DEBORAH'S POV
The box felt heavier than it should have when I lifted it. Not because of its physical weight, but because of what it represented. This was my line in the sand. My declaration that I wasn't going to disappear quietly into the background of Elijah's life then fade out of it. I wasn't going to be dismissed with three careless words.
I pulled the rolling door back down and locked it, leaving the rest of the rug wrapped in plastic behind the photo albums. Insurance for later, if I needed it. If this first warning didn't get his attention.
The walk back to my car felt like a dream. Gary waved at me through the office window, still smiling his kind, oblivious smile. If only he knew what I was carrying. What I was about to unleash on the world.
"Have a good night, Mrs. Rossi!"
"You too, You too."
