him so quickly it almost hurt.His eyes were already red.Then he looked up at me and said quietly, “Dad, let’s go.”Whatever I had been about to say died in my throat.I forced my mouth into something that might have passed for a smile.“Okay.”We moved past them.As I brushed by, Vivian caught my wrist.I stopped but didn’t turn right away.When I finally looked back, she was staring at Theo as if she hadn’t heard him correct
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