I knew protecting the past wasn’t enough. I had to protect them now. So when Evan demanded we appear as the “perfect family” at a prestigious banquet, I agreed. I smiled for photos, let him bask in attention, all while holding tight to the plan my sons and I made. And when he introduced us as his “greatest achievement,” Liam stepped forward, voice trembling—but strong—and exposed everything: the lies, the abandonment, the threats.