Chapter 9 - THE UGLIEST TRUTH Mom spun toward Lauren.
"What are you doing?"
"Tell her."
I opened the door but stayed behind the storm door.
"Tell me what?"
Lauren smiled.
"Mom told me Claire was raising Emma to be impossible."
Mom shook her head.
"That's not what I said."
"You said somebody needed to shock her."
"I said Claire needed to set boundaries!"
"Same thing."
"No."
Mom's voice trembled.
"I never told you to hit a baby."
For the first time, Lauren looked frightened.
Dad stepped onto the porch.
He held up the envelope.
"What exactly did you do for her, Lauren?"
She froze.
Dad continued.
"You threatened Claire. You lied about James. You used Emma's money. And you hurt a child."
Lauren's face hardened.
"You went through my room?"
"I found the messages."
"You had no right."
Dad laughed bitterly.
"Funny word for you to use."
Lauren stepped toward him.
James moved between them.
"Back up."
She stopped.
Then pointed at him.
"This is exactly what I mean. Everyone is afraid of you."
Dad answered.
"No. We're ashamed of you."
Lauren's expression collapsed.
She got into her car and drove away.
We thought it was over.
It wasn't.
The next morning, a sheriff's deputy came to our door.
Lauren had filed for a temporary protective order against James.
Her claim?
He had threatened her.
Twice.
The second incident supposedly happened on our driveway.
She had video.
But she had edited it.
The clip began with James saying:
"Back up."
Everything before that had been removed.
May you like
She had turned herself into the victim.
Again.
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