The woman had no answer. Andrew was losing control. “Enough! Arthur, go to your room! Elena, pack your things and get out of my house now!” “No!” Arthur jumped in front of Elena. “She’s not leaving!” “She is! And you’re going to stay in your room until you grow up!” Andrew grabbed Arthur’s arm to pull him away. The boy struggled, crying out for Elena.
“Let me go! I want Elena!” “Forget her! she’s been manipulating you!” Andrew shouted. Elena wanted to step in, but she knew physical interference would only make it worse. “Mr. Miller!” Gail came running from the house. “What is happening? I can hear the screaming from the kitchen!”
“Gail, get this woman’s things. I want her gone in ten minutes!” Gail looked at Elena, then at Arthur sobbing in his father’s grip. “Mr. Miller, what did she do?” “She poisoned my son’s mind! She made him dependent on her just to cause this chaos!”
“That’s not true, Gail!” Elena cried. “I just cared for him when he was lonely!” “Liar!” Andrew bellowed. Arthur managed to wrench his arm free and threw himself into Elena’s arms, shaking violently. “Elena, please don’t leave me!”
“Arthur, honey, breathe,” Elena whispered, holding him tight. Andrew moved to pull them apart, but Gail stepped in between them. “Mr. Miller, stop! Look at him!” Arthur was having a full-blown panic attack. He was gasping for air, his face turning a terrifying shade of pale. “I… I can’t breathe!”
Elena dropped to her knees. “Arthur, look at me. Breathe with me. In… and out. Come on, buddy.” “I can’t!” he wheezed. Gail looked at Andrew. “He’s having a panic attack, sir!” “A panic attack? He’s nine, he’s just upset!” Andrew dismissed it, but his voice wavered as he saw his son gasping.
“Kids get them too, especially after trauma,” Gail snapped. Andrew watched Elena calmly talk Arthur through the crisis. He felt a cold spike of fear. He’d never seen his son like this. “Arthur?” he tried to step closer. “No!” the boy screamed, recoiling. “You’re sending her away! You don’t care about me, just your work!”
“Arthur, you’re okay. I’m right here.” Slowly, Arthur’s breathing leveled out, though he refused to let go of Elena’s hand. Andrew watched them, realizing he’d never been able to calm his son that quickly. But his ego won out. “Gail, help her pack. I want her out in an hour.”
Arthur looked up, his eyes dead. “If she goes, I’m going too.” “You’re staying here.” “Then I’ll run away.” “I’ll call the police and bring you back.” Arthur looked at his father with a sadness that was haunting. “You really hate me, don’t you, Dad?” “I don’t hate you, don’t be stupid.”
“You do. Ever since Mom died, you can’t stand to look at me. That’s why you’re always at work. That’s why you want to give me to a stranger.” Andrew had no words. Arthur turned to Elena. “Thank you for being nice to me, Elena. I won’t forget.” He walked into the house, shoulders slumped like an old man.
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