Then Ethan glanced at me with displeasure. “Go get the broom and dustpan. Clean this up—what if the kid gets hurt?”
I didn’t move.
My gaze shifted toward my daughter’s bedroom.
The door was wide open, and I saw that all of Sophie’s cherished toys had been destroyed.
Many dolls had their heads twisted off and were carelessly thrown on the floor.
Trying to keep my temper in check, I asked, “Where’s Sophie?”
Ethan’s expression turned slightly unnatural. “She went to do some part-time work.”
I stared at him in disbelief. “Part-time work? Ethan Carter, it’s nearly a hundred degrees outside—what exactly did you have her doing?”
He said, “She wanted to go herself.”
Rachel added from the side, “Sophie’s such a thoughtful kid. She saw Lucas arrive and voluntarily gave up her room for him.”
“She even wanted to save up some pocket money to buy Lucas a gift.”
At that moment, the front door opened.
Sophie walked in, drenched in sweat as if she’d just been pulled from a pool.
Her face was bright red, and she looked dizzy from the heat.
With a heavy backpack on her shoulders, she said timidly, “Dad, there weren’t many people buying water today. I only made five dollars.”
She walked over to Lucas and shoved a roll of damp bills—soaked through with sweat—into his hands.
“This money is for you. Can I have my things back now?”
My eyes welled up immediately.
“Sophie!” I cried, my voice breaking.
She turned to look at me, her eyes blank for two or three seconds, and then suddenly burst into tears.
I pulled her into my arms, holding her tight, trying to comfort her.
When her sobs finally subsided, I asked, “Why did you give Lucas money?”
Before Sophie could answer, Ethan said, “On Lucas’s first day here, Sophie pushed him over and scraped his arm.”
“She’s been feeling guilty and wanted to make it up to him.”
Hearing this, Sophie lowered her head and stayed quiet.
I spoke softly to her. “Sophie, tell me—why did you push Lucas?”
“Mom’s back now. You can say it. No one will dare bully you.”
Ethan stepped forward and said, “Honey, you just got out of the hospital. You must be tired. Go rest.”
I gave a cold laugh. “Ethan Carter, do you think I’m stupid?”
“I’ve been back this long—have you once cared about my recovery?”
“And now you suddenly want me to rest? You’re just worried about what she might say, aren’t you?”
His face darkened. “Olivia, I’m just concerned about you. Why are you overthinking this?”
I ignored him and gently stroked Sophie’s hair.
In a low voice, she said, “The first day Lucas came, he tried to take your necklace.”
“You said it was Grandma’s keepsake.”
“I wanted it back, but he wouldn’t give it to me. When I tried to grab it, I accidentally pushed him over.”
“Dad said I had to give him the necklace to make up for it.”
“But that would make you so sad, Mom.”
“I begged Dad for a long time, and he finally said I could work part-time to earn enough to buy it back.”
I was so angry I could barely speak.
I glared at Ethan for a long moment before forcing the words through clenched teeth: “Ethan Carter, how could you?”
He replied indifferently, “Olivia, Sophie’s much older than Lucas. Can’t she act like a big sister and be more accommodating?”
“She’s spoiled by you. Sending her to sell water was just a way to toughen her up.”
“Only by experiencing hardship can she grow.”
Suddenly, I didn’t want to waste another word on him.
I simply asked, “Where’s the necklace?”
