CHAPTER 3 THE SECRET RECORDING
That evening, Ivy cried when she saw Elara.
Not because of the hair.
Because of the fear in her eyes.
For hours, Elara refused to look in a mirror.
That hurt more than anything.
The next morning, I received a call.
It was Aurora.
My niece.
She was crying.
"Uncle Rowan, I need to tell you something."
Twenty minutes later, she sat at our kitchen table.
Terrified.
Guilty.
Holding a tablet.
"Mom planned it."
My stomach dropped.
"What do you mean?"
Aurora opened a video.
The recording came from their living room security camera.
Selene stood in front of the girls two days before the incident.
"You know what's wrong with Elara?" she said.
The girls shook their heads.
"She thinks she's better than everyone."
Aurora's eyes filled with tears.
"We didn't know she was serious."
The recording continued.
Then came the sentence that changed everything.
"On Saturday, we're fixing that."
I felt sick.
This wasn't a moment of anger.
This wasn't a mistake.
This was premeditated.
Then another clip played.
Elara crying.
Trying to leave.
Saying no over and over.
Selene holding her shoulders while Aurora and Nova stood frozen nearby.
The evidence was undeniable.
I looked at my niece.
"Why are you showing me this?"
Aurora began sobbing.
"Because Mom said if anyone found out, she'd tell people Elara asked for it."
I closed my eyes.
There are moments when a person reveals who they truly are.
This was one of them.
That afternoon, I made three phone calls.
The mortgage company.
The utility providers.
And my attorney.
May you like
For years I had protected Selene from consequences.
That protection ended that day.
