Julian dismissed it as a child’s imagination.

At home, Julian began monitoring my conversations with Noah.

If I asked about school, he hovered in the doorway.

If Noah answered, Julian often corrected him before he finished.

“That’s not what you meant,” he would say.

“Try again.” He used the same tone he used in board meetings when a junior employee misread a number.

I considered leaving with Noah immediately.

Dana urged me to get legal advice first and make a safety plan without escalating the confrontation.