Chapter 3 - The Secret Lily Had Been Carrying
I read the sentence five times.
Then I closed the notebook.
My hands were shaking.
I didn't want to invade Lily's privacy.
But I was her father.
And someone had hurt her.
I sat on the edge of her bed.
“Lily?”
She looked up from her stuffed rabbit.
“Yes?”
“Where did you get this?”
Her face changed.
She knew exactly what I was holding.
“Did you read it?”
“Only the first page.”
She looked down.
“I'm sorry.”
“No.”
I moved closer.
“You don't have to apologize.”
“Daddy…”
“Who hurt you?”
She didn't answer.
“Lily.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“I don't want you to be angry.”
“I'm not angry at you.”
“I know.”
“Then tell me.”
She shook her head.
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because they'll know I told.”
“Who?”
She pressed her lips together.
I immediately understood.
Someone had threatened her.
I stood.
“Does Maria know?”
Lily nodded.
“How long?”
“A long time.”
My heart sank.
“Why didn't she tell me?”
“Because I asked her not to.”
“Why?”
“Because you would make everybody leave.”
I stared at her.
“Would that be bad?”
“For me.”
I sat again.
“Why?”
“Because then I'd have nobody to help me.”
My throat tightened.
“Lily, I'm your father.”
“I know.”
“I can protect you.”
She looked at me.
“That is what I'm scared of.”
I froze.
She continued.
“When you get scared, Daddy, you make everything disappear.”
“What does that mean?”
“You fired Mrs. Palmer because she made me cry.”
“She was rude to you.”
“You fired my teacher because he said I should work harder.”
“He made you feel bad.”
“You canceled my dance class because I fell.”
“You could have been hurt.”
Lily wiped her eyes.
“You keep protecting me until there is nothing left for me to try.”
I had no answer.
Then she opened the notebook.
Several pages contained drawings.
A woman.
A wheelchair.
A staircase.
A tall man.
And a little girl hiding behind a door.
I recognized the tall man.
My brother, Ethan.
I hadn't seen him in almost a year.
He had been managing one of my companies overseas.
“Why did you draw Uncle Ethan?”
Lily's eyes widened.
“I didn't.”
“You did.”
“No.”
She was suddenly terrified.
“Lily.”
Maria appeared at the doorway.
“Stop.”
I turned.
“Maria.”
She entered the room.
“Let her breathe.”
“This concerns my family.”
“Yes.”
“Then explain.”
Maria looked at Lily.
Then at me.
“She saw something.”
“What?”
“Something she wasn't supposed to see.”
“What?”
Maria hesitated.
“Your brother.”
My stomach tightened.
“Doing what?”
Maria's voice dropped.
“Arguing with someone.”
“Who?”
“Your former business partner.”
I stared at her.
“Daniel?”
She nodded.
Daniel Brooks had disappeared from my life two years ago after I discovered he had been stealing from one of my companies.
I thought he had fled the country.
Maria continued.
“Lily saw them together.”
“Where?”
“In the garage.”
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
I looked at my daughter.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Uncle Ethan saw her.”
My blood went cold.
“What happened?”
“He told her if she told you, you'd go away.”
“Go away?”
“He said you'd be arrested.”
I stared at Maria.
“For what?”
She looked at me.
“I don't know.”
Then she pulled a flash drive from her pocket.
“Your daughter gave me this.”
I took it.
“What is it?”
“Something she found.”
I plugged it into my laptop.
One video file appeared.
I clicked it.
The screen showed my garage.
Ethan stood beside Daniel.
And then I heard my own name.
“Once Carter signs the new documents, the company is ours.”
I stopped breathing.
Ethan laughed.
“Not if he finds out.”
Daniel replied:
“He won't.”
Then another voice entered the recording.
My mother's.
I stared at the screen.
She said:
“Don't worry. My son trusts me.”
The video ended.
I looked at Maria.
“What have I been protecting Lily from?”
Maria's answer was quiet.
“Not the world.”
May you like
“Then what?”
“Your own family.”
