Chapter 11

I had no choice. The words echoed in my head, pounding against my skull like a relentless drumbeat. There was no other way out of this. Sebastian was my husband, and Jordan was my son. They were the center of my world, and I couldn’t lose them—not to her. But as much as I wanted to fight, I knew that the battle was already lost. I had no choice but to play along, to let Joey get what she wanted, if only to keep the fragile semblance of peace in our family. And so, with my heart heavy and my hands trembling, I followed Sebastian’s words like a dutiful wife: "Your decision is final." The next morning, after dropping Jordan off at school, I gave him a forced smile and kissed him goodbye. He smiled back, his little face lighting up with innocence, completely unaware of the storm brewing at home. His kiss was warm, full of love, and for a fleeting moment, I almost forgot the crushing weight of everything. But as soon as he was out of sight, the unease started to creep in. I tried to push it