Chapter 2
I didn't start the car.
I sat behind the steering wheel while Lily remained strapped into her booster seat.
Her little hands were folded in her lap.
She looked exhausted.
I turned toward her.
"Sweetheart, what did Aunt Vanessa say Mommy left you?"
Lily stared at her shoes.
"I don't remember all of it."
"That's okay."
She swallowed.
"She said Mommy made a mistake."
My chest tightened.
"What mistake?"
Lily looked toward the window.
"She said Mommy shouldn't have trusted me with something."
I felt a chill.
Danielle had been a careful woman.
She didn't make promises she couldn't keep.
And she never discussed important matters with Lily without telling me.
At least, that's what I'd always believed.
I took a slow breath.
"When did Vanessa tell you this?"
Lily whispered, "At Grandma's house."
My stomach tightened.
"Which day?"
"The day Aunt Vanessa made me clean the kitchen."
I froze.
"She made you clean the kitchen?"
Lily nodded.
I stared at her.
My daughter was seven.
She could put away toys.
She could help set the table.
But cleaning an entire kitchen?
"What did she make you do?"
Lily's eyes filled.
"Wash plates."
I closed my eyes.
The sound of Vanessa slamming the dinner plate echoed in my memory.
"How many plates?"
"A lot."
I swallowed.
"Did Grandma know?"
Lily shook her head.
"Grandma was sleeping."
I gripped the steering wheel.
My mother had been recovering from a hip operation.
For several months, Vanessa had taken charge of her household.
She handled groceries.
Managed appointments.
And insisted that I didn't need to worry.
"Marcus, I've got everything under control."
I'd believed her.
Now I wondered what else she'd been controlling.
I looked at Lily.
"Did Aunt Vanessa ever hurt you?"
She shook her head quickly.
"No, Daddy."
I felt a little relief.
Then she whispered, "She just gets mad."
"About what?"
"When I ask questions."
My stomach tightened again.
"What questions?"
Lily hesitated.
Then said, "About Mommy's blue box."
I stopped breathing.
Danielle had owned a small blue jewelry box.
It was made of polished wood.
Her grandmother had given it to her when she turned sixteen.
She kept important letters inside.
Photographs.
Small pieces of jewelry.
And sometimes little notes she'd written for Lily.
After Danielle died, I'd searched for it.
I couldn't find it anywhere.
Vanessa told me Danielle had donated several belongings before her final hospitalization.
I'd accepted that explanation.
Now I wasn't so sure.
"Did you see Mommy's box?" I asked.
Lily nodded.
"At Grandma's house."
My heart began pounding.
"Where?"
"In Aunt Vanessa's closet."
I stared at my daughter.
"Are you sure?"
She nodded again.
"It has a butterfly on top."
I closed my eyes.
That was it.
The butterfly.
Danielle had painted it herself.
I'd watched her do it one rainy afternoon while Lily was still a baby.
There was no mistaking that box.
I turned toward the windshield.
For a moment, I felt physically sick.
My sister had told me the box was gone.
But Lily had seen it.
And Vanessa had apparently threatened her into silence.
I took a deep breath.
"Sweetheart, you did the right thing telling me."
Lily looked uncertain.
"Aunt Vanessa said you'd be angry."
I turned sharply.
"At you?"
She nodded.
My heart broke.
"No, baby."
I reached back and took her hand.
"I could never be angry because you told me the truth."
She began crying.
I unbuckled my seat belt and climbed into the back seat beside her.
Then I hugged her.
She clung to me.
For several minutes, we said nothing.
Eventually, she whispered, "I miss Mommy."
I closed my eyes.
"So do I."
She pressed her face against my shoulder.
"Mommy never yelled when I was hungry."
I felt tears spill down my cheeks.
"No, sweetheart."
"Mommy always made me sandwiches."
I laughed through my tears.
"With the crusts cut off."
Lily smiled faintly.
"And little strawberries."
I kissed her forehead.
"Exactly."
When she finally calmed down, I returned to the driver's seat.
Then I called my mother.
She answered immediately.
"Marcus?"
"Hi, Mom."
Her voice sounded tired.
"Where are you? Vanessa said you stormed out."
I looked toward Lily.
"Did she tell you why?"
Mom hesitated.
"She said Lily misbehaved."
I felt anger rise.
"Mom, Lily reached for food. Vanessa grabbed the plate and shouted at her."
Silence.
Then Mom whispered, "What?"
I swallowed.
"She humiliated your granddaughter."
My mother's breathing changed.
"Marcus, that can't be right."
"I have a video."
She went quiet.
Then she said something that surprised me.
"Vanessa told me Lily had been difficult lately."
I closed my eyes.
"Mom, what exactly has Vanessa been telling you?"
There was a long pause.
Finally, my mother whispered, "Maybe we should talk privately."
My stomach tightened.
"Why?"
Her voice became smaller.
"Because Vanessa handles my phone sometimes."
I sat straighter.
"Mom?"
She took a shaky breath.
"Just come tomorrow."
Then the call ended.
I stared at the screen.
Something was very wrong.
My mother sounded frightened.
My daughter was frightened.
And Vanessa seemed to be standing between everyone.
I called my younger brother, Daniel.
He lived across town.
Unlike Vanessa, Daniel rarely involved himself in family arguments.
He was a quiet man.
A high school teacher.
The sort of person who listened before speaking.
He answered after two rings.
"Marcus?"
"I need your help."
His voice became serious.
"What happened?"
I explained the incident at the party.
Then I told him about Lily's conversation.
When I mentioned Danielle's blue box, he went silent.
"Daniel?"
He took a breath.
"Marcus, I need to tell you something."
My stomach tightened.
"What?"
"Vanessa asked me about Danielle's estate last month."
I froze.
"Why?"
"She wanted to know whether Danielle left money in Lily's name."
My heart began pounding.
"What did you tell her?"
"Nothing. I didn't know."
I stared at the steering wheel.
Daniel continued.
"But she got angry when I asked why."
I swallowed.
"Did she say anything else?"
He hesitated.
"Yes."
I waited.
"She said Lily was too young to understand what belonged to her."
My blood turned cold.
I looked back at my daughter.
She was sleeping now.
Her face was peaceful.
Her cheeks were still damp.
I suddenly remembered something Danielle had told me shortly before she died.
"Marcus, promise me you'll protect Lily's future."
I'd promised.
Of course I had.
But I'd never asked why she sounded so worried.
I'd assumed she was afraid of leaving our daughter without a mother.
Now I wasn't sure.
I gripped the phone.
"Daniel, I need you to meet me tomorrow."
"Where?"
"Mom's house."
He paused.
"Are we confronting Vanessa?"
I looked toward Lily.
"No."
May you like
My voice became cold.
"We're finding out what she's been hiding."
