“I didn’t disappear.”
“You never called.”
“I wasn’t allowed to.”
“You were eighteen.”
“You don’t know what happened that morning.”
My heartbeat changed.
The jewelry.
The open box.
Thomas—Richard, in this version—standing in the doorway.
Told you so.
I looked toward the black box.
“Did you take my jewelry?”
Liam’s expression changed.
“No.”
I stared at him.
“You didn’t?”
“No.”
“Liam.”
“I never stole anything from you.”
My hands began trembling.
“Then who did?”
He looked toward the front door.
I followed his gaze.
And suddenly, I knew the answer before he said it.
“Richard.”
Liam nodded.
I stood so quickly I nearly lost my balance.
“No.”
“Mrs. Hayes—”
“No.”
“He took it.”
“No, he didn’t.”
“He did.”
“You weren’t there!”
“I was.”
I froze.
“What?”
Liam stood too.
“I came back that morning.”
“You had already left.”
“My parents had.”
I stared at him.
