She Steps Out Of Betrayal's Shadow To Rebuild Her Broken Home novel · Chapter 18 of 24

Chapter 18: Tenth Anniversary

Melinda stepped out from behind the crates with her phone still in her hand.

Dorothy came out after her with her chin up.

Leland looked at them for a moment, and he did not look surprised.

"There she is," he said. "And your mother. In a tent, at ten at night, on the property of a man who has a court order for your safety."

"Lee." Bianca came forward in a rush. "I told you. I told you she'd come."

Melinda turned her head.

"I heard them in the kitchen," Bianca said, breathless. "They were planning to hide in here and record you. I wanted you to see it with your own eyes, so you'd stop saying I was imagining things."

Leland's face softened.

He put an arm around her shoulders and kissed her hair.

"You did well, Bee."

Over his arm, Bianca looked at Melinda.

She blinked once, very slowly.

Melinda kept her face blank.

Leland held out his hand.

"Your phone, darling."

She gave it to him. He turned it over, saw the red light, and swiped it off with his thumb. Then he dropped it on the boards and ground it flat with his heel.

"There," he said pleasantly. "Take your mother home, Mindy. Saturday at two I want you on this stage in the blue dress. If you don't come, the doctor comes to you."

Dorothy took her daughter's arm.

They walked out through the side flap without speaking.

On the lawn Dorothy stopped and put her hand flat to her chest.

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