Chapter 3 - Keep FilmingEmily opened the rear passenger door.
She lowered Lily into the black child safety seat, supporting her head and back.
Daniel stood near the open front door of the mansion.
He no longer looked angry.
He looked afraid.
Not of Lily’s fever.
Of Ava’s phone.
“Ava,” he called, “stop recording.”
The teenager’s hand trembled.
But she kept filming.
Emily secured the chest harness.
Click.
Lily opened her eyes briefly.
“Mommy?”
“I’m here.”
“Am I in trouble?”
Emily’s heart broke.
“No, sweetheart.”
Behind them, Eleanor said:
“This is exactly what I meant. Emily makes everything emotional.”
Emily took out her phone.
She called the pediatric emergency department.
“My daughter has a high fever,” she said breathlessly. “We’re coming now.”
Daniel walked toward the SUV.
“Emily, wait.”
She looked at him.
It was the first time he had used her name without sounding like an order.
“What?”
His eyes moved toward Ava.
Then Eleanor.
Then back to Emily.
“We can discuss this.”
“Our daughter needs treatment.”
“The hospital will document everything.”
Emily froze.
There it was.
Not concern.
Documentation.
“Why are you afraid of a medical record?”
Daniel said nothing.
Eleanor stepped forward.
“You are twisting his words.”
Emily stared at her.
“No.”
“I’m finally hearing them.”
She shut the rear door carefully.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“If you leave now, my family will say you removed Lily without my consent.”
Emily looked at him.
“You just told me I wasn’t allowed to leave.”
“Yes.”
“And now you’re threatening me because I did.”
His face collapsed.
Ava whispered from the doorway:
“Uncle Daniel.”
Everyone turned.
The teenager held up the phone.
May you like
“I recorded what Grandma said before dinner too.”
Eleanor went white.
