Yvonne cradled her daughter in her arms, her eyes red and wet as she turned her gaze toward Theodore. Through gritted teeth, her voice quivered with a hatred deep enough to drown the room: “Theodore, you’re worse than an animal!”

With that, she hefted the unconscious Iris against her shoulder and started for the staircase, her steps deliberate, defiant.

Theodore didn’t flinch. Instead, he signaled to the assistant standing just behind him. “Don’t let her ...