He set the heavy crate down on the floor of the landing, stepping back to give me space.

“I wanted to make sure you were safe,” he added, looking at the floor. “And I wanted to apologize.”

“For Rebecca?” I asked.

“For everything,” he said. “For the years I let myself believe the lies they spun about you.”

He looked up, his grey eyes searching my face.

“I cannot undo the past, Mariana,” he said. “But I can make sure your present is secure.”

“The photo,” I whispered, the fear finally breaking through my anger. “She sent me a photo of the kids at school.”

Jonathan’s posture stiffened instantly.

His jaw clenched so hard the muscles in his cheek twitching.

“When?” he asked, his voice dropping an octave.

“The night you left,” I said. “It was taken from a car.”

He closed his eyes for a brief second, inhaling slowly through his nose.

“Benjamin has already hired a private security team,” Jonathan said, opening his eyes. “They are watching the school.”

“You should have told me,” I said.