Page 48 of Love on the Edge
Margo’s hands clench into fists, her control slipping. She turns toward Ethan, voice rising. “You don’t know a damn thing about what I’ve been through.”
Grant steps forward, voice calm but unshakable. “Unless something dramatic has happened in theyearsince you left your daughter, we all know what you’ve ‘been through’.”
Margo whips toward him, but before she can fire back, Hannah steps in. “You don’t just get to show up here and act like nothing happened.”
Margo exhales sharply, shaking her head, hands flaring out. “Nothing happened? I was out there working. Making something of myself while Ethan played single father and let some skater girl step into my place.”
She spins back to me, eyes burning. “Did you enjoy it? Sliding into my life? Sleeping in my husband’s bed? Playing mommy to my daughter?”
I don’t flinch. But I feel it.
"You really think he’ll keep you?" she murmurs. "You think you belong here?"
The voices around us swell, colliding.
Ethan snaps, stepping in front of me. "You’re the one who walked away, Margo!"
"You don’t get to play the victim when you’re the one who left!" Nina fires back.
Drew’s voice cuts through. "This isn’t about Valeria. This is about you not wanting to lose."
Margo’s voice rises. “I didn’t lose! This is my family! My husband!”
Grant’s voice booms, final and unwavering. “Not anymore.”
Hannah steps forward. “Enough, Margo.”
The shouting continues, voices overlapping. But I don’t hear it anymore.
Because I hear something else.
A small, broken sob. The kind that cuts through everything. CC is crying.
Her small body trembles in Hannah’s arms, fingers curled tightly into her shirt, pressing into her grandmother like she’s trying to disappear.
And suddenly, nothing else matters.
I move without thinking, reaching for her. Hannah hesitates for only a second before letting me take her. The moment she’s in my arms, her little hands grip my dress, her face pressing into my shoulder, her whole body shaking with quiet sniffles.
I whisper, my voice steady even though my heart is racing. “It’s okay, baby. You’re okay.”
She doesn’t lift her head, doesn’t let go, just burrows deeper, holding on like I’m the only thing keeping her safe.
Ethan is still beside me, still tense, radiating barely contained rage.
But Margo moves. Her heels click against the floor. She reaches for CC.
“Let go of my daughter.” Her voice is sharp, I can see she’s trying to maintain control, but she’s becoming more and more unhinged.
CC whimpers, her tiny frame pressing deeper into me, shaking her head.
Ethan steps forward, voice dark. “Margo, don’t.”
She doesn’t listen. She grabs CC’s arm—too hard. CC cries out in pain and fear.
My head snaps down and I see it. Margo’s nails digging into CC’s skin.
Something inside me ignites.
