Chapter 2: Four Words on a Screen
Mason's hands were shaking as he stared at the signature.
He knew that name.
"No," he whispered.
"Not you."
Clarissa was still in the hallway, pressing a cloth to her face.
When she saw what he was holding, something shifted behind her eyes.
"Mason, I can explain—"
"You had help." His voice was quiet.
Dangerously quiet.
"Before we were even married.
Someone helped you build this."
She said nothing.
Ben had his arms around Ava on the bottom stair.
Ava was still clutching the severed ponytail in both hands, the two white ribbons tangled in what remained.
Mason set the documents down and looked directly at Clarissa.
"Was any of it real?
Did you ever care about them at all?"
Clarissa lifted her chin.
"I cared about this family's future.
Someone had to."
Mason's phone buzzed on the hallway table.
He glanced at the screen.
It was a message from the same name on those documents.
Four words:
*Did she find them?*
May you like
Mason looked up at Clarissa.
She already knew what the message said.
