Another part of me wanted to run down the hallway and confront Melissa immediately.
But I forced myself to breathe.
If Ethan was afraid of her, I couldn’t let her know he had spoken to me.
So I tried to act normal.
I walked back into the living room.
Melissa was putting on her coat.
Her dark hair was already tied back, and her purse sat on the console table near the front door.
“I’m taking Ethan to the park,” she said with a smile.
Her voice sounded casual.
But something about the way she looked at me made me uneasy.
It was as if she were watching me too closely.
“No,” I said.
The word came out sharper than I intended.
Melissa stopped.
I softened my voice, even though my chest felt tight.
“I think we’ll stay home today.”
For the first time since I had known her, her smile disappeared.
