Chapter 1: The Knock at the Door
The room fell silent.
No one moved.
Richard stared at the phone in Emily's hand, the blinking red recording light reflecting in his widening eyes.
Another knock echoed through the house.
Three slow, deliberate knocks.
Emily never turned toward the door.
She kept her eyes on the three people who had spent a lifetime teaching her that Brandon always came first.
Richard finally found his voice.
"Delete it."
Emily shook her head.
"You had years to choose your family. Today you chose your gambling son over your daughter."
Brandon stepped forward, panic replacing arrogance.
"We can talk about this."
"We've been talking my entire life," Emily replied. "You just never listened."
The knocking came again.
Richard opened the front door.
Standing outside were two uniformed police officers.
Behind them stood Emily's attorney, Michael Lawson, carrying a leather briefcase.
"Mr. Carter," one officer said calmly. "We've received a report regarding a possible domestic assault."
The living room became perfectly still.
Emily quietly walked toward the officers.
May you like
"My name is Emily Carter."
"I made the report."
