Chapter 2 — The Little Girl's Secret
Rosa's heart skipped a beat.
She crouched until her eyes met Lily's.
"What did you say, sweetheart?"
Lily hugged the wooden blocks tighter.
"The pretty lady..."
She looked toward the hallway leading to the grand staircase.
"...she pushed the grandma."
Every instinct told Rosa to stop the conversation.
Children imagined things.
Children misunderstood.
Children repeated stories they barely understood.
But Lily wasn't guessing.
She never invented lies.
"What happened?" Rosa asked carefully.
Lily frowned, trying to remember.
"Grandma was walking slow."
"Pretty lady smiled."
"Then she used two hands."
Lily stretched out both tiny palms.
"Like this."
She shoved the air.
Only a few inches.
But enough.
Rosa felt every drop of blood drain from her face.
"When did you see that?"
"I was hiding."
"Playing."
"Behind the flowers."
The enormous marble planter beside the staircase.
It was exactly where Lily often hid while Rosa folded laundry nearby.
No one had known she was there.
No one...
Except Lily herself.
Rosa wrapped both hands around her daughter's shoulders.
"You must never tell anyone else what you saw."
Lily blinked.
"Not even pretty lady?"
"Especially not pretty lady."
Lily nodded slowly.
Outside the laundry room, expensive footsteps echoed through the hallway.
Vivien.
Rosa immediately stood and began folding towels again as if nothing had happened.
Vivien appeared in the doorway wearing the same gentle smile.
"Everything all right?"
"Yes, Miss Cole."
Vivien's eyes drifted toward Lily.
"What a sweet little girl."
She knelt gracefully.
"Were you being good yesterday?"
Lily stared back without smiling.
Children noticed things adults overlooked.
For one brief second...
Vivien's smile stiffened.
Then it returned.
She stood.
May you like
"Have a lovely morning."
As soon as she disappeared, Rosa realized her own hands were shaking.
