Chapter 153: Good Heart

Naomi kept her tone gentle. "What did your daddy do?"

"Same thing. Calls me stupid."

Naomi’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. "He doesn’t mean that."

Ethan turned toward her. "You’re doing it too. Covering for him."

Naomi had nothing to say.

Because he was right.

Completely right.

She had heard the hurt in his voice and immediately tried to soften what Richard had done instead of simply admitting that what he had done was wrong. Naomi exhaled slowly. "You know what? You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I shouldn’t." She glanced toward him again. "I guess I’m doing the same thing your mum does, huh?"

Naomi gave a small laugh. "And that’s something I’ve been angry at her for the past few days. Talk about being a hypocite." She thought about all the times her aunt had defended Richard, explained him away.

And somehow, without even realizing it, she had just done the exact same thing to Ethan.

"He shouldn’t call you stupid," Naomi said finally. "You’re not stupid. And I shouldn’t pretend he doesn’t mean things just because admitting he means them makes everything harder."

The car continued down the road, Dorian’s headlights steady in the rearview mirror behind them.

Naomi looked ahead again. "Family should protect each other no?"

Ethan looked at her then nodded. "Is that what Dorian did? Protect you?"

She thought about the way he had never actually told her exactly what happened, only that Richard would not touch her again.

"I guess so," she said quietly. "In his own way. He protected me."

Ethan looked away.

Naomi glanced at him but didn’t interrupt whatever was happening inside his head.

Ethan looked down at his hands and folded them together.

Was that what he was supposed to do too? The same way Dorian had protected Naomi?

Dorian was... Dorian.

Tall.

Strong.

Confident.

Ethan wasn’t like that. He wasn’t even close. He could barely speak sometimes. His palms got sweaty. His chest tightened. His mind went blank.

Richard was bigger than him.

Louder than him. Meaner than him.

Richard would probably kill him if he ever tried to stand up to him.

Then who would be there for Millie?

Ethan swallowed and forced the thought away. He looked back through the windshield.

Naomi noticed the way his shoulders had tensed. "You’re a good kid, Ethan. You have the best heart." She smiled. "Don’t let him make you feel small."

The rest of the drive became easier.

Naomi deliberately moved the conversation away from Richard and asked about school instead.

Ethan even managed a few longer answers.

By the time Naomi turned into the Whitmore driveway, the tightness in his posture had eased.

Dorian’s Mercedes followed behind them, but instead of pulling into the property, he drove farther down and parked at the other end of the street. He was giving her space, protective without hovering.

Naomi barely switched off the engine before the front door opened.

Diana came rushing outside. "Ethan!"

He climbed out.

Diana reached him almost immediately and pulled him into a hug. "Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? I didn’t know where you were, I called—"

"Mum..."

"I was worried!"

Naomi stayed by the car and let her fuss.

The front door flew open again.

"ETHAN!" Millie came racing outside and launched herself at him.

He caught her and lifted her.

Millie wrapped both arms around his neck while Ethan hugged her tightly.

Whatever else was wrong inside that house, those two had each other. For now, at least.

"I’m gonna go," Naomi said and took a step toward her car.

"Naomi..." Diana stood a few feet away. "Look, I’m sorry." She rubbed one hand over the other. "I got scared and I lashed out at you."

Naomi nodded slowly. She pointed down the street toward Dorian’s parked car. "Sure. Dorian’s waiting for me."

The second she mentioned Dorian was waiting down the street, Diana’s entire body tensed.

"Of course," Diana said quickly. "Have a good night."

Naomi opened the driver’s door. She almost got inside. "Aunt Diana?"

Diana looked back at her.

"I’m sorry. I’m sorry, something is not quite clear to me. Why are you sorry?"

"I don’t understand."

Naomi took a breath. "Are you sorry because of the things you said to me, or are you sorry that you have not once defended us the way you defended him that day?"

Diana’s expression tightened. "What difference does it make?"

"It makes a difference to me. I just... it matters to me that I know."

Diana glanced toward Ethan and Millie.

Ethan was still standing nearby, his sister close to him.

"Sweetie, please take your sister inside. Go on."

He nodded, took Millie’s hand and led her toward the house.

Her aunt stepped closer. "I know what it feels like right now. But Naomi, don’t throw your family away for a man whose attention is fleeting. I know it is overwhelming having a husband who cares right now. Someone who listens to you, makes you feel like you have somebody in your corner."

"And you draw your strength from him."

there was some truth in it.

Dorian had changed something in her.

Or maybe he had simply shown her that the things she had accepted for years were not normal.

Diana touched Naomi’s arm. "The question you should ask yourself is, ’Who will be there for you when he leaves?’" She squeezed her arm gently. "You may blame me for a lot of things, love, but we are the only family you’ve got. We are not perfect... But we are your only family. Richard is rough, I admit that."

"But he has done a lot for you," Diana continued. "Since you married this man, you have changed."

Naomi couldn’t even argue with that. She had changed. She spoke back more.

"And I get it," Diana said. "Dorian is attentive now. He makes you feel protected now. Everything feels good now."

Naomi swallowed.

The four months remaining on the contract suddenly felt painfully present.

Diana stepped back slightly. "Once again, let me ask you... What happens when he leaves?"