Chapter 3: The Secret Sophie Carried
I stared at the phone screen.
Sophie's therapist.
Dr. Emily Carter.
I hadn't spoken to her in almost two years.
Not since Sophie stopped having nightmares.
Not since I thought our family had finally healed.
Vanessa watched my face carefully.
She knew exactly who was calling.
“Answer it,” she said softly.
I looked at her.
“How do you know who this is?””
Her silence was the answer.
I stepped away from her and answered.
“Hello?””
“Daniel?””
Dr. Carter's voice sounded urgent.
“I hope I'm not calling at a bad time.””
I looked around the bridal suite.
The torn dress.
The hidden papers.
My daughter standing behind me.
“You have no idea.””
There was a pause.
Then she said:
“I received a message today from someone claiming to be Sophie.””
My heart sank.
“What?””
“She said she needed help.””
I looked at Sophie.
She looked confused.
“I didn't call anyone.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“Dr. Carter, what exactly did the message say?””
She hesitated.
Then:
“It said, ‘Please tell my dad the truth before she takes me away.’”
The room felt smaller.
I slowly looked at Vanessa.
She wasn't surprised.
That terrified me.
“You knew about this.””
Vanessa looked away.
“Daniel…”
“You knew.””
She sighed.
“I was trying to handle it.””
“Handle what?””
She stepped closer.
“Your daughter is confused.””
Sophie immediately shook her head.
“No.””
Her voice was quiet.
But firm.
Vanessa looked at her.
“Sophie, don't start.””
I stepped between them.
“Don't talk to her like that.””
Dr. Carter was still on the phone.
“Daniel, is Vanessa there?””
I didn't answer.
I didn't need to.
The silence was enough.
Dr. Carter lowered her voice.
“I need you to listen carefully.””
“Why?””
“Because two weeks ago, I received a request to transfer Sophie's therapy records.””
My eyebrows pulled together.
“From who?””
A pause.
Then she said:
“From Vanessa.””
I looked at my fiancée.
“You tried to access my daughter's private records?””
Vanessa crossed her arms.
“I was going to be her stepmother.””
“That doesn't give you the right.””
“You were never going to tell me the truth.””
I froze.
“What truth?””
Vanessa looked at Sophie.
Then back at me.
“The truth about why she was afraid of me from the beginning.””
I remembered.
The first time Vanessa met Sophie.
Sophie had hidden behind my leg.
I thought she was shy.
I thought she needed time.
But Vanessa had always insisted there was something wrong.
“She doesn't bond normally,” Vanessa had said.
“She needs discipline.””
Those words suddenly sounded different.
More dangerous.
I looked at Sophie.
“Sweetheart, what is Vanessa talking about?””
Sophie looked down.
Her little fingers squeezed together.
Then she whispered:
“She said if I told you, you would be angry.””
I knelt beside her.
“Told me what?””
A tear rolled down her cheek.
“She made me promise.””
“Promise what?””
Sophie looked at Vanessa.
And Vanessa took one step backward.
For the first time that day…
she looked scared.
Sophie whispered:
“She made me promise not to tell you about the night she came into my room.””
My heart stopped.
“What happened that night?””
Sophie opened her mouth.
But before she could answer, Vanessa suddenly grabbed her purse from the table.
She moved toward the door.
I blocked her.
“Where are you going?””
She stared at me.
“You don't want to know.””
My voice became cold.
“Yes.””
I looked at my daughter.
“I do.””
Vanessa's hand tightened around her purse.
Then she whispered:
“Then ask Sophie what she saw in my car.””
I felt the air leave my lungs.
Because I had no idea Vanessa even had something to hide in her car.
And when Sophie slowly pointed toward Vanessa's purse…
May you like
she said the words that changed everything.
“Daddy… the picture is inside.””
