The Bound Between Us

Chapter 939

Joseph didn't allow a single thing in the house that had anything to do with Julie.

That one photograph set him off.

"Where did you get this?" Joseph's voice was sharp, almost a shout. "I told you, you don't have a mother."

He snatched the photo and ripped it in half. Daria's sobs grew louder, full-on wailing now. "I do have a mom! She's fighting monsters! When she beats them, she'll come back!"

"Who told you that?" Joseph snapped. "Alan, listen to me-again-you don't have a mother. Get that into your head."

Joseph only ever used Daria's full name when he was furious.

"You're lying! I have a mom! Everyone does!" Daria's face was streaked red from crying, stubborn as ever-he was the only one who dared talk back to Joseph.

Their nanny, Caterina, heard the commotion and rushed upstairs, thinking something terrible had happened.

She peeked in, saw Joseph scolding Daria, and immediately turned to leave.

"Caterina!" Joseph's angry call stopped her in her tracks. "Where did this photo come from?"

Caterina glanced at the torn pieces on the floor and instantly knew who was behind it. But she couldn't say.

She forced herself to lie. "I don't know, sir. Maybe Daria found it somewhere? He's just a kid-please, don't be so hard on him."

Daria kept crying, ignoring Joseph's questions about the picture. The poor kid looked terrified-he'd never seen his

clinging to her and sobbing. "Caterina, Daddy's mean! He yelled at me and tore up Mommy's

don't say that. Your dad loves you," Caterina whispered, lifting him in her arms and rocking him gently. She

even more irritable, but he

deeper-she'd taken money from Autumn, and

just look after Daria. The others cooked and cleaned; Caterina just played with

grand a month, right

were both jobless. Her paycheck kept

to the backyard, holding him close. "Come on, don't cry, sweetie. Don't be mad at your dad. Tell you what, I'll buy you a new toy later-maybe

mean. I don't want Daddy. I want Mommy," Daria blubbered, tears wetting

heart ached for

for so long, but there was never any talk of his mom. Joseph had made it clear-no one was allowed to mention

even a whisper.

took ages to calm

Joseph stood glaring at the shredded

none of the staff would've dared give Daria something like that. It had to be

never do something like this. Feiman

No one in that family wanted to bring

cried himself to

carried him back to his room. As soon as she stepped out, Joseph called her