Chapter 2: The Recordings I Was Never Supposed to Hear
The old phone crackled as the recording played.
At first, there was only silence.
Then Vanessa's voice came through.
"Lily, stop crying. You're not getting anything until you learn.""
My blood ran cold.
I looked at Mason.
He stood there holding the phone with both hands, his fingers trembling.
The recording continued.
"But Mommy, I'm hungry.""
Lily's voice.
Small.
Confused.
Afraid.
Vanessa answered.
"You should have thought about that before you made a mess.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
I didn't even realize I was holding my breath until the recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
Not even Vanessa.
"How long?"" I finally asked.
My voice sounded strange.
Mason looked at the floor.
"Months.""
Vanessa immediately shook her head.
"No. That's not what happened.""
I turned toward her.
"Then explain the recording.""
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
"Lily has always been difficult," Vanessa said finally.
The words hit me harder than the slap.
"Difficult?""
I pointed toward my daughter.
"She's five.""
"She manipulates people," Vanessa replied.
Mason looked disgusted.
"She's a little kid, Mom.""
Vanessa glared at him.
"You have no idea what you're talking about.""
Mason walked closer.
"I know because I saw it.""
He unlocked the phone again.
"There are more.""
My chest tightened.
More?
I sat down slowly at the table.
"Lily, come here.""
She climbed into my lap immediately.
I held her while Mason played another recording.
This one was from a morning.
I could hear dishes moving.
Vanessa's voice.
"You're not taking that.""
A little voice responded.
"But it's my lunch.""
"No. Mason needs more food.""
"But I'm hungry.""
"You always say that.""
The recording stopped.
I closed my eyes.
Memories started rushing back.
All those mornings when Lily told me she wasn't hungry.
All those nights when she barely touched dinner.
I thought she was becoming a picky eater.
I thought she was going through a phase.
I never imagined she was afraid to ask for food.
"Mason," I whispered.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
His eyes filled with tears.
"Because she told me you wouldn't believe me.""
Vanessa looked away.
"That's ridiculous.""
"No," Mason said.
"You told me Dad would leave if he knew what kind of kid Lily was.""
I froze.
"What?""
Mason looked at me.
"She said you were already tired of taking care of us.""
The room felt smaller.
Vanessa stepped forward.
"Michael, he's twisting my words.""
But she didn't sound confident anymore.
She sounded desperate.
I stood up.
"Did you say that to him?""
Silence.
That silence answered everything.
Vanessa wiped her eyes.
"You don't understand how hard it is.""
I stared at her.
"How hard what is?""
"Taking care of two kids while you're always gone.""
I laughed once.
Not because anything was funny.
Because I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"I work twelve hours a day because I thought I was taking care of this family.""
"And I was alone," she said.
"You weren't alone. You had me.""
"No, Michael. I had your money.""
The sentence hung in the air.
Even Vanessa looked shocked after saying it.
Mason looked at me.
"Dad...""
I didn't answer.
I couldn't.
Because suddenly every late night, every excuse, every strange behavior made sense.
I remembered finding Lily's lunchbox untouched several times.
I remembered asking Vanessa about it.
"She's just not hungry," Vanessa had said.
I believed her.
I hated myself for believing her.
I picked up my phone again.
"I need to make some calls.""
Vanessa stepped in front of me.
"No.""
I looked at her.
"Move.""
"Michael, please.""
"Move.""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"If you do this, everything falls apart.""
I looked around the dining room.
At my crying daughter.
At my frightened stepson.
At the woman who was supposed to protect them.
"Everything already fell apart.""
Vanessa lowered her voice.
"You'll regret destroying this family.""
I stared at her.
"You destroyed it.""
She stepped back.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Mason spoke quietly.
"Dad?""
I turned.
"There is something else.""
The way he said it made my stomach twist.
"What else?""
He looked at Vanessa.
Then at me.
"The recordings aren't the worst part.""
My heart sank.
"What do you mean?""
Mason held the phone tighter.
"I found something in Mom's room.""
Vanessa suddenly moved toward him.
"Mason, don't you dare.""
I stepped between them.
"What did you find?""
Mason's face went pale.
"A notebook.""
Vanessa stopped.
A terrible silence filled the room.
"What kind of notebook?"" I asked.
Mason looked at me.
"The kind where she wrote down every time Lily made her angry.""
I stared at him.
"And?""
He swallowed.
"And she wrote what she planned to do next.""
Then he handed me the phone.
But before I could take it, a notification appeared on the screen.
A new message.
From a number I didn't recognize.
May you like
Mason looked at it and whispered:
"Dad... that's the person Mom has been talking to.""
