Chapter 2 - THE ROOM BEHIND THE DOOR
Hannah knew the moment Vincent closed the door behind her that something was wrong.
Not because he had threatened her.
He had not.
Not because he had raised his voice.
He had not.
It was the opposite.
Vincent was being too calm.
He walked beside her through the quiet corridor with his hands folded behind his back, his polished shoes making almost no sound against the marble.
“What exactly does Margaret need me for?” Hannah asked.
“Staffing,” Vincent replied.
“You said that already.”
“Yes.”
She stopped walking.
Vincent turned.
Hannah looked back toward the servants’ wing.
“My daughter is alone.”
“She is asleep.”
“You know that?”
“I saw her.”
Hannah frowned.
“When?”
“A few minutes ago.”
Something tightened in her stomach.
She had not seen Vincent near Lily’s room.
Before she could ask another question, a man's voice came from the corridor behind them.
“Hannah.”
She turned.
Margaret was standing several yards away.
The housekeeper's expression was unreadable.
But her eyes went immediately to Vincent.
Then to Hannah.
“Come with me,” Margaret said.
Vincent smiled.
“I was just bringing her upstairs.”
“I can handle it.”
For the first time, Vincent's smile disappeared.
Only for a second.
Then it returned.
“Of course.”
He stepped aside.
Hannah walked toward Margaret.
As she passed Vincent, she noticed something lying on the floor beside his shoe.
A small silver object.
She bent instinctively.
Vincent moved faster.
He picked it up.
“My watch clasp,” he said.
Hannah stared at him.
He slipped the object into his pocket.
Margaret said nothing.
But when Hannah reached her, the older woman quietly whispered,
“Do not go back to your room yet.”
“Why?”
“Because someone has been watching your daughter.”
Hannah's blood went cold.
“What?”
Margaret caught her wrist.
“Not here.”
They walked into a small service room and shut the door.
Hannah turned immediately.
“Tell me what is happening.”
Margaret looked exhausted.
“The device under Mr. Cross's bed was not medical equipment.”
“I know.”
“You know?”
“Vincent told me nothing. I saw it earlier.”
Margaret studied her.
Then she nodded.
“Good.”
“Why was it there?”
“That is what we are trying to find out.”
“Who is we?”
Margaret hesitated.
“Renata.”
Hannah's face tightened.
“The nurse?”
“She has worked with Mr. Cross for seven weeks. She noticed changes in his condition before anyone else did.”
Hannah swallowed.
“And my daughter?”
Margaret's voice softened.
“Your daughter heard something she was never supposed to hear.”
Hannah thought of Lily's words.
If he wakes up, the maid's kid becomes a problem.
She felt suddenly dizzy.
“Who said that?”
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
Margaret looked directly into her eyes.
“Yes.”
Hannah stared.
“Why?”
“Because if I tell you everything I suspect, you may panic.”
“I am already panicking.”
Margaret sighed.
“I believe someone inside this house wanted Damian Cross unconscious.”
Hannah's breath caught.
“Wanted?”
“Perhaps still wants it.”
Before Hannah could respond, footsteps sounded outside.
Margaret lowered her voice.
“Listen carefully. You are going to return to your room. You will act as though nothing happened. You will not tell Lily about the device. You will not tell anyone what she saw.”
“What about Vincent?”
Margaret's eyes hardened.
“Especially Vincent.”
Hannah stared at her.
“You think he did this?”
“I think,” Margaret said carefully, “that Vincent has been protecting this family for twenty-two years.”
“That doesn't answer my question.”
“No.”
Margaret opened the door.
“And that is why I am afraid.”
Upstairs, Damian Cross was fighting for breath.
Dr. Mercer had ordered everyone except Renata and one nurse out of the room.
Damian's eyes were open.
Barely.
But they were focused.
That alone was extraordinary.
Renata held his hand.
“You're safe.”
His fingers moved.
Renata leaned closer.
“What are you trying to tell me?”
Damian's lips moved.
“Girl.”
Renata froze.
“The little girl?”
His eyes closed briefly.
Then opened.
“Yes.”
“She was in here?”
A weak squeeze.
Renata looked toward the door.
