Sign the Papers Mr. Langford novel Chapter 84

But what did backing down ever accomplish?

It just taught everyone that she could be pushed aside.

Pushed aside until Willow moved into the estate, pushed aside until Willow took her place next to Lawrence, pushed aside until even her own son thought Willow was the one who understood him best.

Wren knelt down until she was at eye level with Leo.

"Leo, tonight is our dinner date. Do you want it to just be the two of us, or do you want Willow to come along?"

Leo stared at her, stunned.

He had rarely been asked a question like that before.

The adults always made all the decisions for him.

Grandma would say, *Willow is going to keep you company.*

Dad would say, *Willow is going to take care of you.*

Willow would say, *Your mom is busy, but I'm here for you, and that's just as good.*

But now, his mom was asking him what *he* wanted.

Leo glanced over at Willow.

Willow's eyes were still brimmed with tears, making it seem like one wrong word from him would shatter her.

But then he remembered what his mom had said in the garden that day—that she felt pain, too.

Leo lowered his head and mumbled, "I want to go with you."

The color instantly drained from Willow's face.

Lawrence fell completely silent.

Wren didn't gloat; she simply reached out and gently stroked Leo's hair.

"Get in the car, then."

Leo scrambled into the passenger seat.

Wren buckled his seatbelt and draped the jacket over his lap.

Lawrence stood outside the car, his expression freezing cold.

"Have him back by eight."

"I know."

Wren walked around to the driver's side.

Suddenly, Lawrence planted his hand firmly against the door, stopping her.

"Wren."

She looked up at him.

The man stood in the fading twilight, his features cast in shadow, his tone vibrating with barely suppressed irritation.

Leo squirmed in his seat. "Does that mean I did something wrong?"

Wren eased up on the gas pedal, her voice incredibly gentle.

"Leo, just because someone is crying doesn't mean you did something wrong."

Leo turned his head to look at her.

Wren continued, "You can care about how other people feel, but you also have to know what you want for yourself. You wanted to have dinner with me today, and there's nothing wrong with that."

Leo looked like he only half-understood.

After a while, he whispered, "But whenever Willow cried before, Grandma and Dad always told me I was being bad."

A sharp pain pierced Wren's chest.

She suddenly realized that Willow wasn't just stealing her place; she was using her exact same toxic methods to manipulate Leo.

The one who cried was always right.

And whoever didn't coddle the person crying was the bad guy.

It was exactly like the Whitaker family.

Just like when she was sixteen, and Lydia Whitaker had shown up with teary eyes claiming she had nowhere to go, prompting Quentin Whitaker to force Wren out of her own bedroom.

Just like later, when Willow cried about being afraid Wren hated her, and everyone demanded that Wren be the bigger person.