Chapter 2 - THE WOMAN WHO TRIED TO SILENCE A FIVE-YEAR-OLD
“DON'T LET THAT CHILD FINISH TALKING!”
Meredith Shaw's scream cut through the ballroom.
Ninety wealthy guests turned toward the woman in diamonds.
Gabriel Ashford, one of New York's most powerful businessmen, stood motionless beside the grand piano.
Five-year-old Lily Carter was still holding his hand.
“Why?” Gabriel asked quietly.
Meredith took a step toward them.
“Because that child is lying.”
Lily flinched.
Gabriel immediately moved between them.
“She's five years old, Meredith.”
“Five-year-olds can repeat whatever their mothers teach them.”
The words struck something inside Gabriel.
Six years ago, Isabella Bennett had been the woman he intended to marry.
Five years ago, Meredith had told him Isabella and their newborn daughter were dead.
He had spent five years believing he had lost everything.
Now a hungry little girl stood before him with Isabella's eyes, Isabella's photograph, and the melody Gabriel had composed for her during their happiest summer.
“Who is this child?” Meredith demanded.
Gabriel looked down.
“Her name is Lily.”
“Lily what?”
“Carter,” the little girl whispered.
Meredith's expression changed.
Only for a moment.
But Gabriel noticed.
“Why does that name bother you?” he asked.
“It doesn't.”
“Then why are you shaking?”
Meredith quickly clasped her hands.
“Gabriel, listen to yourself. A stranger brings a child into your home, teaches her a song, shows her an old photograph, and suddenly you believe she's your daughter?”
The guests began murmuring.
Several lifted their phones.
Gabriel turned toward his security chief.
“Martin. No recordings of the child.”
Martin Reyes immediately instructed the staff to intervene.
Then Gabriel crouched before Lily.
“Sweetheart, did your mommy tell you to come here?”
Lily nodded.
“She said you have a big piano.”
“Yes.”
“And she said you used to play when she was sad.”
Gabriel swallowed.
“Did she tell you anything else?”
Lily considered the question carefully.
“She said you always played the wrong note at the end.”
Gabriel closed his eyes.
There had been one note.
One stubborn, ridiculous note.
Isabella used to laugh whenever he reached it because he insisted the melody sounded better his way.
Nobody else knew.
Not even Meredith.
Gabriel looked toward the piano.
His hands trembled as he pressed the final three keys.
Lily smiled.
“That's it. Mommy says you still do it wrong.”
For the first time in five years, Gabriel laughed.
Then his laughter broke into a sob.
Meredith stepped forward.
“Gabriel, this is manipulation.”
He rose.
“No. This is my daughter.”
The room fell silent.
Meredith's diamond necklace glittered beneath the chandeliers.
“You cannot possibly know that.”
Gabriel held up the photograph.
“I know Isabella. I know that song. And I know you've been lying to me.”
Meredith's expression hardened.
“Be careful.”
“With what?”
“With accusing people before you understand what happened.”
Gabriel studied the woman who had managed his family's business interests for nearly twenty years.
After his father's death, Meredith had become his closest adviser.
She had comforted him when Isabella supposedly died.
She had helped arrange a memorial.
She had convinced him that reopening the investigation would only deepen his suffering.
And he had trusted her.
That realization frightened him more than anything.
Lily tugged his jacket.
“Mister?”
Gabriel looked down.
“Gabriel,” he said gently. “You can call me Gabriel.”
She nodded.
“Can I still have some dinner?”
Something inside him collapsed.
He turned toward the banquet staff.
“Bring her something warm. Whatever she wants.”
“Macaroni?” Lily asked.
“Absolutely.”
“With cheese?”
“As much cheese as you want.”
A few guests smiled through their tears.
Meredith did not.
She was watching the ballroom entrance.
Gabriel noticed.
“Who are you waiting for?”
“Nobody.”
“Martin, close the doors. Nobody approaches Lily without my permission.”
Meredith's face tightened.
“You're making a terrible mistake.”
“No,” Gabriel replied. “I made that mistake five years ago.”
A waiter brought Lily a plate of macaroni and cheese.
She sat beside the piano, holding her fork with both hands.
But before she took a bite, she looked up at Gabriel.
“Can I take some home for Mommy?”
“Of course.”
“She's too tired to cook.”
Gabriel knelt beside her again.
“Where is she, Lily?”
“At our apartment.”
“Does someone help take care of her?”
“Miss Rose. She lives downstairs.”
Gabriel reached for his phone, then stopped when Lily began searching her pockets.
She pulled out a small folded piece of paper.
“Miss Rose wrote our address. She said grown-ups remember better when it's on paper.”
Gabriel unfolded it.
A small apartment in Queens.
He was already turning toward Martin when Lily spoke again.
“But Mommy might not be there.”
Gabriel froze.
“What do you mean?”
Lily's eyes filled with tears.
“Miss Rose said the ambulance was coming.”
“When?”
“This afternoon.”
Meredith suddenly moved toward the exit.
Martin stepped into her path.
Gabriel stared at Lily.
The little girl lowered her voice.
“And the diamond lady came to our apartment yesterday.”
Meredith stopped moving.
“What did she do?” Gabriel asked.
Lily pressed her fingers against her sweater.
“She told Mommy that if she tried to see you again, nobody would help her get better.”
Gabriel slowly turned toward Meredith.
May you like
Then Lily whispered something that made his blood run cold.
“She said Mommy wouldn't live long enough to tell you what happened.”
