Chapter 16
Marlene forced a smile toward him.
“General Reyes, I hope you understand that families sometimes have disagreements.”
Dad’s expression stayed calm.
“Mrs. Parker, I have spent most of my adult life around people who understand chains of responsibility.”
Her smile weakened.
“One lesson transfers everywhere.”
He looked at Daniel.
“When you are responsible for someone, you do not hand that responsibility upward because making a decision is uncomfortable.”
Daniel’s face flushed.
Dad continued.
“But Elena does not need my rank to prove she deserved better.”
Then he turned to me.
“Go get your things.”
That sentence mattered more than anything else he said.
He did not order anyone.
He did not threaten anyone.
He did not use his position to rescue me.
He simply stood there while I rescued myself.
I went upstairs.
Daniel followed a few minutes later.
He watched me pack books, clothes, Lucas’s crib monitor, and photographs.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
I looked over my shoulder.
“Tell you what?”
“That your father was a four-star general.”
“You knew he was in the Army.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“Why?”
Daniel stared at me.
I answered for him.
“Because now it changes how you see him.”
“That’s not fair.”
“It changed how your mother sees me.”
He rubbed the back of his neck.
“I just can’t believe you never said anything.”
“My father taught me not to borrow his accomplishments.”
Daniel looked toward the hallway.
“My mom is mortified.”
“I’m sure.”
“She thinks your dad is going to do something.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s because there’s nothing for him to do.”
Daniel frowned.
I zipped another bag.
“This was never about my father having enough power to punish your mother.”
I faced him.
“It was about me realizing she only respected people she thought had power over her.”
Daniel went quiet.
“And you let her believe I had none.”
His face crumpled.
“Elena.”
I picked up the bag.
At the bottom of the stairs, Marlene was waiting.
She held out the keys to the SUV.
“I think you should take these.”
I looked at them.
Three days earlier, those keys would have felt like victory.
Now they looked ridiculous.
Two pieces of metal on a plastic ring.
I did not reach for them.
Marlene frowned.
“You wanted the car.”
“No.”
“You were furious because I took it.”
“I was furious because you thought you had the right to.”