Part 3My Husband Returned His Daughter to Her Mother

Liam ignored her, stuffing her books, her plush toys, her makeup, everything she owned, into the case.

“You wanted to find your mother, didn’t you?”

He zipped the bag shut, pushing the suitcase toward her. His eyes were cold, like a Siberian frost.

“Now, you will. You think she loves you most? Go find her. This house no longer has room for you.”

Setlla was utterly terrified now. She realized this wasn't a threat; it was final.

“I’m not going! This is my house! You can’t make me leave!” She lunged for the bag.

“It’s my house, and Harper and I are in charge now!”

Liam grabbed her arm, his grip hard enough to make her gasp in pain.

“Get out. Go find the mother who loves you. I want to see if her new setup has a room for her ‘obsolete burden.’”

He was practically dragging her out.

“Let go of me, Liam! You’re choosing a stranger over your own daughter! You’ll regret this!” Her screams echoed through the hallway.

I stood in the wreckage of my office, watching the horrifying, self-inflicted chaos.

Liam opened the front door, shoved Setlla and her suitcase onto the porch, and slammed the door shut.

The sudden finality of the latch cutting off her desperate screams was deafening.

Setlla was outside, pounding on the door, her crying hysterical.

“Open up! Liam, open the door! You’ll both pay for this!”

“I’ll go to my mom! You’ll never have a daughter again!”

Inside, Liam leaned against the door, his eyes red-rimmed, his body shaking with a residual, volcanic rage.

The pounding continued for a long time, softening eventually into helpless, muffled sobs, and then, finally, nothing. Silence.

I walked over to Liam and gently wrapped my hand around his freezing cold one.

He turned his head to me, the anger replaced by a crushing weariness and guilt.

“I am so sorry, Harper.” His voice was raw. “I let this happen. I let her hurt you.”

I shook my head, unable to speak.

Just then, my phone chimed with a new social media update. It was Setlla.

The photo was a selfie taken right outside our front door. She was pulling her suitcase, tears still visible on her cheeks, but forcing a tight, mocking smile.

The caption read: Finally free of that disgusting house. Off to the only person who truly loves me! Some people are just going to end up a lonely, old couple with no one to care for them!

I showed the phone to Liam. He glanced at it, his face unreadable, then quietly took the device and immediately blocked and deleted both Setlla’s and Victoria’s contact details and accounts.

“From now on,” he looked at me, his gaze firm and resolute, “we are done with them.”