Chapter 5
That night, I moved Lily into the east wing.
It had been my mother’s part of the mansion.
Bright windows.
Soft curtains.
No portraits of my father staring from the walls.
Mrs. Vale made soup.
Lily ate three spoonfuls, then fell asleep with her hand wrapped around my finger.
I stayed beside her bed until dawn.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her falling.
Her small body near the stairs.
Her shoe bouncing down.
My father’s voice saying, “I gave the order.”
By morning, Daniel returned.
He looked tired.
“There is more,” he said.
I followed him into the hall.
Marcus stood there with a tablet.
The security footage from earlier in the day was ready.
I watched Celeste lead Lily from the playroom.
Lily was holding a stuffed rabbit.
Celeste bent down.
No sound.
But her face was sharp.
Then Lily shook her head.
Celeste grabbed her arm.
My hands curled into fists.
The footage changed angles.
Celeste dragged Lily toward the foyer.
My father waited near the stairs.
He did not look angry.
He looked impatient.
Then Celeste shoved my daughter.
I turned away before the catch.
I had lived it once.
I did not need to watch it again.
Daniel’s voice was low.
“This proves coordination.”
Marcus swiped to another file.
“There are older clips.”
My stomach tightened.
“How many?”
“Several weeks.”
He played them.
Celeste taking Lily’s dessert.
Celeste telling a maid not to answer when Lily called.
My father standing in the doorway while Lily cried over a torn drawing.
Lily had drawn me, her, and Emma under a yellow sun.
My father had crushed it in his hand.
I felt sick.
“He said Mommy was gone because I was bad,” Lily’s tiny recorded voice said.
I grabbed the back of a chair.
Daniel whispered, “Adrian.”
I could not breathe.
I had been in the same house.
Busy in meetings.
Trusting blood.
While my child was being taught to hate herself.
I looked at Marcus.
“Make copies of everything.”
Then I looked at Daniel.
“File whatever needs filing.”
Daniel nodded.
“And my father?”
May you like
My voice went flat.
“Remove him from every room near my daughter.”
