Ethan waited.
"She... she told me I wasn't allowed to talk to Mara anymore," Liam continued. "She said Mara was a distraction, but I never said anything like that. I like sitting with her after school."
There it was: the quiet truth, the real one. Not the invented distraction, but a child's innocent friendship weaponized by a controlling parent.
He leaned down slightly so Liam didn't have to look up so far. "None of this was your fault."
Liam blinked hard, relief trembling beneath his expression. "Is she... is your daughter okay?"
"She's healing," Ethan said. "And hearing that will help."
Liam nodded, stepping back. The tension in his posture eased, and for the first time, the child no longer looked afraid; he looked freed.
Rowan touched Ethan's arm lightly. "We should talk inside. There's more."
He followed Rowan to the unit, unlocking the door quietly. His daughter lifted her head from the couch as they entered, her eyes widening at the sight of Rowan. "Uncle Rowan?"
Rowan softened, kneeling beside her. "Hey, kiddo."
She instantly reached for him, and he hugged her carefully, mindful of her scalp. "Did it work?" she whispered.
"It's working," Rowan said. "We're just getting started."
She clung to him for a moment longer, then settled back under the blanket with a shaky exhale. Ethan watched the interaction with a quiet familiarity. Rowan had always carried a certain gravity: firm, protective, grounding in a way few people understood.
Rowan stood and motioned for Ethan to step aside. They moved to the dining table, lowering their voices.