Chapter 17 Part 1

Victoria

As soon as Ethan and Samantha left for The Rusty Spur, the house felt quieter, more still. I watched them go, their figures disappearing into the night, and felt a strange pang of envy. It wasn't that I wanted to be in Samantha's place, exactly—I was genuinely happy for her, for both of them, in fact. But there was a small part of me that couldn't help but feel left behind, like a forgotten piece of the evening.

The girls, Maya and Lily, were still bubbling with excitement from the day, their energy infectious. Still, we tried to slow it down for our movie night. All the sugar and snacks we brought weren't exactly helpful.

It was a simple thing, watching a movie with two young girls, but as we settled onto the couch, with Maya on one side of me and Lily on the other, I felt a warmth spread through me that I hadn't experienced in a long time. The girls snuggled up close, pulling the blanket over the three of us as the movie started. Their little heads leaned against my shoulders, and I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. It had been years since I'd felt this way—so content, so at peace, like everything in the world was just as it should be.

As the movie played on, I realized I hadn't thought about my late husband much in the last 48 hours. The realization hit with a small jolt, sending a wave of guilt crashing through me. He had been my world for so long, the center of my life, and yet here I was, feeling something akin to happiness, perhaps even joy, with another family in my house and my thoughts drifting toward another man. The realization made my chest tighten, but the warmth from the girls pressed against me softened it, easing the guilt just a bit.

They made me smile so much tonight, these two bright, beautiful girls. I couldn't really articulate what was making me so happy. They were just special, and I wasn't immune to their charms. A small, mischievous thought crept into my mind, and I wondered how mad Ethan would be if I just kept them. It was a silly thought, of course, but there was a tiny part of me that loved the idea of having them around all the time. They filled the house with laughter and light, something I hadn't realized I'd been missing so desperately.

Just as I was sinking into the comfort of the moment, the glow of Maya's phone caught my eye. She had been quietly checking it throughout the movie—something I hadn't paid much attention to, assuming she was just texting friends. But this time, her face scrunched up in a way that caught my attention.

"What is it, darling?" I asked softly, not wanting to startle her.

Maya hesitated for a moment, biting her lip before she turned the screen toward me. "It's a message from Mom," she said quietly, the usual brightness in her voice dimming.

I took the phone and quickly scanned the message. It wasn't outright abusive, but the tone was unmistakably sharp, laced with a passive-aggressive undercurrent that could cut deeper than any yell. Sarah was questioning who the woman in the pictures was—referring, of course, to me and Samantha—and why Ethan thought it was appropriate to spend time with them.

My heart clenched as I read the words. I knew that Sarah had caused a lot of pain in Ethan's life, but seeing it firsthand, through this indirect exchange, made it all the more real. It was infuriating.

I handed the phone back to Maya, trying to keep my expression calm and reassuring. "Don't worry about it, sweetie," I said gently. "Your dad will handle this."

Maya nodded, but I saw the worry still lingering in her eyes. Lily, who had been watching us with concerned, scooted closer, hugging my arm. "Is everything okay?" she asked, her voice small and uncertain.

"Everything's fine," I assured her, pulling both girls into a tight hug. "Let's not think about it, alright? We're here to have fun tonight."

They both nodded, and as we turned our attention back to the movie, I felt my focus slipping. This Sarah woman was a piece of work. The tone of the text came across as angry, as if Ethan and the girls were doing something wrong by spending time with me and Samantha. Not to mention she left them. The fact that Ethan had full custody probably by agreement didn't seem to matter to her. She was acting like she was the head of this family unit and had somehow been wronged.

It made my teeth grind. I resolved myself. I was going to be there to help Ethan, to help the girls. They didn't deserve to be caught in the middle of this. Ethan was a good man, and I was starting to see just how much he'd been through.

Maybe I should teach Sarah a lesson.

As the movie played on, I found myself holding the girls a little tighter, feeling a fierce protectiveness, I hadn't expected. They were Ethan's world, and I wanted to be a part of that.

Holy shit. Did I really just think that? I want to be part of their world?

The movie ended, and as the credits rolled, I said softly, brushing a strand of hair from Maya's face, "Alright, girls. Time to head upstairs, I think."

They nodded, but instead of their usual enthusiastic response, they moved slowly, almost reluctantly. I watched them closely as we made our way to my room. It wasn't hard to know what was bothering them.

Damn that woman.

"Girls," I said. "Why don't you come to my room? I will have Mia bring us some hot chocolate, and we can talk for a bit."

The girls' eyes lit up. "Really?" Lily asked.

I nodded. That put a pep in their step.

Once we were all settled in my massive California king bed, the girls seemed a little more at ease. They huddled close to me, and I instinctively wrapped an arm around each of them, pulling them into a comforting embrace.

"Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?" I asked gently, looking from one to the other.

Lily was the first to speak, her voice quiet and hesitant. "Mom sent another text," she began, her eyes downcast.

Maya, nestled on my other side, nodded in agreement, her expression mirroring her sister's worry. "She says we shouldn't be here without her."

I felt a surge of anger and sadness on their behalf. What kind of mother would react this way to seeing her daughters happy? It was clear that Sarah's behavior was hurting them, and it made me furious. Really furious.

"I'm so sorry, girls," I said softly, squeezing them a little tighter. "Your dad loves you both so much, and he's doing his best to give you the kind of love and care you deserve."

Lily nodded, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke. "We know, Aunt Victoria. It's just… she's always like this. Especially when she's angry with Dad. It's like she takes it out on us."

Maya, always more sensitive to the emotions around her, added, "Dad doesn't talk about it much, but we can tell it hurts him. We just want to make him happy, but it's hard when she's always making things difficult."

I listened carefully, trying to piece together the fragments of their lives that they were revealing to me. It was clear that Sarah had been a thorn in their side for a long time, and Ethan, for all his strength, was carrying a heavy burden because of it.

"Your dad is a good man," I said after a moment, my voice gentle but firm. "He's been through a lot, hasn't he?"

Lily nodded again, a few tears slipping down her cheeks. "He didn't want to leave us when he went to Afghanistan, but he didn't have a choice. Mom… she changed while he was gone. And when he came back… it was like she didn't care anymore."

Maya looked up at me with wide, sad eyes. "She didn't even take care of him when he got hurt. He had to do everything himself. We tried to help, but we were just kids."

My heart ached at their words, at the thought of Ethan coming home to such coldness and indifference. It was no wonder he seemed so guarded, so reluctant to let people in. He'd been hurt deeply, not just by the physical injuries he sustained but by the emotional wounds inflicted by the one person who should have stood by him.

"I had no idea," I whispered, more to myself than to them. "Your father is so strong. I wish I could have been there for him."

The girls cuddled closer to me, and I stroked their hair, feeling a deep sense of sadness and anger on their behalf. How could anyone treat Ethan this way? And more importantly, how could Sarah put her own needs above those of her children and the man who had given so much for his family?

"We're here now," I said softly, trying to reassure them as much as myself. "And we'll make sure your dad knows how much he's loved. He deserves to be happy, and so do you."

Lily and Maya nodded, and I could see a small flicker of hope in their eyes. As I held them close, I couldn't help but wonder more about Ethan's past, about the struggles he had faced alone, and how I might be able to help him heal those old wounds.

I wondered how much trouble I would get into if I hired a SAS officer and had them teach Sarah a lesson—not crippling her or anything, but just like, beat her a bit. I felt like I would be doing humanity a service. That thought made me smile.

Ethan