Chapter 2
The first thing I heard on Lily's phone was Susan's voice.
Cold.
Sharp.
Completely different from the gentle tone she used whenever I was home.
“Your daddy isn't here to save you.”
I felt my stomach tighten.
The recording showed our kitchen.
The camera was positioned low, partly hidden beneath a chair.
I could see Lily's little feet.
Susan stood near the refrigerator.
My daughter was crying.
“Please don't make me stay in there.”
Susan folded her arms.
“Then learn to behave.”
I paused the video.
My hands were shaking.
I looked at my wife.
“What is this?”
Susan stared at the phone.
“Marcus, you're taking everything out of context.”
I looked back at the screen.
Lily whispered, “Daddy, there's more.”
I swallowed.
“How much more?”
She held up three fingers.
“Three videos.”
Susan stepped toward us.
“She's not supposed to have that phone during the day.”
I stood.
“You're worried about the phone?”
She looked away.
“I'm worried about the way you're handling this.”
I stared at her.
“My daughter recorded herself being threatened.”
Susan threw up her hands.
“I never threatened her.”
I pressed play.
Her voice filled the room again.
“If you tell Marcus, I'll make sure he knows how terrible you've been.”
Lily began crying in the recording.
“I wasn't bad.”
Susan laughed.
“That's what all bad children say.”
I stopped the video.
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Then I looked toward Lily.
She stood beside the sofa, clutching her pink shirt.
I had never seen her look so small.
I crossed the room and knelt.
“Baby, come here.”
She rushed into my arms.
I held her tightly.
“I'm sorry.”
She began crying.
“I tried to be good.”
My heart shattered.
“You are good, sweetheart.”
She shook her head.
“Susan says I ruin everything.”
I kissed her forehead.
“You don't ruin anything.”
Behind me, Susan sighed.
“Oh, please. Children need boundaries.”
I slowly stood.
“Boundaries?”
I held up the phone.
“You threatened my daughter while I was at work.”
“She needed to learn consequences.”
“Consequences for what?”
Susan hesitated.
Then she pointed toward the kitchen counter.
“She spilled juice on my new handbag.”
I stared at her.
“You locked her in the laundry room over spilled juice?”
“I didn't lock her anywhere.”
Lily whispered, “She did.”
Susan turned sharply.
“Lily, stop lying!”
My daughter flinched.
I stepped between them.
“Enough.”
My voice was firm.
“Don't shout at her again.”
Susan looked furious.
“You're letting a child control this household.”
I took a breath.
“No. I'm finally listening to my child.”
I picked up Lily's phone.
Then I called my younger sister, Angela.
She answered immediately.
“Marcus?”
“Angela, I need you to come over.”
Her voice changed.
“What's wrong?”
“It's Lily.”
I heard her stand.
“Is she hurt?”
“She's safe with me right now, but something happened.”
“I'm coming.”
I ended the call.
Susan stared at me.
“You're bringing your sister into our marriage?”
I looked at her.
“This isn't about our marriage.”
“Everything is about our marriage!”
“No.”
I glanced toward Lily.
“This is about my daughter's safety.”
Susan folded her arms.
“Fine. Let Angela come. She can hear how Lily has been acting.”
I didn't respond.
Instead, I opened the second recording.
The date showed three weeks earlier.
It was evening.
Lily was sitting at the kitchen table with homework spread in front of her.
Susan stood nearby holding a notebook.
“You got another question wrong.”
Lily whispered, “I'm trying.”
“Trying isn't enough.”
My daughter lowered her head.
Susan grabbed the paper and crumpled it.
“Maybe if you weren't so lazy, your daddy wouldn't have to pay someone to help you.”
I stopped breathing.
Lily whispered in the video.
“Daddy says I'm smart.”
Susan leaned toward her.
“Your daddy says a lot of things because he feels sorry for you.”
I felt tears gathering in my eyes.
Susan continued.
“He knows your real mother isn't coming back.”
I stopped the recording.
The room seemed to tilt.
My first wife, Nicole, had died when Lily was four.
Cancer.
A terrible illness that had taken her from us after months of treatment.
Lily still asked questions about her mother.
Sometimes she wanted to hear Nicole's favorite songs.
Sometimes she asked whether Mommy could see her from heaven.
I had always tried to answer gently.
Now Susan had used that grief against my daughter.
I looked at her.
“Don't ever speak about Nicole that way again.”
Susan looked uncomfortable.
“Marcus, I didn't mean—”
“You told a little girl her father only praises her because her mother died.”
She stared at the floor.
“I was frustrated.”
I shook my head.
“That's not an excuse.”
Lily touched my hand.
“Daddy?”
I turned.
“Yes?”
“Can Aunt Angela take me home?”
I felt my throat tighten.
“Sweetheart, this is your home.”
She looked around nervously.
“Can we go somewhere else?”
I understood.
She didn't feel safe here.
Not yet.
I crouched.
“Yes. We'll go somewhere you feel comfortable.”
Susan looked shocked.
“You're leaving?”
I stood.
“Lily and I are staying with Angela tonight.”
“You can't just walk out.”
I looked at her.
“Watch me.”
I helped Lily pack a small bag.
Her favorite pajamas.
A stuffed rabbit named Buttons.
A photograph of Nicole.
Her toothbrush.
And the little blue blanket she had carried since she was a toddler.
When we returned downstairs, Angela was waiting.
The moment she saw Lily's hair, she covered her mouth.
“Oh, sweetheart.”
Lily ran toward her.
Angela dropped to her knees and hugged her.
“What happened to your hair?”
Lily started crying.
“Susan cut it.”
Angela looked at me.
Her expression changed.
I showed her the phone.
We watched the first two recordings together.
Angela cried.
Then she looked at Susan.
“You did this to my niece?”
Susan crossed her arms.
“Don't come into my house judging me.”
Angela stood.
“Your house?”
I touched her shoulder.
“Angela, let's focus on Lily.”
She took a breath.
Then nodded.
We were preparing to leave when Lily pulled my sleeve.
“Daddy, there's one more video.”
I looked at her.
“Do you want me to watch it now?”
She nodded.
“Please.”
I opened the third recording.
The screen was dark at first.
Then I heard Susan speaking on the phone.
“She doesn't know where the money went.”
I froze.
Susan continued.
“Marcus trusts me with everything.”
I felt my heart begin pounding.
Then I heard a man's voice.
“When are you transferring the rest?”
Susan laughed.
“Next week.”
I stared at the screen.
I recognized that voice.
May you like
It belonged to my older brother, Raymond.
And suddenly, I realized Susan might not have been acting alone.
