My 7-year-old stays with my ex.

Because I knew this moment would determine whether Mia ever went back into that house.

The female officer introduced herself as Officer Jenna Lopez. Her partner was Officer Mark Hayes. Lopez’s eyes moved carefully from Mia to me to Daniel.

“I’m going to ask you to step aside with your daughter while we speak with him,” she told me.

I nodded and followed the paramedics to the front steps. Mia sat wrapped in a silver thermal blanket while a medic warmed her hands.

“Am I going back inside?” she asked quietly.

“No,” I said firmly. “Not tonight.”

Her lip trembled. “He said you wouldn’t come.”

That sentence nearly broke me.

“I will always come,” I told her.

Behind us, Daniel’s voice carried through the night—“discipline,” “exaggerating,” “she’s unstable.”

Officer Hayes stayed calm. Officer Lopez remained firm.

She returned to me. “Do you have a custody order?”

“Yes,” I said, pulling it up on my phone. “Weekdays with him, weekends with me.”

“And you’re alleging neglect or abuse,” she said. “We’ll document everything and contact child protective services tonight.”

Relief and fear collided in my chest. “Please.”

Officer Lopez crouched beside Mia. “Can you show me where your shoes are?”

Mia pointed to the patio.