Sienna’s bPOV /b

Everything began to move quickly. Emily was busy rifling through drawers, opening little boxes in her room with a bfrantic /bexpression–one I couldn’t tell was genuine or just another performance. Liam hovered nearby, overseeing the chaos, while Noah scurried around asking questionsb, /bas if he were bleading /ba tiny investigation.

“Does it look like a car, Mommy Emily?” Noah asked, peeking into a jewelry box. Emily shook her head quickly and said, “No, sweetheart. It’s small, in a white box. Did you check under the study desk?”

Noah ran to the corner of the room, opened the desk bdrawer/b, then got down on his knees. “Nothing hereb!/bb” /bhe said, disappointed. Meanwhile, Liam paced like someone counting down to an explosion. I stood frozen in the doorway. None of them seemed to notice I was even there.

Emily grabbed a small bag, opened it, and suddenly pped her forehead. “Oh my bGod/b! Maybe I left it in the car!” she eximed loudly enough for Liam to turn around immediately.

“Are byou /bsure?” he asked. Emily nodded and rushed past him without sparing me a nce.

I stayed where I was, watching how my home had turned into a full–blown stage drama in just five minutes. No one asked why I stood there quietly. No one offered me a ce in the whirlwind–not even a nce.

“Noah, help Daddy check the kitchen. Maybe the box fell bthere/b,” Liam said. Noah nodded quickly and bolted out of the room, nearly bumping into me.

Only after they were gone did I step further inside. The room returned to silence, broken only by the low hum of the ceiling fan. On the desk, a piece of paper with one of Noah’s drawings sat next to a framed photo of their perfect little family. Emily holding Noah in bher /barms, Liam behind bthem/bb, /bhand on Emily’s shoulder. bThe /bphoto was wless. Too wless.

I blooked /bat my reflection in the frame’s ss–dull, tired, with shadows of pain I couldn’t conceal. I didn’t know when exactly bI /bstopped feeling like I belonged in my own home.

Footsteps approached from outside. I hurriedly returned the photo to its ceb, /bexactly as it was. A few secondster, Liam appeared at the doorway, startled to see me.

“What are you doing here?b” /bhe asked sharply, his bvoice /bbordering on cold

“I was just “I hesitated. My voice was hoarse. “I was just looking around. Noah ran out earlier, nearly knocked me over.”

Liam bnodded /bfaintly, but his eyes were sharp, devouring me. “Don’t interfere. Emily’s already upset.”

I held my breath, trying to keep my face neutral. “I wasn’t interfering. I was just standing.”

But he was already past me, stepping into the room, unconcerned with my answer. I turned away, slowly going down the bstairs/b. My hands were still trembling, though I tried to ignore them. It felt like crying without sound.

I stood at the threshold, unwee. Emily had screamed it loud and clear: “Don’t let her into my room again!”

Liam… remained silent.

I looked downb, /bgripping the edge of my shirt. I couldn’t speak. Even breathing was hard. I didn’t steal that ring. God, I didn’t even know what it looked like. But I knew–truth doesn’t always have a ce in bthis /bhouse.

My eyes scanned the living room for anything to distract me from the tightness in my chest. That’s when I saw it a faint glimmer under the sofa. A sh of light bouncing off something at the edge of the carpet.

I bent down slowly, lifted the rug slightly, and reached under the couch.

My fingers touched something cold and roundb. /bWhen I pulled it out, my eyes widened.

Aring

A diamond ring with a bold design. It bhad /bto be the one they were looking for.

I bstood /bup hesitantlyb, /bba /bsliver of hope rising in me. Maybe bif /bI showed them thisb, /beverything would be cleared. The usation would vanish. I could breathe bagain/b, just for a moment.

“I found it,” I said quietly, then blouder/bb, /b“Hey… here it is! It was under the sofa!”

I raised my bhand/bb, /bshowing the ring.

But there was no relief. No thankful faces. Only suspicion. Cold, sharp, judgmental eyes.

Emily strode over and snatched the ring from my hand like it was filthy.

“You nted it there, didn’t you?” she hissed, her eyes drilling into mine. “Pretending to find it so you wouldn’t look like a thief?”

I shook my headb. /b“No! I swear I just found it there–I don’t know how it got under the sofa!”

But before I could exinb, /bher hand flew up andnded hard across my face.

I staggeredb, /bstunned. Not from the pain–but from the shame. The humiliation. In front of my husband. In front of my child.

“This ring,” Emily said, her voice trembling with righteous rage, holding it high in the airb, /b“is a symbol of my career. A gift from a major brand that sponsors me. And you… you treat it like garbage!”

“Emily…” I whispered, tears forming in my eyes. “I didn’t steal it.”

But my voice was swallowed by the silence. By Liam’s hollow stare. By Noah, who clung to Emily like she was his world.

I felt small.

And worse than anything… none of them cared how broken 1 was.

I turned and walked away.

Each step felt heavier, like dragging wounds behind me. My hands still trembledb, /bthe bsting /bon my cheek burning–but bthat /bwasn’t the real pain. It was the way Liam looked through me. The way Noah didn’t even hesitate to take her side over mine.

I climbed the stairs slowly, holding my breath so no sobs would escape. Don’t cry in front of themb, /bSienna. Don’t give them what they want.

I closed my bedroom door and leaned against it. The lock bclicked /bshut–and only then did I bslide /bdown to the floor, finally letting the tears fall, muffled in the sleeves of my shirt.

b17 /b