“No, you’re not.”

“Yes.”

“You’ll destroy this family.”

“If somebody is giving Olivia medication without his knowledge, this family already has a problem.”

Vanessa’s jaw tightened.

Then came the moment.

It happened so quickly Adrian almost didn’t understand it.

Vanessa glanced toward the staircase.

She moved behind the stroller.

Her hand reached down.

She released the brake.

Clara frowned.

“What are you doing?”

Vanessa shoved.

Hard.

The stroller rolled.

Clara screamed.

“Emma!”

She lunged.

The stroller struck the first stair.

Clara caught its handle.

The momentum dragged her forward.

She smashed her head against the banister, twisted, grabbed Emma with both arms and tore the baby from the harness just as the stroller overturned.

The stroller tumbled.

Clara hit the floor.

Emma landed against her chest.

And Vanessa stood watching.

For three terrible seconds, she did nothing.

Then she began screaming.

The footage ended seconds before Adrian entered.

No one spoke.

Emma whimpered softly.

Adrian could hear his own breathing.

Olivia turned off the television.

The screen went black.

In its reflection, Adrian saw Clara standing behind him with a red handprint darkening across her face.

His handprint.

He looked at Vanessa.

She backed away.

“Adrian…”

He barely recognized his own voice.

“You pushed her.”

“It wasn’t—”

“You pushed my baby.”

“I can explain.”

“You pushed my daughter toward a staircase.”

Vanessa shook her head violently.

“I panicked. Clara was threatening me. She was trying to destroy us.”

“You could have killed Emma.”

“No!”

“You could have killed her!”

“I knew Clara would catch her!”

The sentence was so monstrous that even Vanessa seemed to hear it after she said it.

Olivia whispered, “Oh my God.”

Vanessa turned desperately toward Adrian.

“I knew she was standing there. I knew she’d react.”

“You used my child as a weapon?”

“It was supposed to scare Clara. That’s all.”

Clara finally spoke.

“You released the brake.”

Vanessa’s eyes flicked toward her.

Clara’s voice trembled.

“You looked at the stairs first.”

Vanessa said nothing.

Clara stepped forward.

“You planned it.”

Adrian handed Emma to Olivia.

“Take your sister upstairs.”

“Dad—”

“Now.”

Olivia gathered Emma carefully.

As she passed Clara, she paused.

Clara kissed Emma’s forehead.

Then Olivia disappeared upstairs.

Adrian took out his phone.

Vanessa stared at him.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling the police.”

Her face changed instantly.

“Adrian, wait.”

He dialed.

Vanessa grabbed his wrist.

“Don’t.”

He pulled away.

“Don’t touch me.”

“You don’t understand.”

“You’re right.”

His voice was unnaturally calm.

“I don’t understand why the woman I was going to marry tried to send my daughter down a staircase.”

Vanessa’s lips trembled.

“It was because of Evelyn.”

Adrian stopped.

Clara looked up sharply.

“What?”

Vanessa seemed to regret the words immediately.

But they were already in the room.

Adrian lowered the phone.

“What did you say?”

Vanessa’s eyes moved toward Clara.

Then toward the staircase.

“Nothing.”

“You said Evelyn.”

Police dispatch answered.

Adrian never took his eyes off Vanessa.

“Yes,” he said into the phone. “I need officers and an ambulance at my home.”

Vanessa backed toward the front door.

“Adrian, please.”

He gave the dispatcher the address.

Clara sank onto the sofa.

Adrian ended the call.

Then he faced her.

The woman he had struck.

His throat closed.

“Clara.”

She looked away.

“I’m sorry.”