Daniel called twenty minutes later and said he had already contacted his lawyer, asking me only to keep Emma and Caleb safe until he arrived. That night, Emma asked if her mom was coming home, Caleb fell asleep on my couch, and Natalie never checked on either child. Near midnight, she finally texted asking me to keep them another day because she had rented a lake house, so I simply forwarded the message to Daniel.

The next morning, Daniel arrived with two police officers. Natalie came back furious, but one simple question left her completely speechless. Nothing she said could erase the truth anymore.