Chapter 1 - THE GIRL BEHIND ETHAN
The baseball bat hit the marble floor with a violent metallic crack.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Sabrina stood in the center of the foyer with one hand pressed against her burning cheek.
Her eyes were wide with disbelief.
Ethan had never struck her before.
He had barely ever raised his voice at her.
But now he stood between Sabrina and the little girl as if Sabrina were a stranger who had broken into his home.
“Ethan.”
Sabrina’s voice trembled.
“You slapped me.”
Ethan didn’t answer.
He crouched beside the child.
She couldn’t have been older than seven.
Her faded yellow dress was dirty around the knees.
One shoe was missing.
Her dark hair hung over her frightened face.
She was gripping Ethan’s jacket so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.
“I’ve got you.”
Ethan lowered his voice.
“You’re safe.”
The girl looked up at him.
“Promise?”
Something changed in Ethan’s expression.
“I promise.”
Behind them, Maria, the housekeeper, hurried forward.
“Sir, we need to get her upstairs.”
“No.”
Sabrina’s voice sliced through the room.
“No one is taking that child anywhere.”
Ethan slowly stood.
“You don’t give orders in this house anymore.”
Sabrina laughed.
It sounded almost hysterical.
“This is my house too.”
“Not anymore.”
Her smile vanished.
Ethan reached into his pocket.
He removed his phone.
Then he placed it on the console table.
The screen showed an active recording.
Sabrina stared at it.
Her face drained of color.
“You recorded me?”
“I started recording the second I heard you screaming.”
Sabrina’s eyes moved toward the baseball bat.
Then toward the front door.
Ethan noticed.
“Don’t.”
She froze.
Maria gently guided the little girl behind her.
Ethan looked directly at Sabrina.
“Why were you looking for her?”
“I wasn’t.”
“You walked into my house carrying a bat.”
“She broke in.”
“She’s seven.”
“She’s dangerous.”
Ethan stared at her.
For the first time, Sabrina seemed to realize how ridiculous the words sounded.
She changed direction immediately.
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain it.”
“I was protecting you.”
“From a child?”
“From what she represents.”
Silence.
Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
“What does she represent?”
Sabrina said nothing.
The little girl suddenly whispered from behind Maria.
“She knows my mommy.”
Sabrina turned sharply.
“Shut up.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“Don’t speak to her like that.”
The girl began trembling again.
Maria wrapped an arm around her.
Ethan crouched.
“What’s your name?”
The child hesitated.
“Lily.”
“Lily what?”
“Lily Carter.”
Ethan’s expression changed.
The name meant something.
Sabrina saw it.
“No.”
Ethan stared at the child.
“Who is your mother?”
Lily reached inside the pocket of her dress.
Sabrina lunged forward.
“DON’T!”
Ethan caught Sabrina by the wrist before she made it two steps.
Lily pulled out a folded photograph.
It was old.
Creased down the middle.
She handed it to Ethan.
He opened it.
And stopped breathing.
The photograph showed a young woman standing beside a lake.
She was smiling at the camera.
Ethan knew that smile.
He knew those eyes.
He knew the silver necklace around her neck.
“Claire.”
His voice was barely audible.
Lily nodded.
“That’s my mommy.”
Ethan slowly looked at Sabrina.
Sabrina’s face had turned completely white.
Claire Carter had been Ethan’s younger sister.
May you like
And according to Sabrina—
Claire had been dead for eight years.
