“That boy isn’t eating at this table until he learns exactly where he belongs!”

"They... they said that?" Parker stammered, his voice barely a whisper. He looked up at me, his eyes wide with confusion and panic. "Clarissa... I... I didn't know. I swear to God I didn't know they were planning this!"

"You didn't know about the deed plot?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Or did you just enjoy hearing them criticize me and my son because it fed your ego?"

"No! Clarissa, listen to me!" Parker scrambled up from the armchair, reaching out to grab my hands, but I stepped back, avoiding his touch entirely. "I genuinely thought my mother was giving me good financial advice! She told me having both our names on the deed would protect our family’s future! I had no idea she was planning to kick you out!"

"And what about how they treat Dustin?" I confronted him, my voice rising with suppressed anger. "You heard your sister call my son 'baggage' and a 'stray dog.' You heard your mother say he doesn't deserve real food because he isn't a 'blood relative.' You’ve been listening to them poison your mind against my son for months, haven't you?"

Parker swallowed hard, unable to meet my eyes. "I... I thought they were just concerned about... about how much time you spent with him instead of us..."

"He is a seven-year-old child!" I shouted, finally letting my composure crack. "He lost his biological parents! I promised to protect him! And you brought two monsters into his home to bully him, starve him, and make him feel worthless!"

Outside, the horn of Parker’s car honked twice. Alana and Ellie were getting impatient waiting in the driveway.

The sound of the horn seemed to snap Parker back to reality. He looked toward the front window, his face pale and sweating. "I'll... I'll go tell them to leave. I'll make them apologize right now!"

"Don't bother," I said coldly. "An apology from them is worthless. And so is your ignorance, Parker. You allowed this toxicity into our lives because you were too weak to stand up to your mother."

"Clarissa, please!" Parker begged, tears welling up in his eyes. "We can fix this! I'll break off contact with them! I'll do whatever you want! Just please don't end our marriage over their mistakes!"

"They didn't act alone, Parker," I said softly, looking at him with immense sadness. "You enabled them. You took their side without even asking me what happened. You called my child entitled. You proved to me today that when push comes to shove, you don't view Dustin as your son, and you don't view me as your partner."