Chapter 28 - The Broken Oath
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Our lawyer, Marcus, filed an emergency motion with the court the following morning, citing Lauren's indirect attempts to gather intelligence on Emma as a breach of her non-contact agreement.
But two days later, I discovered something even more alarming.
I had driven over to Mom's house to drop off some old recipe books she had asked for. While she was making tea in the kitchen, I noticed a piece of mail tucked half-hidden under a stack of magazines on the entryway console table.
The postmark was from Lauren's state.
I walked over, picked up the envelope, and pulled out the handwritten letter inside.
Mom, it read in Lauren's sprawling cursive. I know Sarah won't let me see Emma, but please tell me if she hung Nanna's stocking on the mantel for Christmas. I need to know if she got my note.
My blood ran cold.
Mom walked into the entryway holding two mugs of tea. The moment her eyes fell on the letter in my hand, she dropped the mugs onto the hardwood floor. They shattered, splashing hot liquid across her rug.
"Sarah—" Mom gasped, her face turning dead white.
"You've been writing to her?" I whispered, my voice trembling with pure rage.
"No! I swear to God, Sarah, no!" Mom cried out, rushing forward with her hands up. "She sent that letter three weeks ago! I didn't reply! I haven't spoken to her!"
"Why didn't you tell me?!" I screamed, the months of built-up peace shattering in an instant. "We had an agreement, Mom! You swore that if she tried to use you to reach us, you would report it immediately!"
"I was scared!" Mom sobbed, collapsing onto her knees amidst the broken ceramic. "I was terrified that if I told you, you would cut me off again! I didn't write back, Sarah! I burned the other letters she sent! I swear to you!"
"The fact that you hid it from me means you're still protecting her!" I spat out, backing away toward the front door. "You haven't changed at all."
"Sarah, please!" Mom begged, reaching out from the floor.
May you like
I slammed the front door behind me, ignoring her cries, and drove away with tears blurring my vision.
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