Chapter 9: The Secret Sarah Had Hidden
I thought the worst was over.
I was wrong.
Because one evening, Sarah called.
Her voice sounded different.
"Michael."
I almost didn't answer.
But I did.
"What happened?"
There was silence.
Then:
"I need to tell you something."
My stomach tightened.
"What?"
"I didn't tell the investigators everything."
I stood up.
"What does that mean?"
She took a shaky breath.
"Before Noah came to the party..."
I waited.
"Matthew and I had an argument."
"About what?"
"He was upset because Noah was getting attention."
I frowned.
"That doesn't make sense."
"I know."
Her voice cracked.
"Matthew told me he hated that everyone thought Noah was the 'good kid.'"
I said nothing.
"And instead of handling it..."
She stopped.
"I blamed Noah."
The room became silent.
Because suddenly, I understood.
It wasn't just one moment of anger.
It was jealousy.
Comparison.
A toxic idea that children had to compete for love.
Sarah continued.
"I saw Noah being kind and patient, and I thought Matthew was being ignored."
"Your solution was to punish Noah?"
"No."
She cried.
"My solution was to make myself feel in control."
I closed my eyes.
For years, I had thought Sarah hurt Noah because she lost patience.
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But the truth was worse.
She had made him carry the weight of problems that belonged to adults.
