Chloe placed her wineglass down.
“This is exactly why your visits are disruptive. You arrive without warning, interrogate everyone, and upset your mother.”
“I asked one question.”
“You’ve been upstairs nearly an hour.”
“Mom needed help.”
“She needs consistency,” Chloe snapped. “Not a daughter playing hero for one weekend.”
Julian raised a calming hand.
“Let’s not fight.”
His performance was almost convincing.
He gestured toward the empty chair.
“Sit down, Elena.”
I sat.
The longer I kept them talking, the safer Mother remained.
