He nodded.
That was the first time I saw him begin to understand that being a son did not mean surrendering his conscience.
Whether he would follow through was another question.
Vivian’s Last Attempt to Humiliate Me
The next confrontation happened at a family gathering I had not planned to attend.
Melissa had invited me to a small dinner celebrating Sophie’s birthday. She had arranged for a few relatives to come, and Daniel was expected to collect Sophie afterward.
Arthur and Vivian arrived unexpectedly.
I suspected they had learned about the gathering through Daniel, but I did not ask.
Arthur wore the same confident expression he had worn at the courthouse. Vivian carried a gift bag and greeted Sophie with exaggerated affection.
For the first twenty minutes, they behaved as though nothing had happened.
Then Arthur approached me near the kitchen.
“We need to talk.”
“I don’t think we do.”
