Chapter 12 - Vanessa Tried to Blame Vittorio’s Absence
She was not entirely wrong.
That was the hardest part.
During mediation, Vanessa said:
“You’re acting like I created this house alone.”
Vittorio stared at her.
She continued.
“You were never there.”
True.
“You gave me every household responsibility.”
True.
“You cared more about meetings than whether the kids finished dinner.”
Painfully true.
Then she went too far.
“You made me discipline them.”
“No.”
Vanessa stopped.
Vittorio leaned forward.
“My absence gave you opportunity. It did not make you withhold food.”
She looked away.
“I was overwhelmed.”
“Then you could have asked for help.”
“You would have judged me.”
“Maybe.”
“You always made me the bad parent because you got to come home with gifts.”
That one hurt too.
Vittorio had been the fun parent too often.
Vanessa handled homework, schedules, discipline, doctors.
He flew in with presents.
That imbalance had been unhealthy long before it became abusive.
He owned that.
But again:
Explanation was not excuse.
Vanessa could have resented him.
Demanded change.
Left the marriage.
She chose to punish children instead.
May you like
That responsibility belonged to her.
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