I laid Lily on the bed and pulled the covers over her.

I sat at the small wooden desk near the window, staring out at the rain.

My phone vibrated on the table.

It was a text from Grant.

*Amelia, where are you? Higgins said you took Lily. Please call me. We need to talk about this. It was all a misunderstanding.*

I stared at the screen, my heart hardening.

A second text arrived immediately after.

*Don’t do this, Amelia. Think about Lily. Think about our family.*

I deleted both messages without replying.

Then, my phone buzzed again.

This time, it was an automated email alert from my personal bank account.

The account I had set up in secret, where I had transferred my personal savings.

The screen loaded slowly.

My breath caught in my throat.

The balance was zero.

I tapped the screen, my finger trembling against the glass.

The transaction history showed a single withdrawal from five hours ago.

It was authorized by a signature card I had forgotten existed, one linked to a joint power of attorney I had signed in our first year of marriage.