“I prevented you,” Genevieve said, “from making a permanent, life-altering mistake.”

“They are my sons!”

For the first time, my mother turned her head and looked directly at Mason and Lucas, who were pressed against their mother’s legs watching all of this with wide, frightened eyes.

And there was nothing in her face when she looked at them.

No warmth, no recognition, no grandmother anywhere in it.

Only cold calculation.