Chapter 2: The Line Through Her Name
My mother's eyes moved to Julian.
Then to the briefcase.
Then back to me.
"Who is this?" she asked.
"My lawyer," I said.
"He was here when you weren't."
My father stepped forward.
"Miranda, we didn't know it was that serious.
Your text said—"
"I didn't text.
I called.
Nine times."
The room went quiet.
My mother set her coffee on the bedside table.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Like she was buying herself time to think.
"We came as soon as we could," she said.
Julian closed his briefcase with a soft click and excused himself into the hallway.
My mother watched him go.
"What did he do?" she asked.
"What did you sign?"
I didn't answer.
That's when Lauren walked in.
She stopped in the doorway, still wearing the same clothes from her video.
Behind her, my father's face shifted — something between guilt and warning passed between them.
"Miranda," Lauren said softly.
"We need to talk."
"You're four hours too late," I said.
She took one step closer.
Then she glanced at the folder still sitting open on the chair beside Julian's empty seat.
She saw her name.
She saw the line drawn through it.
Her face went completely still.
"Mom," she whispered.
"Mom, what did she do?"
But my mother wasn't looking at Lauren.
May you like
She was looking at me.
And for the first time all day — she looked afraid.
