Chapter 7

After I pulled Mia out of the lake, she ran a high fever for two whole days.

Once the fever broke, she grew even quieter—a stillness so extreme it was terrifying.

She never brought up anything about "Dad" again.

In fact, she became obedient to a fault, tiptoeing around the house whenever Kane was nearby, terrified of making a single mistake or upsetting anyone.

Her homeroom teacher called me, her voice dripping with concern: "Ms. Ellie, Mia’s been showing strong people-pleasing tendencies at school lately. I strongly suggest you schedule some counseling for her as soon as possible."

Watching a…