Chapter 3: The Woman at My Front Door
“What do you mean she wasn't alone?””
Marcus glanced toward Vanessa.
She was surrounded by her mother, bridesmaids, and confused guests.
“Come outside.””
“Tell me now.””
“Not here.””
Something in his voice made me follow him.
We entered a small service corridor behind the ballroom.
Marcus took out his phone.
“My house camera catches part of your driveway because we're across the street from each other.””
“I know.””
“Three Saturdays ago, I got an alert around eleven at night.””
“That was the weekend Lily stayed with my sister.””
Marcus looked at me.
“That's what I thought.””
He opened a saved video.
I watched.
My driveway appeared beneath the yellow glow of the streetlights.
Vanessa’s car pulled in.
She climbed out.
Then the passenger door opened.
Lily stepped onto the driveway.
My knees nearly gave out.
“No.””
Marcus paused the video.
“Ryan?””
“She told me Lily was at my sister's.””
I grabbed my phone.
My sister, Emily, answered on the second ring.
“Shouldn't you be getting married?””
“Emily, three Saturdays ago. Did Lily sleep at your house?””
Silence.
“Ryan?””
“Answer me.””
“No.””
The hallway seemed to tilt.
“What?””
“Vanessa called that afternoon. She said your plans changed and Lily was staying home.””
I closed my eyes.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I thought you knew.””
Of course she did.
Why wouldn't she?
Vanessa had been my fiancée.
The woman I trusted.
“Ryan, what's wrong?””
“I'll call you back.””
I ended the call.
Marcus restarted the video.
Vanessa led Lily toward my front door.
My daughter walked slowly.
Even through grainy security footage, I could see she was crying.
Then another person emerged from the back seat.
A woman.
Older.
Gray coat.
Short blond hair.
I recognized her immediately.
“Patricia.””
Marcus nodded.
Vanessa’s mother.
The three entered my house.
“What happened next?””
“That's the problem.””
Marcus moved the video forward.
“Patricia left twenty minutes later.””
Vanessa didn't.
Neither did Lily.
I stared at him.
“When did Lily leave?””
“The next morning.””
My stomach twisted.
“Why did you save this?””
“Because of this.””
He skipped ahead.
At 7:12 the next morning, my front door opened.
Lily came outside first.
She was wearing Vanessa’s oversized cardigan around her shoulders.
Vanessa followed.
Lily turned back.
Vanessa crouched in front of her.
The camera had no useful audio from that distance.
But Vanessa pointed a finger inches from Lily’s face.
Then Lily nodded.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Vanessa kissed her forehead.
The gesture looked affectionate.
Now it looked like a threat disguised as love.
I stopped the video.
“I need Lily.””
We returned to the conference room.
She was sitting with Emily, who had arrived after my call.
The second Lily saw me, she ran over.
“Daddy.””
I crouched.
“Remember when you stayed home with Vanessa three weeks ago?””
Her body stiffened.
Emily looked at me.
“What happened?””
“Lily?””
My daughter shook her head.
“I can't tell.””
“You can.””
“She'll know.””
“Vanessa isn't coming home with us.””
Lily stared at me.
“Ever?””
“Ever.””
Her lower lip trembled.
“Promise?””
“I promise.””
She wrapped her arms around me.
Then she whispered, “She locked my room.””
I pulled back.
“What?””
“She put something on the door so I couldn't come out.””
Emily went pale.
“Ryan…”
“Why?””
Lily rubbed her palms against her dress.
“Because I heard them talking.””
“Vanessa and Grandma Patricia?””
She nodded.
“What were they talking about?””
“I don't know.””
“It's okay. Just tell me what you remember.””
Lily squeezed her eyes shut.
“They were saying Mommy's name.””
Every hair on my arms rose.
Lily’s mother, Rachel, had died four years earlier.
Vanessa had never met her.
At least, that was what Vanessa had always told me.
“What did they say about Mommy?””
Lily struggled to remember.
“Grandma Patricia said Vanessa shouldn't have kept something.””
“What?””
“I don't know.””
“And Vanessa?””
“She said you never found out.””
My heart began pounding.
“Found out what?””
Lily opened her eyes.
“She said Mommy had tried to warn you.””
Emily grabbed the edge of the table.
“Ryan.””
I couldn't speak.
Rachel had died after a car accident on a rainy November evening.
There had been nothing mysterious about it.
A slick highway.
A truck changing lanes.
A collision.
That was what I had believed for four years.
“Did they say anything else?””
Lily nodded.
“Vanessa got mad because I was listening.””
“What did she do?””
“She took me upstairs.””
Her voice became smaller.
“She said I had to stay there until I learned not to spy.””
Emily turned away, covering her mouth.
“And the next morning?””
“She said if I told you, you'd think I was lying because Vanessa was going to be your wife.””
I pulled Lily into my arms.
Someone knocked.
Marcus opened the door.
A hotel employee stood outside holding a small white box.
“Mr. Carter?””
“Yes?””
“This was left at the front desk for you.””
“By who?””
“I don't know. The clerk said a woman dropped it off about twenty minutes ago.””
I took the box.
My name was written across the top.
RYAN CARTER.
Emily moved beside me.
“Don't open that here.””
But something about the handwriting had already stopped my breathing.
I knew those letters.
I had seen them on birthday cards.
Grocery lists.
Notes tucked into my work lunches.
“No,” I whispered.
“What?”” Emily asked.
I stared at the box.
“This is Rachel's handwriting.””
The room went silent.
I lifted the lid.
Inside was a silver necklace I hadn't seen since the night my wife died.
And beneath it was a folded note.
My fingers shook as I opened it.
May you like
There were only seven words.
If you marry Vanessa, Lily will be next.
