Chapter 3 - MOLLY'S DISMISSAL
Molly Hayes had worked for Grant for seven years.
After Claire, his first wife, died, Molly became the practical center of the house.
Not mother.
Not replacement.
Reliable adult.
When Grant married Julia, tension began slowly.
Julia wanted:
new routines,
new household staff,
new discipline.
Molly thought:
Ben was too young for rigid schedules,
Ethan needed room to grieve,
Julia treated affection like insubordination.
They disagreed.
Grant usually mediated.
Then he vanished.
Nine days later, Julia fired Molly.
Official reason:
insubordination and inappropriate interference with parental authority.
Molly’s version was different.
She had found a file on Grant’s home-office printer.
EMERGENCY PETITION FOR EXPANDED GUARDIAN AUTHORITY.
It requested authority for Julia to manage:
schooling,
medical decisions,
residential decisions,
and certain trust-related expenses for both boys during Grant’s presumed death.
That part was normal.
Then Molly saw an attachment.
Behavioral summary.
ETHAN:
aggressive,
volatile,
threatening toward stepmother.
BEN:
defiant,
emotionally dysregulated,
dependent on former caregiver.
Molly’s name appeared repeatedly.
“Child’s dependence on nanny interferes with stabilization.”
Molly confronted Julia.
Julia fired her the next morning.
Grant stared at the document.
“Who wrote this?”
Julia answered:
“Dr. Simmons.”
Family therapist.
Grant looked at Ethan.
“Did you see a therapist?”
“Twice.”
“Did you say you were violent?”
“No.”
Ben shouted:
“She said I cry too much!”
May you like
Grant closed his eyes.
The house had been generating records while he was missing.
