Chapter 1
I came home from a business trip two days early and found my four-year-old daughter dressed like a maid, kneeling at my wife’s feet—and then I saw her tiny hand trapped under Vanessa’s shoe.
For one second, I couldn’t move.
“Emily?”
My daughter looked up at me with tears running down her face.
“Daddy…”
Vanessa spun around so fast she nearly fell off the couch.
Emily was wearing a little black-and-white maid costume I had never seen before.
Beside her sat a silver tray, a cleaning cloth, and a bowl of warm water.
“What is she wearing?” I asked.
Vanessa stood up.
“It’s just a game.”
Emily tried to rise.
Vanessa immediately put her shoe back over my daughter’s fingers.
“Did I say you could get up?”
Emily screamed.
I crossed the room before Vanessa could react.
I lifted my daughter into my arms and saw red marks across her little hand.
“She made me rub her feet, Daddy,” Emily sobbed.
“She said I have to work because I live in her house.”
My stomach turned.
“This is my daughter’s house.”
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“You spoil her because you’re never here.”
“She needs discipline, Daniel.”
I handed Emily to our housekeeper, Maria.
Then Vanessa stepped toward me.
“Don’t make this dramatic.”
I slapped her across the face.
She stumbled backward, clutching her cheek.
“You hit me?”
“You stepped on a four-year-old child.”
Vanessa’s eyes suddenly filled with anger.
“You think she’s innocent?”
Emily buried her face against Maria.
Vanessa pointed at her.
“Ask your precious daughter why she keeps sneaking into your office.”
I looked at Emily.
Her whole body began trembling.
“Sweetheart, what did you see?”
Emily slowly lifted her head.
“I saw Mommy opening your secret safe.”
Vanessa went pale.
May you like
Then Emily whispered something that made me forget how to breathe.
“She took Mommy’s necklace out of it… the one you said disappeared the night my real mommy died.”
