Rowen turned sharply at the sound of Stacy's voice. His eyes darkened; he didn't seem to be in his right senses at the moment.
"What did you say?" he asked, his tone low and sharp.
Stacy walked in slowly, her arms folded across her chest, a smug look playing on her lips. "I said you should ask Vanessa why your daughter was given turmeric tonight."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
All eyes turned to Vanessa.
But this time, she didn't shrink away.
Vanessa lifted her chin, her voice steady though her heart ached. "I gave her the soup," she admitted calmly, "but I didn't know she was allergic to turmeric."
Stacy tilted her head. "How convenient."
"I didn't do it on purpose," Vanessa continued, looking directly at Rowen now. "I found what I could in the kitchen, and I made something warm for her. I wasn't told about any allergies."
Mariam stepped forward quickly. "It's true. We never mentioned it. Not once."
