Victoria was supposedly devastated, and he insisted they needed privacy.
I begged him to let me come over.
He told me to wait until the following afternoon.
When I finally arrived, their house was already filled with flowers. A framed photograph of Chloe stood beside a row of white candles.
Victoria embraced me briefly.
Her eyes were red, but something about her expression felt rehearsed.
Julian explained that Chloe had suffered a sudden medical emergency related to an underlying respiratory condition that had never been properly diagnosed.
I asked to see the hospital documents.
He told me the funeral director had everything.
I asked whether an autopsy had been performed.
Victoria began crying loudly.
“Margaret, please! Can’t you let us grieve without interrogating us?”
I apologized immediately.
I had just lost my only granddaughter, and I was terrified of losing my relationship with my son as well.
But something wasn’t right.
