Noa’s POV
“I’m here, my babies.” I dropped to my knees, reaching out. “Did you miss Mommy?”
Tessa scrambled into my arms, clinging to me with a sob that shattered my heart.
Milo trembled where he sat, his tiny body shaking.
Tessa smiled at me, “Mommy. Daddy said you were never coming back.” Her voice wobbled on the last word.
“Mommy, are you here to take us away?” Tessa asked, “Miss Harper said if we left this room, she’d get really mad and tell Daddy to throw us out.”
That bitch. Guest in my house—and she dared treat my babies like this?
I gathered them both into my arms, holding Tessa’s tiny hand and cradling Milo against my chest.
I carried them to the master bedroom—the one that used to be mine—and headed straight for the bathroom.
They needed a bath. Real clothes.
The master bathroom had the giant marble tub, big enough for both of them to soak in clean water for once.
As I set Milo down gently and told Tessa to hold him, something caught my eye.
The wedding photo. Elias and Harper. Standing together. Smiling. Radiant.
I walked over, tore the frame from the wall, and dropped it onto the floor. Then I kicked it—hard—right across Harper’s pretty little face.
God, not nearly enough. But it helped a little.
Elias came in with the butler.
“Can’t you stop already?” he shouted. “You already ruined the celebration, now you’re destroying the house? You just got back, Noa. Don’t make me regret keeping you here.”
My patience snapped.
“Your celebration?” I hissed. “Go ahead. Celebrate with your little angel while your real son and daughter locked in the basement, starve in a trash pit.”
Elias glanced down at Tessa and Milo, his forehead wrinkling.
“Why do they look so dirty?” he demanded. “Were you two playing in the yard again?”
He didn’t know?
I let out a cold, broken laugh.
“You’re such a moron, Elias,” I said, my voice sharp enough to cut skin. “How about we ask your little angel Harper?”
