Chapter 7

Nora hurried to explain, "Anthony's still not used to being here. He saw the teddy bear and wouldn't let go. I figured it was just a kid's toy, so I thought you wouldn't care."

Isabella approached slowly and took the teddy bear from Anthony's arms.

Anthony clung desperately to the bear's leg, bursting into tears and shouting, "Bad lady. That's mine."

Isabella looked down at him, her voice cold. "It's not yours."

Nora's eyes turned red. "Isabella, he's still not well. Can't you go easy on him?"

Isabella felt sick to her stomach hearing that.

"Always expecting me to go easy on him," Isabella muttered.

Lily chimed in, "It's just a toy. Michael's gone. He won't be using it."

Isabella shot her a cold look. "Would you be so generous if your kid died and I gave his things to someone else to play with?"

Lily's face darkened. "Are you wishing that on my kid?"

"You always have something to say, don't you?" Isabella hugged the teddy bear to her chest. "But when it's about you, suddenly you can't take it?"

Anthony's cries grew even louder.

Mason came upstairs, and the moment he saw Anthony crying, his face darkened.

"What's going on?" Mason asked.

Nora wiped at her eyes. "It's nothing. Anthony's being stubborn. He really wants Michael's teddy bear. Isabella's still grieving, so she can't let it go."

Mason walked up to Isabella. "Give it to him."

Isabella said, "No."

Mason said, "Michael's gone."

Isabella snapped, "So now you're just going to give away his things like they're nothing?"

Mason reached out to grab the bear.

Isabella hugged the teddy bear and stepped back.

Mason's patience finally snapped. "Isabella, don't push me."

"What more do you want from me?" Isabella shot back. "You already forced our son to his grave."

Lily gasped. "That's just cruel."

Mason's face went pale for a moment, then his expression turned even colder. "Hand over the bear."

The two maids hesitated, then stepped forward.

Isabella suddenly grabbed the scissors from the table.

Mason snapped, "Put it down."

Isabella pressed the scissors hard against the teddy bear's seam.

"I'd rather tear this bear apart than let him have it," Isabella said.

Anthony's cries froze in his throat.

For the first time, real panic flashed across Nora's face.

Mason stared her down. "Are you done being crazy yet?"

"Not even close," Isabella shot back. "I'm more clear-headed than ever."

Riley's voice came from the stairs. "Who let Nora and Anthony up here?"

Lily immediately fell silent.

Riley made her way over, step by step, leaning on her cane. "No one is allowed to touch Michael's room or his things."

Nora lowered her head. "Mrs. Gonzalez, I should've kept a closer eye on Anthony."

Riley didn't even look at her. "I never approved you moving into the Gonzalez Estate."

Mason said, "Grandma, Anthony needs a quiet place to recover."

"He can recover at your villa," Riley said. "Don't keep putting them in front of Isabella and twisting the knife."

Mason was silent for a moment. "Nora doesn't have anyone else."

"She's got you," Riley said, making it clear. "You've been taking care of her for years. What's one more house?"

Lily gave Nora a strange look.

Nora's face went pale.

Isabella noticed Lily's stunned expression. No one had ever said it to her straight like that.

Finally, the cracks started to show.

Mason didn't want to argue anymore. "The family dinner is still on tonight. Isabella, you have to come downstairs."

Isabella asked, "And if I don't?"

"Violet's repair shop will get an eviction notice tomorrow," Mason said, locking eyes with her. "You know I'm not bluffing."

Isabella's grip on the teddy bear tightened, then she let go.

"Fine," Isabella said.

Mason turned and walked away.

Nora took Anthony's hand and followed after him.

Anthony turned back and glared at Isabella. "You're a mean lady. I hate you."

Isabella didn't get angry.

She stared at Mason's back as he walked away, and all at once, the memory hit her, Michael's little hand reaching for the door, the last thing he did before leaving.

He was waiting for his dad.

But his dad was busy waiting for someone else's kid to wake up.

At seven that evening, Isabella came downstairs in a black dress.

Mason frowned as soon as he saw what she was wearing.

Lily immediately snapped, "I told you to wear something light, but you just had to ignore me. Are you trying to jinx Anthony on purpose?"

Isabella sat down. "Today is my son's seventh-day memorial."

No one said a word at the table.

Anthony sat to Mason's right, and Nora sat to his left.

That seat used to be Isabella's.

Riley wasn't even here yet, but Lily was already raising her glass. "Anthony's out of the hospital. It's something to celebrate. Everyone, raise your glass."

Isabella glanced at the spread. Every single dish was something Michael wasn't allowed to eat when he was alive.

Spicy chili crab, roasted lamb chops, and sweet cakes.

After Michael got sick, the Gonzalez family hadn't served any of these at their table for ages.

Mason picked up a piece of sweet cake and set it on Anthony's plate. "Just a little, okay?"

Anthony grinned. "Thanks, Daddy."

No one corrected him this time.