Zara locked herself in her room, wrapping a blanket tightly around her like armor. She didn't cry. She simply curled up into a ball, her back resting against the headboard. Her eyes stared at the door—blank, unfocused.
Outside, Elizabeth paced the hallway, her steps quick and uneven. No one had told her about the custody trial. She had gone to pick up the kids from school, just like Zara had asked, when Irene had stopped her, insisting she had no right.
Luckily, Elizabeth had brought her bodyguard with her, so Irene didn't dare push her any further.
Still, Elizabeth couldn't wrap her mind around it all. While she was still trying to piece things together, Zara had come home, looking like a lost ghost. She hadn't even acknowledged Elizabeth's presence as she walked past her.
Nadia had explained things to her then.
"Zara, open the door and talk to me," Elizabeth said, knocking hard. "How could you keep this from us?"
