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Chapter_27
The Bruises on the Child’s Body
I chuckled, half amused and half curious, as I wondered what Ivanna’s good news could be. But she didn’t elaborate, citing time constraints, and I didn’t press her. We simply agreed to meet the next day.
Back at my in-laws’ house, everyone had gathered for dinner, and to my surprise, Melanie was there. As I walked in, Grace quickly set the table, eager to get the meal underway. “Dinner’s ready! Chlo, it’s been a while since you joined us for a meal,” she said warmly.
I smiled, washing my hands before joining in. The atmosphere was homey, with the whole family together. Henry casually asked Matthew about the project in Operose, but Matthew waved it off, uninterested in discussing work.
It was Grace who then asked, almost out of the blue, “What were you doing with your brother, Melanie?”
I noticed Melanie freeze for a moment, her gaze flicking to Matthew. He raised an eyebrow, “You went to Operose too?” he asked.
Melanie hesitated, clearly taken off guard. “Uh… I went there with my friends,” she said, but it didn’t seem convincing.
Grace, unfazed, continued to press, “But you told me you were with your brother?”
Melanie’s irritation was evident. “If I told you I was going with my friends, would you have let me go? You’re always scrutinizing me,” she snapped.
I couldn’t place why, but something about their exchange unsettled me. Maybe it was the way Melanie had shifted the blame to Grace so easily. Or maybe it was the realization that Melanie seemed to hold a position of importance that I didn’t. I, the wife and mother, often felt like a peripheral figure in this family. They all focused so much on Melanie—urging her to find a boyfriend—while I quietly took care of Ava and stayed out of their conversations.
After dinner, Melanie made her move to leave. Matthew asked, “Where are you going so late?”
Her response was sharp. “Why do you care? You’re allowed to have your wife and child, but I can’t go out for some fresh air? I’m off to find a boyfriend, all right?”
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes as she stormed out, but as she reached the door, Matthew called after her, “Come home early!”
His overly protective tone made me bristle. I was her sister, not her keeper. Why did he make such a fuss?
Later that night, as I bathed Ava, I noticed something that stopped me cold: two bruises on her thigh. I gently touched them, confused and worried. “How’d you get these bruises, Ava?”
Ava recoiled, her big, teary eyes looking up at me in fear. She didn’t say anything, but I could see the tension in her tiny body.
“Can you tell Mommy?” I coaxed gently.
Ava broke into sobs, the tears streaming down her face as she cried, “Aunt Melanie said you got lost and wouldn’t come back. I called her a bad woman, but she pinched me! Daddy told me not to tell you, Mommy!”
My heart dropped. I felt fury building inside me, hot and unrelenting. “Mathew Murphy!” I yelled.
He rushed into the bathroom, concern flooding his face when I showed him Ava’s bruises. I felt a sickening mix of anger and disbelief.
“Don’t tell me you don’t know about these!” I shouted at him. “Does your sister even have a heart? Forget your lies. How could you let her teach Ava to lie? How can you allow this?”
Matthew’s expression faltered as he took Ava from my arms. “I’ve already scolded Mel. Don’t be angry. I didn’t want to tell you because I knew it would upset you.”
I shook my head, my voice rising. “Is it something I shouldn’t be upset about?! Is your sister more important than your daughter? Why do you care so much about Melanie? What has she done to deserve this?!”
I wanted to scream, to tear Melanie apart for what she had done, for what she had made Ava feel. I couldn’t understand how Matthew could brush it off.
“Alright, you’re scaring Ava,” Matthew said, his voice defensive. “I’ve already talked to Melanie about it, but you can’t expect me to pinch her back, right?”
His words hit like a punch to the gut, and I felt the tears building. My daughter was in pain, and all he could do was defend Melanie. I didn’t know what to say. I felt like everything I had worked for—my family, my love for Ava—was slipping through my fingers.
The silence was suffocating, but after a long pause, I muttered, “Matthew, you disappoint me.”
With that, I wrapped Ava in a towel and carried her out of the bathroom, leaving Matthew standing in the doorway, silent and unmoving. I couldn’t talk to him anymore. His heart wasn’t with us.
The following day, after punching in at the company, I planned to meet Ivanna. But when I arrived, I found her with someone else—a professional private investigator.
Ivanna had been the one with the good news. This investigator was reliable, skilled, and could gather evidence quickly and efficiently. But as I looked at him, I realized the cost of this path. The closer I got to the truth, the more I risked losing everything I held dear. Still, what choice did I have? Was there any way back from this? Would the truth be worth the fallout?