Chapter 10 - Rebecca Finally Faces the Possibility That Her Obsession With Keeping the House Could Cost Her Sophie, the One Person She Claimed She Was Protecting
Rebecca agreed to parenting evaluation.
Not because she suddenly understood.
Because she was afraid.
Dr. Naomi Price interviewed her.
“Why did you destroy Lily’s gift?”
Rebecca looked ashamed.
“It looked cheap.”
“Why did that matter?”
“It was Sophie’s birthday.”
“That does not answer the question.”
Rebecca sighed.
“I was angry she brought something homemade when everyone else brought proper gifts.”
“Why?”
Rebecca struggled.
“Because Daniel has money.”
“So?”
“He makes a point of acting like Lily is above all this.”
“Did Lily make that point?”
“No.”
“Then who were you angry with?”
“Daniel.”
There.
Again.
Child receiving adult anger.
Dr. Price continued:
“Why did you call Lily’s blood filthy?”
Rebecca looked away.
“My brother married outside our world.”
Daniel was not in the room.
Good.
“What does that mean?”
“Different family.”
“Different money?”
“Yes.”
“Different status?”
“Yes.”
“Different race?”
“No.”
“Religion?”
“No.”
“Then ‘filthy blood’ meant what?”
Rebecca’s face reddened.
“I was cruel.”
Clear.
The evaluator continued.
“Why the pit?”
Rebecca’s eyes filled.
“She kept crying.”
“Because you destroyed her gift.”
“Yes.”
“She said she would tell Daniel.”
Rebecca swallowed.
“And?”
“I panicked.”
“About what?”
“The deed.”
There.
“She said Daddy would be mad.”
“And you believed if Daniel saw another conflict you might lose the house?”
“Yes.”
“So you locked his daughter out of sight.”
Rebecca began crying.
“Yes.”
“Was this for Sophie?”
“Yes.”
Dr. Price waited.
Rebecca corrected herself.
“No.”
The word came painfully.
“I told myself that.”
“What was it actually for?”
Rebecca stared at the floor.
“I wanted the house.”
“Why?”
“Because it was supposed to be mine.”
“Who told you?”
“My parents.”
“Did Daniel?”
“Eventually.”
“Before?”
“No.”
Dr. Price said nothing.
Rebecca started crying harder.
“I built my whole future around it.”
“And Lily became what?”
Rebecca whispered:
“Proof he could change his mind.”
Not a child.
Proof.
Threat.
Symbol.
That realization mattered.
Then Sophie entered separately.
No Rebecca present.
Dr. Price asked:
“What do you want?”
Sophie answered:
“Mom not yell.”
“Anything else?”
“Lily come birthday next year.”
“Anything else?”
“House gone.”
Dr. Price looked up.
“Why?”
“Everyone fights house.”
Simple.
Sophie did not ask for mansion.
Inheritance.
Property.
She wanted quiet.
Her mother.
Her cousin.
Another birthday without someone being hurt.
Rebecca received the summary later.
She cried.
Then said:
“She doesn’t understand what she’s losing.”
Dr. Price responded:
“That is exactly the problem.”
Rebecca looked up.
“You continue describing property as something Sophie needs to value because you value it.”
Silence.
“What if she never values it?”
Rebecca had no answer.
Meanwhile, Daniel’s assault case progressed.
He accepted a plea resolution involving counseling, a fine, and restitution for part of the damaged birthday setup.
Linda objected.
“Why would you admit guilt when Rebecca attacked Lily?”
Daniel replied:
“Because my hand is mine.”
Robert heard.
Something shifted.
He had spent weeks defending Daniel privately while condemning him publicly depending on audience.
Now Daniel was separating actions cleanly.
Rebecca harmed Lily.
Daniel punched Rebecca.
Linda concealed.
Robert delayed.
Each person carried a piece.
No one’s wrongdoing became currency to buy innocence for another.
Daniel began anger-management sessions.
He hated them.
Lily thought “anger school” was funny.
“Do you get stickers?”
“No.”
“You should.”
Maybe.
One evening she asked:
“Daddy, if Aunt Rebecca says sorry, do we go house?”
Daniel looked at her.
“No.”
“Because sold?”
“Eventually.”
“Because bad?”
“Because we are choosing another place for family things.”
She thought.
“Can Sophie come ours?”
“If it is safe and adults agree.”
Lily nodded.
“Good.”
She missed Sophie.
That complicated everything.
Daniel wanted total separation from Rebecca’s world.
Lily did not want total separation from Sophie.
May you like
Again, protection risked becoming control.
And if Daniel truly meant what he kept telling everyone—that the children were not responsible for the adults’ conflict—could he allow Lily and Sophie to have a relationship that survived even if his relationship with Rebecca never did?
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