Chapter 6
The guest suite was located on the opposite wing of the estate, far away from Lily’s bedroom. The room was sparsely decorated, featuring heavy damask wallpaper and a towering four-poster bed that felt entirely devoid of comfort. Arthur sat at the small mahogany writing desk by the window, the soft glow of his laptop screen illuminating his exhausted face. Marcus had sent a secure encrypted message detailing the initial findings of their financial audit. Clara’s control over the family trusts was formidable, but Marcus had uncovered a series of hidden discrepancies—paper trails indicating that Clara’s father had systematically embezzled funds from philanthropic accounts to sustain the estate's extravagant lifestyle. It was illegal, and if exposed, it would completely shatter the untouchable social standing the family so desperately guarded.
A soft tap at the door interrupted his thoughts. Arthur quickly closed the laptop lid and stood up, pulling the door open a fraction. Standing in the dim hallway, clutching a small stuffed rabbit, was Lily. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she was shivering slightly in her nightgown.
"Lily? What are you doing out of bed?" Arthur whispered urgently, pulling her inside and locking the heavy door behind her.
"I had another bad dream," the little girl whimpered, burying her face against his grey suit trousers. "The house was cold, and you weren't there. Mommy came to my room and said... she said bad things."
Arthur’s blood ran cold. He knelt down, gripping her small shoulders gently. "What did she say, Lily? Tell me."
"She said... she said nobody wants me, and that if daddy tries to take me away, she will send me far away where nobody will ever find me," Lily sobbed quietly, trying hard not to make too much noise.
Arthur felt a surge of pure, unadulterated rage, tightly reined in by his survival instinct. Clara was escalating her psychological warfare, targeting a defenseless child just to punish him. This crossed every imaginable line. She wasn't just a cold spouse; she was dangerous. He wrapped his arms around Lily, holding her tightly against his chest, feeling the frantic beating of her little heart.
"Listen to me very carefully, Lily," Arthur whispered fiercely, his voice steady and absolute. "Your mother was wrong. I want you. I will always want you. And no one—do you hear me? No one will ever take you away from me. I am going to fix this. Very soon, we are going to leave this place forever, and we will never look back."
Lily sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeve, and nodded slowly. Arthur led her to the massive bed, lifting her up and tucking her beneath the heavy woolen blankets. He sat beside her, stroking her dark hair until her breathing slowed and she drifted off into an exhausted sleep.
May you like
As the digital clock on the nightstand ticked past midnight, Arthur stared out the tall window into the moonlit courtyard. Clara thought she held all the cards, but she had underestimated a father’s desperation. He opened his laptop again, typing a quick, encrypted message to Marcus: Speed up the audit. We move tomorrow.
— — —
