The Altar, The Lies, His Penance

y sister, Camilla, framed me, and my own parents helped br

my son, Leo, alone, surviving three suicid

s trying to take him from me. He even used a DNA test to prove Leo

finally fought back. I slapped my parents, sever

ined. Carter's mother confessed everything-the lies

reer in an act of penan

d by me through it all, had loved me in secret

pte

Housto

rnings, but the chime of Joel' s phone shattered it, pulli

ent of roasted coffee and pumpkin spice usually filled

o appreciate. But the sudden, jarring ringtone made my st

self. The name hung in the air, hea

nd. There was a flicker of something I couldn't quite

window at the bustling street. A group of kids in brigh

cafe doors. Leo. My son. He was clutching a small, plastic trophy, his face al

ewalk in shades of gold and burnt orange. A cool breeze chased them, a

ot here," "we' re just... having coffee"-each word laced with a forced calm designed to placate whoever was

t me, then his gaze drifted to Leo, still bouncing on the sidewalk outside the window, oblivious to the

of the autumn morning. Leo launched himself a

ed the trophy into my hands, his smile

over me. "You did great, champ. I knew you

hind me. He looked at Leo, then at me. His eyes were wid

s voice flat. "You..

blank. "He' s my son, Joel."

us, a vibrant, chaotic splash of color against the muted autumn backdrop. Her designer scarf billowed around her, bu

with a sneer. "Don' t tell me you' re trying to pass off this a

just lurking; it was standing right

, stamping his foot. "He is my dad! Joel is my dad

ps. "Oh, sweetie, you poor thing. Your mommy tells the biggest fibs."

hing in his jaw. "Camilla, that's en

as he looked at me. "You' ve changed, Emery," he said, the words a quiet assessment. He sounded almost...

ightly. His small fingers squeezed back. I pulled him

on my sleeve. "Mom, is that man... is he

" I said, my gaze fixed on the rearview mirror where Carter and Camilla we

I saw a picture of him in your old storybook. He was r

l, my knuckles white. A chill, colder t