Alexander gave her a puzzled glance. "You'd better be certain you won't cancel at the last minute."

Amy offered a tight, mocking smile, though her gaze remained frosty. "And what if you're the one who backs out, Mr. Blackwood?"

With Liam's recent ordeal and Alexander's relentless distrust, Amy had finally had enough. She was done with this twisted family. First, they accused her own mother of kidnapping—what fresh chaos would tomorrow bring?

Even after five years of marriage, she realized she barely knew Margaret. She had always deferred to her, enduring her impossible standards with gritted teeth. Maybe her patience had kept Margaret civil—at least outwardly.

But after their last explosive confrontation, Amy was stunned by just how unhinged Margaret could be. It was like navigating a minefield, and she was desperate to escape. She could hardly wait for Victoria to step into her place.

His voice was as cold as a winter river under moonlight. "What time?"

Amy blinked, snapping back to reality. He was actually agreeing? "Ten tomorrow morning, outside the courthouse. Does that work for you, Mr. Blackwood?"

His reply was clipped. "Fine." He didn’t believe for a second she’d actually go through with it.

Victoria and Nathan entered the hospital together. Upon hearing Liam had been found, they rushed to see him. As his favorite person, Victoria couldn’t possibly stay away when he was in distress.

But when they reached the room, Liam was alone. Victoria frowned, scanning the space. "Liam, where’s your father? Isn’t he with you?"

Liam’s expression dimmed. "Dad and Mom left."

Victoria’s eyes flickered with interest. "Ms. Sinclair was here too?"

At the mention of his mother, Liam’s mood darkened further. He gave a small, reluctant nod.

Victoria moved closer, her voice honeyed. "Liam, where did you go today? Your father was frantic."

Nathan added, "Yeah, what happened? Victoria dropped everything when she heard you were missing."

"Unlike your mom," Nathan scoffed. "Alexander called her immediately, and she basically told him to handle it himself before hanging up."

Liam’s head snapped up. "Mom knew I was missing?"

Nathan shrugged. "Yep. First thing Alexander did was call her. She just said, 'If he’s missing, go find him. Why are you calling me?'"

The words hadn’t come directly from Alexander. Victoria and Nathan had overheard Gregory, Alexander’s assistant, discussing it with staff on their way in.

Gregory hadn’t meant to criticize Amy—he was just noting the stark change. Before, she’d been the kind of mother who panicked at the slightest issue. Now, she was indifferent. The shift was jarring.