Contents
Chapter 46
Overview
Naomi shoves Ezra down the basement stairs, and he lands with a sickening crash, apparently dead. Confronted with his bloodied body, Veronica rips off her duct tape and accuses Naomi of stealing her son—not Jeremy. The accusation ignites Naomi’s fury and hardens her intent to kill Veronica, escalating the crisis.
Summary
Naomi, trying to stop Ezra from discovering Veronica in the cellar, abruptly pushes him down the steep stairs. Ezra tumbles, bones cracking, and hits the bottom with a thud. Naomi descends to find him face down, a pool of blood forming around his head, his leg twisted unnaturally, and no visible breathing—she judges him likely dead.
Veronica, who had fallen silent during the tumble, begins crying again. Naomi, blaming Veronica for Ezra’s fall, berates her. Veronica has partly torn off the duct tape and struggles to speak through sobs, staring at Naomi with open hatred.
When Naomi insists Veronica “stole” Jeremy, Veronica counters that Naomi stole not Jeremy but her son. The accusation shocks Naomi, who locks eyes with Veronica and interprets the claim as a far worse threat than expected.
Galvanized by Veronica’s words, Naomi concludes that she must kill Veronica to contain the revelation. The chapter ends with Naomi’s intent escalating amid Ezra’s apparent death and Veronica’s accusation.
Who Appears
- NaomiProtagonist; pushes Ezra down the stairs, believes he’s dead, and resolves to kill Veronica after an explosive accusation.
- VeronicaBound and previously assaulted; rips duct tape, sobs, and accuses Naomi of stealing her son, provoking Naomi’s lethal intent.
- EzraArrives at the house; is pushed down the cellar stairs, suffers catastrophic injuries, and appears dead at the bottom.