She sometimes asked Lily the same questions repeatedly.
And she became frustrated when the little girl's answers didn't match what she wanted.
Once, Mason heard her say that the footage would help people understand what kind of father Marcus really was.
The boy didn't understand.
Marcus wasn't perfect.
He worked too much.
Sometimes he forgot small promises.
But he fed Lily when he was home.
He read bedtime stories.
And he always kissed her forehead before leaving for work.
Mason knew that.
So why did his mother want the little girl to say otherwise?
He began keeping notes.
Dates.
Times.
And what he'd personally seen.
He didn't tell Lily to act differently.
He didn't ask her to repeat frightening conversations.
He simply preserved what he observed because he was afraid no one would believe him if he spoke without evidence.
He was twelve.
And he had begun doing the work the adults in the house should have done.
The explanation came through a conversation Mason overheard late one night.
Vanessa was standing in the kitchen speaking to someone on her phone.
Marcus was traveling for work.
Lily was asleep.
Mason came downstairs for water and stopped when he heard his mother's voice.
"I'm telling you, the footage will be enough."
He remained near the hallway.
Vanessa listened.
Then continued.
"He leaves her with me all day. If I can show how distressed she gets, he'll have to negotiate."
For several seconds, Mason stood motionless.
His mother lowered her voice.
"I don't want another six months arguing about money. I want a settlement before he realizes how much leverage I have."
The boy didn't understand every word.
But one phrase frightened him.
Leverage.
He'd heard Marcus use the word during business conversations.
It meant having something another person needed.
Mason looked toward the staircase.
Then heard Vanessa speak again.
"He's terrified of losing that little girl. You know that."
The boy felt his chest tighten.
He knew she was talking about Lily.
Then his mother added.
"If he thinks someone might accuse him of neglect, he'll sign whatever keeps the situation quiet."
Mason stepped backward.
His foot caught against the edge of a rug.
The floor creaked.
Vanessa stopped speaking.