Chapter 90

James

Alone with his daughter, he started getting her dressed. All the while, Aria was watching him with her innocent, childlike interest. A moment later, the little girl couldn’t help herself and asked, “Daddy? What’s wrong?”

James pinched her cheek fondly, wondering if he should ask her about Sophie. He wanted to know if she was mistreating Aria. Fuck. He desperately wanted to know whether she was abusing her. Though he couldn’t see any sign of abuse anywhere on his daughter’s little body, but then again, abuse didn’t have to be physical. Condescending tone and words alone were considered abuse enough toward children, especially if those words were meant to hurt them emotionally. And that was what James was worried about. Emotional and mental harm was much worse than the external, physical type.

But fuck! How the hell did one phrase those sorts of worries? Especially directed at a six-year-old girl?

“Raise your hands for me,” he said as he picked up the light-blue Cinderella dress.