chapter 5

Three days later, I met Martha.

She had worked for Daniel's family for almost twenty years, long enough to know every corner of the estate and almost every secret hidden behind its walls.

And she was the first person to confirm what I had already begun to suspect.

Victoria was not the woman Daniel thought she was.

We sat in a small café across from the family estate. Martha kept glancing toward the windows before speaking, as if she was afraid someone might be watching us.

“Miss Claire, you need to be careful.”

“I am.”

“No.” She lowered her voice. “You don't understand.”

I put my cup down.

“What don't I understand?”

“Mrs. Victoria has been asking questions about Ethan's inheritance.”

My fingers tightened around the cup.

“What kind of questions?”

“Who controls it. What happens if Ethan dies. What happens if he is declared unfit to inherit.”

My stomach turned.

“Did Daniel hear this?”

“No.”

“Why didn't you tell him?”

Martha looked down at her hands.

“Because whenever I tried, Mrs. Victoria somehow made it seem like I was lying.”

I stared at her.

“She is very good at making people doubt themselves.”

Those words stayed with me.

“What else?”

Martha hesitated.

“Sometimes Ethan cries after she sends him to his room.”

My heart tightened.

“What does she do to him?”

“I don't know.”

“Then how do you know something is wrong?”

Martha looked directly at me.

“Because a child doesn't become afraid of a person for no reason.”

I looked down at the table.

Ethan had always been friendly. He trusted people easily.

But recently, whenever Victoria came near him, he moved closer to me.

I had noticed it.

I just hadn't understood why.

Martha reached into her handbag and pulled out a small key.

She placed it on the table between us.

I stared at it.

“What is this?”

“The servants' entrance.”

I looked up.

“I don't understand.”

“You said you wanted to know what happens in that house when Daniel isn't there.”

“Yes.”

“Then stop asking me what Victoria does.”

She pushed the key toward me.

“See it yourself.”

I stared at her.

“You want me to go into the house?”

“As someone else.”

My eyes widened.

“You're serious.”

“Very.”

“This is insane.”

“Maybe.”

Martha stood and picked up her handbag.

“But if I'm wrong, you lose nothing.”

“And if you're right?”

She paused.

Then she looked directly into my eyes.

“Then your son may need you closer than he has ever needed you before.”

That evening, I stood in front of my mirror for a long time.

I barely recognized the woman staring back at me.

Claire Bennett.

Rich.

Independent.

Mother.

Daniel's best friend.

And apparently, completely powerless to protect my own child from the woman who was about to become his stepmother.

I couldn't keep waiting for Daniel to tell me the truth.

I had to find it myself.

I picked up a pair of scissors.

The next morning, Claire Bennett disappeared.

Lily appeared in her place.

I wore plain clothes and simple shoes. I pulled my hair back, removed all my jewelry, and went without makeup.

Nothing expensive.

Nothing noticeable.

Nothing that could connect me to the woman Daniel knew.

Martha introduced me to the household staff.

“This is Lily. She'll be helping with Ethan.”

I kept my head down.

Victoria looked at me from across the room.

For a moment, she simply stared.

Then she walked toward me.

“You've worked as a servant before?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“Good.”

She walked slowly around me, examining me from head to toe.

“Then you understand that staff members are not family.”

I nodded.

“Yes, ma'am.”

She smiled.

“Good.”

Then she walked away.

I released the breath I'd been holding.

I had expected her to question me more.

Instead, she had accepted me almost too easily.

That bothered me.

Later that afternoon, Ethan came running down the stairs.

The moment he saw me, he stopped.

He stared at me for several seconds.

Then he slowly walked toward me.

“Lily?”

I forced a smile.

“Hello.”

He reached for my hand.

His little fingers wrapped around mine.

Then he leaned closer and whispered, “You look like Mommy.”

My heart nearly stopped.

I forced myself not to react.

I crouched down in front of him.

“Do I?”

He nodded.

“Very much.”

Before I could say anything else, a voice came from behind us.

“Ethan.”

He immediately let go of my hand.

I looked up.

Victoria stood at the end of the hallway.

She wasn't smiling anymore.

She walked toward us and held out her hand.

“Come here.”

Ethan hesitated.

Just for a second.

But I noticed.

He slowly moved toward her.

Victoria took his hand and smiled at him.

But the smile didn't reach her eyes.

“Your mother won't always be here to save you.”

My stomach dropped.

Ethan looked frightened.

Victoria's eyes shifted toward me.

“And neither will Lily.”

Then she turned and walked away with him.

I stood frozen in the hallway.

I couldn't move.

I couldn't even breathe properly.

Her words kept repeating in my head.

Your mother won't always be here to save you.

That wasn't something a woman said casually to a child.

And she hadn't said it to frighten Ethan.

She had said it because she wanted me to hear it.

That was the moment I knew.

This wasn't about jealousy.

It wasn't simply about Victoria disliking me.

And it wasn't even about money.

She had looked at my son like he was an obstacle standing between her and something she desperately wanted.

I watched them disappear around the corner.

My hands curled into fists.

I had come into this house to find out what Victoria was hiding.

Now I knew one thing for certain.

Whatever her secret was, Ethan was standing dangerously close to it.

And I was finally close enough to uncover the truth.