#Chapter 104: Unqualified

Aria’s POV “How about some ice cream?” I asked William on the way back to the mansion. “No,” he said. With his head turned toward the window, I couldn’t see his face, but his voice sounded small enough to reveal the depths of his hurt. He might have been crying. I pretended I didn’t notice. “We could go to the park for a while,” I offered. “I want to go home,” William said miserably. “Okay,” I said. “We’ll go straight home.” For the rest of the drive, I tried to think of something I could do or say to lift his spirits, but the things Sophia had said to him were beyond cruel. They were things that a mother should never have said to a child. William was a strong kid. He’d been through a lot. Even this, he was carrying on his shoulders, the heavy weight, and he wasn’t complaining about it. A six year old shouldn’t need to be this mature. “If you ever want to talk,” I said. “Even if it’s just to get some things off your mind. I am always here to listen, okay? I’m here for y