Eleanor stood among the abandoned tables.
Her shoulders shook.
Then she turned toward me.
“You’ve destroyed this family, Emma,” she whispered angrily, tears streaming down her face. “You took everything from us. Are you happy now? Are you finally satisfied?”
I looked at her.
For years, I had wanted her love and approval.
Now I felt only sadness.
“No, Mom,” I said, my voice steady, calm, and surprisingly gentle. “I didn’t destroy anything. You built a house out of glass and filled it with stones. I just stopped protecting you from the shatter.”
I turned away.
My heels clicked across the marble floor as I walked toward the lobby.
Near the glass entrance, two uniformed police officers and a man wearing an FBI windbreaker were entering the hotel.
Halden’s corporate counsel had arranged for authorities to secure the venue and prevent Vanessa from leaving the jurisdiction.
I did not stop.
