Chapter 6 - I Had Helped Create the Problem I Hated
Ryan wanted Vanessa to be solely responsible.
Reality would not give him that comfort.
He had liked the money too.
The media income helped pay for renovations.
It covered vacations.
It reduced what Ryan transferred into household accounts each month.
When Vanessa’s following grew, Ryan bragged about her success to clients.
He appeared in sponsored family photos.
He signed releases without reading them.
He laughed at videos he should have questioned because Mia seemed fine afterward.
Claire—no.
There was no convenient outsider Ryan could blame for failing to notice.
At therapy, Mia drew two versions of their house.
One was enormous, with windows and balloons.
The other was a small square with three people holding hands.
Melissa, her therapist, asked which house felt better.
Mia pointed to the small one.
“No cameras.”
Ryan looked down.
Later, in the car, he said, “I should’ve paid more attention.”
Mia kicked her sneakers gently against the seat.
“Were you busy?”
“Yes.”
“Vanessa says you only care when things get bad.”
The sentence hurt because it contained truth.
Ryan had cared.
But caring privately was not the same as watching carefully.
That evening he called Vanessa.
“I’m sorry.”
She sounded suspicious.
“For what?”
“For letting the content go farther than it should’ve.”
She was quiet.
Ryan continued.
“That doesn’t excuse what you did.”
“I know.”
It was the first time she had said anything close to accountability.
Then she ruined it.
“But Nicole kept saying the stronger videos were the only ones anyone watched.”
Ryan closed his eyes.
“So Nicole made you smear cake on Mia?”
“No.”
“Then stop giving me Nicole.”
Vanessa began crying.
“I thought I could control it.”
“What?”
“The story.”
Ryan sat straighter.
“What story?”
She realized she had said too much.
“Nothing.”
“Vanessa.”
She hung up.
Five minutes later, Nicole texted him for the first time since the birthday.
Stop interrogating my sister.
Ryan did not answer.
Then another message came.
May you like
You have no idea what she was trying to protect.
That sentence changed the shape of the conflict again.
