Chapter 1 - The Little Girl Beneath the TableThe little girl was crying as she pushed another spoonful of cold white rice into her mouth.
Her hands trembled so badly that half the rice fell back onto the plate.
She was seven years old.
Her name was Lily Mercer.
And while her stepmother enjoyed an expensive dinner above her, Lily sat barefoot on the carpet beneath the massive dining table, trying desperately not to make a sound.
Tears slipped down her dirt-streaked cheeks.
A thin scratch crossed her forehead.
Another angry red mark curved along her jaw.
Her faded gray dress was wrinkled, stained, and torn near the hem.
But none of that seemed to concern the beautiful blonde woman sitting overhead.
Vanessa Mercer lifted her wineglass and smiled.
"Chloe, sweetheart, would you like another piece of turkey?"
Across from her, ten-year-old Chloe Avery nodded hesitantly.
The dining table was covered with food.
Golden roasted turkey.
Buttery mashed potatoes.
Glazed carrots.
Fresh vegetables.
Warm bread arranged in a silver basket.
Everything smelled delicious.
Everything looked perfect.
Except for the little girl hiding beneath it.
Lily swallowed painfully.
Her stomach hurt.
She had been given only plain rice since breakfast.
She reached for another bite.
Then her spoon accidentally struck the ceramic plate.
Clink.
Vanessa stopped chewing.
The entire room went silent.
"What did I tell you about making noise?"
Lily froze.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Vanessa slowly lowered her fork.
"Speak properly."
"I'm sorry, ma'am."
"Then remember where you belong."
Chloe stared at her plate.
Her fingers tightened around her napkin.
"Mom," she whispered, "maybe Lily could—"
"Finish your dinner, Chloe."
The sharpness in Vanessa's voice ended the conversation.
Lily lowered her head.
Another tear fell into her rice.
She wiped her cheek with the back of her dirty hand and continued eating.
She had learned that crying quietly was safer than asking questions.
Then something unexpected happened.
The front door opened.
Heavy footsteps crossed the marble entrance hall.
A familiar voice echoed through the mansion.
"Vanessa? Lily? I'm home."
Lily's spoon fell from her hand.
Her entire body stiffened.
She recognized that voice.
For one impossible second, she didn't move.
Then she crawled toward the edge of the table.
"Daddy?"
Daniel Mercer stepped into the dining room carrying two large black duffel bags.
He was forty-one, tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in a dark navy suit over a black shirt.
He had spent twelve exhausting days away on business.
He expected to find his family eating dinner.
Instead, he heard a small, broken voice coming from beneath the furniture.
"Daddy!"
A little girl scrambled out from under the table.
Daniel barely recognized her.
"Lily?"
She stumbled toward him.
Her face was streaked with tears and dirt.
Her dress looked like something pulled from a forgotten storage box.
There were scratches across her skin.
And her eyes—
God, her eyes.
They held a kind of fear no child should ever have to carry.
"Daddy!"
Daniel dropped both bags.
They struck the polished floor with two heavy thuds.
He caught Lily as she threw herself into his arms.
She clung to his neck with desperate strength.
"Please don't go away again!"
Her voice cracked.
Daniel pulled back just enough to examine her face.
"Sweetheart, what happened?"
Lily shook her head.
She was crying too hard to answer.
"Who hurt you?"
Behind them, Vanessa stood.
"Daniel, darling, you're home early."
He didn't look at her.
He brushed a strand of tangled hair away from Lily's forehead.
"Why is my daughter dressed like this?"
Vanessa gave a soft, practiced laugh.
"Oh, she's been difficult lately. You know how children can be."
Daniel looked toward the dining table.
Then he saw the white plate on the floor.
Cold rice.
A spoon.
A small damp patch on the carpet where Lily had been sitting.
His expression changed.
"Why is there food underneath the table?"
Vanessa folded her arms.
"She has been acting out. I was teaching her some manners."
Daniel turned slowly.
"Teaching her manners?"
"Daniel, don't make a scene."
"YOU MADE MY DAUGHTER EAT ON THE FLOOR?"
Chloe flinched.
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
"Lower your voice."
Daniel tightened his protective hold around Lily.
"No. You explain to me why my daughter is covered in scratches and eating scraps beneath a table while you're sitting here enjoying a feast."
Vanessa glanced toward Chloe.
"She's been lying, Daniel. You cannot believe everything—"
"Enough."
The single word silenced her.
Lily buried her face against his chest.
Daniel felt how thin her little shoulders had become.
He remembered the last time he had held her.
Twelve days earlier.
She had smiled when he promised to bring her something from his trip.
Now she was trembling as if someone might pull her away from him.
"I'm taking Lily upstairs," he said.
Vanessa's eyes flashed.
"Daniel, we need to discuss this privately."
"We will."
He turned toward the doorway.
Then Lily suddenly grabbed his collar.
"No!"
Daniel stopped.
"Sweetheart?"
"Please don't take me upstairs."
Her breathing became rapid.
"Please, Daddy. I don't want the upstairs room."
Daniel felt a chill pass through him.
"What upstairs room?"
Lily glanced fearfully toward Vanessa.
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"The one where she writes down what I do wrong."
Vanessa went pale.
Daniel stared at her.
May you like
And then Lily whispered something that made his blood run cold.
"Daddy, ask Mr. Pike what happens when I get too many marks."
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