“Then remember your place.”

Chloe stepped closer.

“You work here.”

Her voice became colder.

“You are not family. You are not their mother. You are nobody in this house.”

My hands tightened into fists.

On another camera angle, Valeria reached backward and took Sofia’s hand.

Neither girl looked at the other.

They didn’t need to.

It was automatic.

Practiced.

That was the moment the truth hit me.

This had happened before.

Maybe many times.

My daughters weren’t simply reacting to one bad morning.

They had learned how to protect each other when Chloe behaved like this.

And while it had been happening, I had been traveling.

Working.

Negotiating acquisitions.

Attending meetings.

Building companies.

I had been so focused on protecting their future that I had failed to notice what was happening inside their own home.

Chloe leaned toward them.

“Go upstairs. Now. I don’t want to see either of you down here.”

Sofia looked toward the shelf.

“Please,” she whispered. “I just want my bunny.”

Chloe laughed.