“I know.”
“No. You chose not to.”
She flinched. “I confronted Marla. She begged me to stay quiet… and I did. I told myself I was protecting Lizzy, but I was protecting myself.”
My voice broke. “While I mourned my daughter every single night.”
Suzanne whispered, “I know. And my fear cost you everything.”
I turned to Marla.
“You took my daughter from me.”
She was shaking. “It was chaos that night. I made a mistake… and instead of fixing it, I lied. I’m so sorry.”
“You let me grieve her for six years. While she was alive.”
Suzanne stepped forward. “I love her. I know I’m not her real mother, but I couldn’t let her go. I’m sorry.”
Her pain didn’t erase what she’d done.
