Chapter 2 - WHEN DAMIAN WAS GONE
Three months earlier, Elena had convinced herself Vanessa’s behavior was harmless.
Annoying.
Petty.
But harmless.
It always happened when Damian traveled.
“Elena.”
Vanessa’s voice came through the intercom one Tuesday afternoon.
“Yes, Ms. Hail?”
“East wing. Now.”
Elena found her standing in front of a wall.
Vanessa crossed her arms.
“What color is this?”
Elena blinked.
“Ivory.”
“No.”
Elena looked again.
The paint had been approved two weeks earlier.
By Vanessa.
“It’s the ivory sample you selected.”
Vanessa gave her a patient smile.
The kind Elena hated more than shouting.
“Are you arguing with me?”
“No.”
“It looks yellow.”
“I can call the painter.”
“You should’ve noticed before I did.”
Elena swallowed.
“I’ll take care of it.”
Vanessa stepped closer.
“You understand that when Damian and I marry, the household will change.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“New standards.”
Elena nodded.
“New staff, maybe.”
There it was.
The threat hidden inside a pleasant voice.
Elena kept her expression neutral.
“Whatever Mr. Cross decides.”
Vanessa’s smile faded.
“I won’t need Damian’s permission to run my own house.”
Elena said nothing.
She had rent saved for almost five months.
Not enough.
Mia needed daycare.
Health insurance.
Food.
Stability.
So Elena repainted the wall.
Three days later Vanessa complained that the new shade was too cold.
Elena repainted it again.
Then there was the linen closet.
Then the flowers.
Then silverware Vanessa accused Elena of misplacing even though Elena later found it inside Vanessa’s private sitting room.
Damian never saw any of it.
When he was home, Vanessa was charming.
“Morning, Elena.”
“Thank you, Elena.”
“You’re a lifesaver.”
When he left?
The smile vanished.
One evening, Elena sat in the staff cottage brushing Mia’s hair.
“Pretty lady doesn’t like you,” Mia said.
Elena paused.
“What makes you say that?”
“She talks different.”
“To who?”
“You.”
Elena forced a smile.
“Adults get stressed.”
Mia frowned.
“She smiles with her teeth.”
Elena laughed despite herself.
“What does that mean?”
Mia demonstrated an exaggerated fake grin.
Elena covered her mouth.
“Okay. That’s enough.”
But later, after Mia fell asleep, Elena sat alone at the small kitchen table.
Children noticed things adults trained themselves to ignore.
The next morning Damian returned from Chicago.
Vanessa changed instantly.
She kissed him in the foyer.
Asked about his flight.
Complimented Elena’s flowers.
Damian didn’t see the problem.
Why would he?
Then Mia came running through the hallway holding a drawing.
“Serious man!”
Damian turned.
“What is that?”
“You.”
He looked at the page.
The drawing featured a tall stick figure with enormous arms, black hair and what appeared to be a sword.
“Why do I have a sword?”
“For bad guys.”
“I see.”
“And this is Mama.”
A smaller figure stood beside him.
“And this?”
Mia pointed proudly.
“Me.”
Damian looked at all three figures.
They were holding hands.
Something awkward passed across his face.
Vanessa saw it from the stairs.
That night she stood in his bedroom while he removed his watch.
“You’ve gotten attached to that child.”
Damian looked up.
“Mia?”
“There aren’t many three-year-olds running around the estate.”
“She’s funny.”
“She’s staff.”
Damian’s expression changed.
“She’s a child.”
Vanessa picked up a bottle of perfume.
“You know what I mean.”
“No. I don’t.”
She smiled.
“Forget it.”
But Vanessa didn’t forget it.
The next morning Elena found Mia’s drawing in the trash.
She stared at it.
A coffee stain had soaked through Damian’s stick-figure chest.
Elena picked it up.
She said nothing.
That afternoon she walked into Vanessa’s sitting room carrying towels.
And there, beneath an open jewelry box, was the edge of a black leather notebook.
Elena would have ignored it.
Until she saw two words written in Vanessa’s handwriting.
May you like
ELENA REYES.
Underlined twice.
