Chapter 5
I didn't answer immediately.
Not because I was intimidated.
Because I wanted to understand what she meant.
The last woman?
I glanced at Marcus.
His face had changed.
"Mother," he said sharply, "that's enough."
His mother smiled.
"Why? Is the truth suddenly uncomfortable?"
Lily was still holding my hand.
I could feel her trembling.
I took a breath.
"Mrs. Carter, whatever disagreement you have with me, Lily doesn't need to hear it."
The older woman's smile disappeared.
"Don't tell me how to speak to my granddaughter."
Marcus stepped between us.
"She's right."
His mother stared at him.
For a moment, she looked genuinely shocked.
Then her eyes filled with tears.
"After everything I've done for you?"
Marcus closed his eyes.
"Not this again."
I recognized the pattern.
The moment she lost control of the conversation, she became the victim.
She pressed a hand against her chest.
"I raised you alone after your father died. I sacrificed everything."
Marcus looked at her.
"And I appreciate that."
"Apparently not."
"But none of that gives you the right to hurt Lily."
Her expression hardened.
"I have never hurt that child."
Lily made a small sound beside me.
I looked down.
She was staring at her grandmother with wide eyes.
Marcus noticed.
He crouched.
"Lily, sweetheart, would you like to go downstairs with Evelyn?"
Lily nodded immediately.
I walked her to the hallway.
Evelyn was waiting near the staircase.
I knelt beside Lily.
"You're not in trouble."
She looked at me.
"Are you going to get fired?"
My throat tightened.
"No, sweetheart."
She hesitated.
Then whispered, "Grandma fired Miss Clara."
I froze.
"Who is Miss Clara?"
Lily glanced toward the study.
"She used to help me."
My stomach tightened.
"Help you how?"
"With school."
I looked toward Marcus.
He had heard.
His expression was troubled.
Lily continued.
"She was nice. But Grandma said she was filling my head with nonsense."
I swallowed.
"What happened?"
Lily's eyes filled.
"She disappeared."
Evelyn gently touched her shoulder.
"Come along, sweetheart. Let's get some breakfast."
Lily looked at me one last time.
"Please don't disappear too."
I felt my heart break.
"I'll tell you if anything changes, Lily. I won't just vanish without an explanation."
She nodded.
Then followed Evelyn downstairs.
When I turned back, Marcus was staring at his mother.
"Clara Bennett."
His voice was low.
"That's who you meant."
His mother folded her arms.
"That woman was a terrible influence."
Marcus shook his head.
"She was Lily's tutor."
"She overstepped."
"How?"
"She questioned my authority."
I watched Marcus's jaw tighten.
"Mother, what did Clara actually do?"
His mother looked away.
"She filled Lily's head with ridiculous ideas about feelings and boundaries."
I almost laughed from disbelief.
Feelings.
Boundaries.
Apparently those were threats in this mansion.
Marcus looked at me.
"Nia, would you excuse us for a moment?"
I nodded.
But before I left, his mother spoke.
"Yes. Go back to your cleaning."
I stopped.
I turned toward her.
"My work does not make me less deserving of respect."
Her eyes narrowed.
I continued.
"And Lily deserves to learn that from the adults around her."
Marcus looked at me with quiet approval.
His mother looked furious.
I left before the conversation could become another confrontation.
Downstairs, Evelyn was preparing breakfast.
Lily sat at the table, staring at her plate.
I joined them.
"How are you doing?"
Lily shrugged.
"Okay."
I didn't believe her.
But I didn't push.
Instead, I helped Evelyn prepare the morning cleaning supplies.
Lily watched me.
After a while, she asked, "Why do you work here?"
I looked up.
"Because it's my job."
She frowned.
"But you could do something else."
I smiled.
"Maybe someday."
"What do you want to do?"
The question surprised me.
I thought about the future I'd once imagined.
Before my mother became ill.
Before I spent our savings helping with her treatment.
Before my brother's tuition became another responsibility.
"I wanted to become a teacher."
Lily looked interested.
"Why didn't you?"
I hesitated.
Then answered honestly.
"Sometimes life changes our plans."
She nodded slowly.
"Like when Mommy died?"
My chest tightened.
"Yes. Sometimes like that."
She looked down.
Then whispered, "I'm sorry your mommy died too."
I smiled sadly.
"Thank you, Lily."
For several minutes, we worked quietly.
Then she stood.
"Can I help?"
Evelyn nearly dropped a plate.
I looked at Lily.
"With what?"
"The table."
I smiled.
"Of course."
She began collecting empty cups.
I showed her how to carry them carefully.
When she finished, Evelyn thanked her.
Lily looked surprised.
Then smiled.
It was small.
But it was real.
That afternoon, Marcus called me back to his study.
His mother had left.
He looked exhausted.
"I'm sorry about what happened."
I nodded.
"How is Lily?"
"She's resting."
He sat down.
Then looked at me.
"Nia, I need to ask you something."
I waited.
"Did Lily tell you anything else about my mother's house?"
I hesitated.
"I think it's important that Lily tells you herself, with support. But she described being made to sit alone as punishment and being told nobody wanted to be around her."
Marcus closed his eyes.
I continued.
"She seemed genuinely frightened."
He nodded slowly.
"I've arranged an appointment with a child psychologist."
I felt relief.
"That's good."
"And until we understand what happened, Lily won't be visiting my mother alone."
I nodded.
"That sounds wise."
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
"Clara tried to warn me."
I looked up.
"Her tutor?"
He nodded.
"She said Lily was becoming afraid of disappointing adults. She thought my mother was using shame to control her."
"What did you do?"
He looked ashamed.
"I believed my mother when she said Clara was overreacting."
I swallowed.
"And Clara lost her job?"
"Yes."
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Marcus stood.
"I need to find her."
I frowned.
"Clara?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
His voice cracked.
"Because I owe her an apology. And because she might know things I never bothered to ask."
I watched him pick up his phone.
Then he stopped.
"Nia, there's something else."
I waited.
He looked toward the family photograph on his desk.
"My mother wasn't always like this."
I said nothing.
He continued.
"After Danielle died, she became obsessed with controlling Lily's life."
His expression darkened.
"At first, I thought she was helping."
"And now?"
Marcus looked directly at me.
"Now I'm wondering what else she convinced my daughter to believe."
That evening, as I prepared to leave, Lily approached me near the front door.
She was holding something behind her back.
"Miss Nia?"
I smiled.
"Yes?"
She looked nervous.
"I made you something."
She held out a piece of paper.
It was a drawing.
Three people stood beside a large house.
A little girl.
An older woman.
And a younger woman with curly hair.
Above them, in uneven letters, were the words:
PEOPLE WHO DON'T LEAVE.
My throat tightened.
"It's beautiful, Lily."
She smiled shyly.
"That's you and Evelyn."
I looked at the drawing again.
Then noticed something.
There was a fourth figure near the edge.
A woman wearing a yellow dress.
She was standing beneath a bright sun.
I pointed gently.
"Who's this?"
Lily looked down.
"Mommy."
My eyes filled.
"She's beautiful."
Lily nodded.
Then her expression changed.
"Miss Nia?"
"Yes?"
"Grandma told me something else."
I crouched.
"What did she say?"
Lily looked toward the staircase.
Then whispered, "She said Mommy left a secret for me."
My stomach tightened.
"What kind of secret?"
May you like
Lily's eyes filled with fear.
"She said Daddy would be angry if he ever found out."
