Chapter 2: Give Me the Phone
"Give me the phone.""
Daniel's voice was quiet.
That frightened Melissa more than shouting would have.
Carol stood.
"This is my property.""
Daniel kept Lily behind him.
"Then show me what's on it.""
"Daniel," Melissa said, "you're coming in halfway through something you don't understand.""
He turned toward her.
"Then explain the stool.""
Melissa said nothing.
"Explain the gloves.""
Still nothing.
"Explain why Lily covered her head when you walked toward her.""
Melissa's face changed.
Only slightly.
But Daniel saw it.
He looked down at Lily.
She was hiding behind his leg now.
"Sweetheart.""
Lily looked up.
"Why did you cover your head?""
Melissa stepped forward.
"Daniel, don't interrogate her.""
He raised one hand.
"Stay there.""
Melissa stopped.
Daniel crouched until he was eye level with his daughter.
His voice softened.
"Lily, you're not in trouble.""
She nodded nervously.
"You can tell Daddy anything.""
Lily's eyes moved toward Melissa.
That single glance told Daniel more than any answer could have.
He shifted so his body blocked Lily's view of her stepmother.
"Look at me, sweetheart.""
Lily did.
"Why did you cover your head?""
Her tiny fingers twisted his shirt.
"Because I dropped it.""
"The spoon?""
She nodded.
"What happens when you drop things?""
Lily's mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Then Noah screamed from the playpen.
Lily spun around.
"Noah!""
She tried to run toward him.
Daniel lifted her.
"I'll get him.""
"No, Daddy. Melissa gets mad when I pick him up.""
The room went silent.
Daniel stared at his wife.
Melissa immediately shook her head.
"She's confused.""
Lily buried her face against Daniel's shoulder.
Daniel walked to the playpen and lifted Noah with his free arm.
His son grabbed his collar and cried against his chest.
Daniel now held both children.
Neither wanted to let go.
Something inside him cracked.
For months, he'd believed Melissa when she said Lily had become difficult.
Clingy.
Defiant.
Jealous of Noah.
Melissa had always explained Lily's changed behavior as a normal reaction to having a baby brother.
Daniel had believed her.
Why wouldn't he?
Melissa was his wife.
He trusted her.
Now he remembered little things.
Lily asking whether she could go to work with him.
Lily crying on Monday mornings.
Lily becoming strangely quiet whenever Carol visited.
The night Lily asked if children could be "fired from families.""
Daniel had laughed gently and kissed her forehead.
He hadn't asked why she wanted to know.
Now the memory made him sick.
"Carol.""
She looked at him.
"Phone.""
"No.""
Melissa moved between them.
"Mom was recording because Lily was having another tantrum. We wanted to show you what she's like when you're gone.""
Daniel stared at her.
"A tantrum?""
"Yes.""
"You put her on a stool and made her wash adult dishes.""
"She wanted to help.""
Lily lifted her face.
"No, I didn't.""
Melissa froze.
Daniel looked at his daughter.
Lily whispered, "She said I had to.""
Melissa's voice sharpened.
"Lily.""
The little girl flinched.
Daniel's expression changed instantly.
"Don't say her name like that.""
"Daniel, she's lying because you're here.""
"She's four.""
"Four-year-olds lie.""
"So do adults.""
Carol stepped toward the hallway.
Daniel noticed.
"Where are you going?""
"Home.""
"Not with that phone.""
Carol clutched it tighter.
"You don't get to take my property.""
Daniel didn't touch her.
He simply pulled his own phone from his pocket.
"I'm calling the police.""
Melissa laughed nervously.
"For what?""
Daniel looked around the kitchen.
"For help figuring out exactly what I've walked into.""
Carol's face drained of color.
"That's ridiculous.""
Daniel unlocked his phone.
Carol suddenly looked at Melissa.
It lasted less than a second.
But Daniel caught it.
And so did Melissa.
"Mom," Melissa said quickly, "just give it to him.""
Carol's eyes widened.
"What?""
"Give him the phone.""
"You said—"
"Mom.""
That was when Daniel knew.
The videos weren't just embarrassing.
They were evidence of something Melissa desperately didn't want him to see.
Carol slowly extended the phone.
Daniel placed Noah into his high chair, kept Lily beside him, and took the device.
The recording was still running.
He stopped it.
Then he opened the gallery.
There were hundreds of ordinary photos.
Flowers.
Restaurant meals.
Selfies.
Noah sleeping.
Then he found a folder.
Its thumbnail showed Lily standing in the hallway.
Daniel opened it.
Twenty-seven videos.
His stomach tightened.
The first clip had been recorded three months earlier.
He pressed play.
Lily appeared on screen carrying a laundry basket almost as wide as her body.
Melissa's voice came from behind the camera.
"Keep going.""
"I can't.""
"Yes, you can.""
"It's heavy.""
"Stop pretending.""
Daniel looked at his wife.
Melissa said quickly, "It was a game.""
He played another.
Lily stood beside Noah's crib.
"Don't let him wake up," Melissa's recorded voice said.
"But I'm tired.""
"Then stand there quietly.""
Another.
Lily eating alone at the kitchen counter while laughter came from the dining room.
Another.
Lily wiping the floor with a towel.
Another.
Carol laughing as Lily struggled to fold clothes.
Daniel couldn't breathe.
Then he reached video seventeen.
The thumbnail showed Lily sitting on the stairs.
He pressed play.
Carol's recorded voice said, "Tell her again.""
Melissa appeared in frame.
She crouched in front of Lily.
"Your daddy has a new family now.""
Daniel went completely still.
On screen, Lily began crying.
"No.""
Melissa smiled.
"Yes. Me and Noah. So if you keep causing problems, maybe Daddy won't need you anymore.""
Daniel stopped the video.
His hand shook.
Lily tugged his jeans.
"Daddy?""
He looked down.
"You're not gonna send me away, right?""
Daniel dropped to his knees.
"Never.""
"But Melissa said—"
"Never, Lily.""
He pulled her against him.
"You are my daughter. Nothing changes that.""
Behind him, Melissa started crying.
"Daniel, please.""
He stood.
"Pack a bag.""
Her mouth fell open.
"What?""
"You're leaving.""
"This is my house too.""
"Then I'll leave with the kids.""
Carol suddenly reached for her phone.
Daniel stepped back.
"No.""
"Those are private recordings!""
"Of my daughter.""
Carol's voice cracked.
"You don't understand why we made them.""
Daniel stared at her.
"Then explain.""
Carol looked at Melissa.
Melissa whispered, "Don't.""
Daniel heard it.
He looked between them.
"Don't what?""
Neither answered.
He returned to the video folder.
There were ten clips left.
The next several showed more chores.
More crying.
More humiliation.
Then he reached the final video.
Its thumbnail was different.
Lily wasn't in it.
Melissa and Carol were sitting at the kitchen table late at night.
The timestamp was from six days earlier.
Daniel pressed play.
Carol's recorded voice was faint.
"How much longer are you going to keep doing this?""
Melissa answered.
"Until Daniel agrees Lily needs to live somewhere else.""
Daniel's blood went cold.
May you like
Then Carol asked a question that changed everything.
"And what happens if he discovers why you really need her gone?""
