“Jamie already feels distant from you,” he said smugly. “The court will listen to that.”

I clenched my fists under the table, trying to stay composed.

But how could I stay composed? Especially when this madman was trying to take my entire world away from me.

My voice dropped dangerously low.

“You listen to me. I have this recording of yours. And by the way, my home security cameras? They caught you planting the device in Sparkle during your last ‘gift drop.’ Here’s how this is going to go, Thomas. You will stay the hell away from Jamie. No visits. No calls. Nothing.”

He sighed deeply.

“You try anything else, and I’ll take this straight to court. Good luck explaining your way out of that. You’re disgusting, Thomas.”

He opened his mouth to argue but shut it again when he saw the look in my eyes. He knew I wasn’t bluffing.

When I got home, Jamie was playing with his toys in the living room. He looked up and gave me the first genuine smile I’d seen in weeks.

“Mom! Where’s Sparkle? You took her along, didn’t you?”

“She’s back where she belongs,” I said softly. “And she only brings good messages now.”

Jamie nodded, satisfied with that answer.

“Okay, Mom. But… why was Sparkle being so mean?”

“I’m not sure, darling. I think she just put herself on Santa’s naughty list.”

“Well… that’s not nice. Poor Sparkle.”

“Poor Sparkle, indeed. But she… You do know that everything Sparkle said was a lie, right?”

“I know.”

“Let’s have some ice cream, shall we?” I asked my boy.

Later, when I tucked him into bed, he clung to me a little longer than usual.

“Mom?” he said quietly.

“Yes, sweetheart?” I asked.

“I’m glad that you’re my mom.”

Tears pricked my eyes, but I kept my voice steady.

“I’m glad, too, Jamie. More than anything. You’re my favorite person, little buddy.”

He drifted off to sleep, his little hand curled around mine.

Sparkle didn’t just bring magic that Christmas. She brought the truth to light and reminded me that I’d do anything to protect my son, no matter what.

And even if Thomas did resurface, I was prepared to fight tooth and nail.

With all honesty, my heart ached for Denise. I remembered what it was like when Thomas and I were trying for Jamie. Those negative pregnancy tests took a piece of my soul away every time.

But still, Jamie was mine. And that was the end of it.

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When Nella notices her husband, Eric, acting a bit strange, she follows him to see where he goes off to. A few nights into this new routine, she decides to just ask him the truth. But the truth is deeper and darker than Nella could have expected. And it changes her life forever…