Chapter 6 - The Broken Rosary
Victoria scrambled backward, her high heels catching in the thick carpet. She stared at the wooden rosary on the floor as if it were a live snake about to strike.
"I... I bought that," Victoria stammered, her voice pitching high and breathless. "I bought it at an antique store in Lincoln Park two weeks ago. It's vintage."
Julian didn't move. He stood perfectly still, his eyes locked on his wife's pale, sweating face. He slowly crouched down, picked up the rosary by the silver chain, and held it up to the harsh fluorescent light.
"An antique store," Julian repeated softly, though his tone was anything but gentle. He turned the bent silver cross over in his fingers. "That's funny, Vic. Because right here, engraved on the back of the cross, are the initials E.M. Emma Miller."
Victoria’s mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out.
Julian stood up, towering over her. The betrayal radiating from him was palpable, a heavy, suffocating weight that filled the room. "You kept it," he whispered, a look of profound disgust twisting his features. "You took her baby, you took her life, and you kept her mother's rosary in your purse like a goddamn trophy."
"Julian, please, you have to listen to me!" Victoria pleaded, reaching out to touch his chest.
Julian slapped her hand away so violently that Victoria stumbled back against the heavy wooden desk.
"Don't touch me," Julian snarled, his voice vibrating with rage. "You orchestrated everything. The buyout contract. The discharge papers. The lawyer who handed me that silver bracelet... who was he, Vic? Who did you hire to play the lawyer and convince me my fiancé sold our child?"
Victoria was breathing rapidly, her eyes darting like a trapped animal. "You were drowning, Julian!" she cried out, dropping the innocent act and leaning into a desperate defense. "You were twenty-four, working eighty-hour weeks at the firm, and you were exhausted. She was weak! She was crying every day, she couldn't even get out of bed to feed him! I saved you! I stepped in and became the mother he needed!"
"I had postpartum depression!" Emma screamed, pushing herself off the sofa. The paramedic tried to hold her back, but she shoved his hands away, standing on trembling legs. "I was bleeding, recovering from surgery, and terrified, and instead of helping me, you drugged me and locked me in a psych ward!"
Victoria turned her venomous glare on Emma. "You didn't deserve him! You were nothing but a poor, pathetic waitress who trapped a wealthy man with a pregnancy! I gave him a real home. I gave him a perfect life!"
"By destroying mine?" Emma fired back, tears of absolute fury streaming down her face.
"Stop it!"
The small, broken voice came from the corner of the room.
Julian, Emma, and Victoria all turned.
Leo was backed against the wall, clutching his red toy car so tightly his knuckles were white. Tears were silently tracking down his small, pale cheeks.
Julian immediately dropped the rosary and rushed toward his son, dropping to his knees. "Buddy, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, Daddy's right here. It's okay."
Leo didn't look at his father. He was staring directly at Victoria.
"Don't let her take me to the dark room," Leo whimpered, his voice shaking.
Julian froze. His hands, which had been reaching to pull Leo into a hug, stopped mid-air. "What dark room, Leo?"
Victoria took a sudden, panicked step forward. "Leo, sweetie, don't say silly things. We're going home now."
"No!" Leo yelled, shrinking further into the corner, his eyes wide with genuine terror. "Don't let her take my cars away again!"
Julian turned his head slowly, looking over his shoulder at his wife. The look in his eyes was lethal. "Victoria... what is he talking about?"
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Leo rubbed his tear-streaked face with the back of his hand. He pointed a small, trembling finger at Victoria.
"She puts me in the basement," Leo cried, his voice breaking in a way no child's voice ever should. "Whenever I ask about the lady in the drawing. She takes my cars away and locks me in the basement, and she tells me that if I ever say your name to Daddy, he will leave me in the dark forever, just like you did."
