Chapter 7 - Clara’s Downfall
Clara went into labor alone in a dingy motel room, having been kicked out of her luxury life.
Her baby was born healthy, but child protective services were immediately put on standby due to her pending federal charges.
She called me from the public hospital, sobbing hysterically and begging for my help.
“You have to drop the charges!” she wailed through the phone.
“I have nothing! My fiancé left me, my house is gone, and I’m going to prison!”
I listened to her cries, remembering the exact sound of her laughter as I was drowning in that pool.
“You laughed, Clara,” I said, my voice completely devoid of emotion.
“You stood there and laughed while my baby was dying.”
She choked on her tears, unable to form a defense because she knew I was right.
“Enjoy the bed you made,” I told her, and then I hung up the phone.
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I blocked her number permanently, cutting the final toxic tie to my past.
My priority was my daughter, and I would never let those monsters near her again.
