"Emma, I hope you're not here to stir up trouble," Gilbert said, his tone sharp and unwavering. "You should know by now, I can't stand women like that." Still, beneath the surface, he already knew the truth.
Emma gave him a pitiful look, her voice soft but cutting. "Gilbert, you've always known the truth about Hilary, haven't you? Whether you believe it or not doesn't really matter to me. She's not your child. She never was. It's not a big deal anyway."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.
Gilbert's fingers clenched into a fist. In a flash of anger, he swiped the teacup off the table. It shattered against the floor with a sharp crack.
Later that evening, when Claire stumbled through the front door, she found Auntie Tina sitting at the dining table, patiently waiting for her to eat.
"Miss Claire, how did it go?" she asked with concern. "Did you get to see Adam and Dean?"
Claire shook her head and quietly explained everything that had happened.
