Chapter 2
I had never heard my daughter sound so frightened.
"The bad room."
Those three words echoed inside my head.
I looked at Nia's phone.
The recording showed the hallway outside Lily's bedroom.
Vanessa was pulling my daughter by the wrist.
Lily was crying.
"Please, I don't want to go in there."
Vanessa opened the door to a small storage room beside the laundry area.
It had no windows.
Inside were cleaning supplies, folded blankets, and unused furniture.
Vanessa pointed inside.
"You can come out when you learn to stop asking for attention."
Lily shook her head.
"Please, it's dark."
Vanessa pushed the door closed.
The recording captured Lily crying from the other side.
Then Vanessa walked away.
I felt sick.
I lowered my daughter gently onto the sofa.
"Nia, when was this?"
"Last Tuesday, sir."
I stared at her.
"Last Tuesday?"
She nodded.
"Yes."
I remembered that day.
I had been in Chicago closing a business deal.
I called home that evening.
Vanessa told me Lily was sleeping.
I had asked to speak with her.
Vanessa said she didn't want to disturb her.
My hands clenched.
"How long was she inside?"
Nia wiped her cheeks.
"About twenty minutes before I found a way to let her out."
I turned toward Vanessa.
"Twenty minutes?"
She lifted her chin.
"You're overreacting."
I could barely believe what I was hearing.
"You locked my five-year-old daughter in a dark storage room!"
"I didn't lock it. I closed the door."
"She couldn't get out!"
"She was throwing a tantrum."
I looked at Lily.
She sat quietly on the sofa.
Too quietly.
Her little hands were folded in her lap.
Like she was afraid even moving might upset someone.
I knelt beside her.
"Baby, look at Daddy."
She slowly raised her eyes.
"Did Vanessa put you in that room?"
Lily nodded.
"More than once?"
Another nod.
I struggled to breathe.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Her lower lip trembled.
"She said you would be mad."
"At you?"
"She said if I was bad, you'd get another little girl."
My heart shattered.
I pulled her into my arms.
"Listen to me, Lily. There is nobody in this world who could replace you."
She started crying.
"Even if I'm bad?"
"You are not bad, sweetheart."
She held my face between her tiny hands.
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Behind me, Vanessa sighed.
"This is ridiculous."
I stood slowly.
"Raymond, please take Lily to my bedroom with Nia. Stay nearby until I come."
Nia approached my daughter.
Lily hesitated.
I kissed her forehead.
"Go with Nia, princess. I'll be right there."
She nodded.
Nia carried her out.
The moment they disappeared, I turned toward Vanessa.
"How long?"
She frowned.
"What?"
"How long have you been treating my daughter this way?"
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"You want honesty?"
"Yes."
"Your daughter has been spoiled since the day I met her."
I stared.
"She's a little girl grieving her mother."
"And you've used that excuse for everything!"
Vanessa's voice grew louder.
"Every time she cries, you run to her. Every time she wants something, you buy it. Every conversation becomes about Lily."
I felt a terrible realization forming.
"You were jealous of a child."
Vanessa shook her head.
"Don't twist my words."
"Then explain them."
She crossed her arms.
"I married you, Marcus. Not your dead wife's daughter."
The room went silent.
I had never heard anyone speak about Danielle with such contempt.
"Get out."
Vanessa blinked.
"What?"
"I want you away from Lily. Tonight."
She laughed.
"You can't be serious."
"I've never been more serious."
Her expression hardened.
"I'm your wife."
"And Lily is my daughter."
Vanessa pointed toward the hallway.
"That child has controlled this house since before we married."
I stepped backward.
I couldn't believe I had shared my life with this woman.
"Raymond," I called.
He returned immediately.
"Sir?"
"Please contact our family attorney. I want advice on separating safely and legally. Vanessa must have no contact with Lily tonight."
Vanessa laughed sharply.
"You're going to divorce me over one little punishment?"
I looked at her.
"No."
She smiled briefly.
Then I finished.
"I'm ending this marriage because you deliberately frightened and humiliated my daughter."
The smile vanished.
She grabbed her handbag.
"You'll regret humiliating me."
I didn't answer.
Vanessa looked around the room.
"This penthouse won't feel so perfect when your precious daughter starts causing trouble again."
I moved toward the hallway.
She called after me.
"Marcus!"
I stopped.
"One more thing."
She gave a cold smile.
"Maybe you should ask Nia why she waited so long to tell you."
I turned.
Nia stood near my bedroom doorway.
Her face crumpled.
Vanessa continued.
"She knew what was happening. She watched."
I looked at Nia.
Her eyes were filled with shame.
"Mr. Bennett, I tried to stop it."
Vanessa laughed.
"Tell him why you didn't."
Nia's hands trembled.
"My mother is sick. Vanessa said she'd fire me and make sure nobody hired me again."
I stared at her.
Vanessa shrugged.
"Well, it's true. Employees should know their place."
Nia began crying.
"I couldn't leave Lily alone."
I looked toward my bedroom.
My daughter was sitting on the bed holding her stuffed rabbit.
I realized Nia had been trapped in a terrible situation.
But there was something I still needed to know.
"Nia, are there more videos?"
She nodded.
"Yes, sir."
"How many?"
She hesitated.
"Eleven."
My stomach dropped.
"Eleven?"
"Over six weeks."
Vanessa rushed toward her.
"Give me that phone!"
Raymond stepped between them.
"Ma'am, please stop."
Vanessa glared.
"You work for my husband!"
Raymond didn't move.
Nia clutched the phone.
"There's something else, Mr. Bennett."
I turned toward her.
She looked terrified.
"Vanessa was planning to send Lily away next week."
I felt cold.
"Send her where?"
Nia swallowed.
"She contacted a private boarding school."
I shook my head.
"Lily is five years old."
Nia nodded.
"I know."
She opened another message.
"She already sent them an application."
I stared at the screen.
The form listed my daughter's full name.
Her date of birth.
Our address.
And beneath the section asking why the child needed placement, Vanessa had written:
"Severe behavioral problems. Father unable to manage child."
I felt as though the floor had disappeared beneath me.
Then I noticed something at the bottom.
The application included an electronic signature.
My name.
May you like
Marcus Bennett.
I had never seen that form before.