“She told us about the device.”
Damian's expression changed.
Fear.
Not for himself.
Renata had never seen that emotion on his face.
He tried to speak again.
“Not…”
She bent closer.
“Not what?”
“Her.”
“Who?”
Damian's breathing became ragged.
“Vin…”
His voice disappeared.
Renata looked at the nurse.
“Get Dr. Mercer.”
But Damian grabbed her wrist.
His grip was surprisingly strong.
“Don't.”
Renata looked down at his hand.
“Don't what?”
His eyes moved toward the hallway.
Then toward the ceiling.
Then back to her.
“Trust…”
He struggled.
“Anyone.”
The monitor began beeping faster.
Renata pressed the emergency button.
As the medical team rushed in, she noticed something on Damian's wrist.
An old leather watch.
She had seen it every day for seven weeks.
But now she noticed a detail she had never understood.
The watch had stopped.
10:47.
The exact time of Damian's crash seven weeks earlier.
Renata stared.
Then Damian whispered one final word.
“Thomas.”
Hannah returned to her room.
Lily was still asleep.
The rabbit was tucked beneath her chin.
For a moment, Hannah simply stood in the doorway.
She wanted to pick her daughter up.
Take her somewhere far away.
But where?
She had no money.
No safe apartment.
No family nearby.
And if someone inside this house was dangerous, leaving through the gates might be exactly what they wanted.
She sat beside Lily.
The child stirred.
“Mommy?”
“I’m here.”
“Did sleepy mister wake up?”
Hannah's heart tightened.
“Yes.”
Lily smiled.
“I told him song.”
“I know.”
“He likes it.”
“How do you know?”
Lily shrugged.
“He listened.”
Hannah brushed curls from her daughter's forehead.
“What else did you tell him?”
Lily thought.
“About Daddy.”
Hannah froze.
“What about Daddy?”
“That he gave me Bunny.”
Hannah closed her eyes.
Thomas.
Even after eighteen months, hearing his name felt like touching a bruise.
Lily continued.
“I told sleepy mister Daddy said everybody needs something soft.”
Hannah's eyes filled.
Then Lily added,
“He had Daddy's watch.”
Hannah stopped breathing.
“What?”
“Sleepy mister.”
“What watch?”
Lily pointed toward the hallway.
“His watch.”
Hannah had never seen Damian's watch.
But she remembered Thomas's.
A cheap brown leather watch he had worn every day.
After his funeral, Hannah had put it in a small wooden box.
She had not seen it since.
Lily reached beneath her pillow.
And pulled out a tiny photograph.
Hannah stared.
It was an old picture of Thomas holding newborn Lily.
Hannah had kept several copies.
This one was different.
On the back, someone had written a date.
June 14.
The day Thomas died.
Hannah turned it over.
A second line had been written beneath the date.
10:47.
Her hands began to shake.
At 1:30 in the morning, Margaret entered Damian's room.
Renata stood beside the bed.
“He's sleeping again,” she whispered.
Margaret looked at Damian.
Then at the floor.
“The device?”
“Removed.”
“Where is it?”
“Security has it.”
Margaret nodded.
“Good.”
Renata lowered her voice.
“Damian said a name.”
Margaret's expression changed.
“What name?”
“Thomas.”
Silence.
Margaret looked toward the closed door.
“Did he say anything else?”
“He tried.”
“What?”
“Vincent.”
Margaret closed her eyes.
Renata watched her.
“You knew.”
“No.”
“You recognized the name.”
“I recognized the danger.”
Renata stepped closer.
“Margaret, who is Thomas Bennett?”
The older woman's face went pale.
“I don't know.”
“That isn't true.”
Margaret looked at Damian.
Then at the old watch on his wrist.
“Twenty-two years ago,” she whispered, “before Damian took control of the family, his father trusted one man more than anyone.”
“Who?”
“Thomas Bennett.”
Renata stared.
“Lily's father?”
Margaret nodded.
“And Thomas didn't die because of an accident.”
Before Renata could ask anything else, the bedroom door opened.
Vincent stood there.
His expression was gentle.
Almost sad.
“I was hoping to see him.”
Margaret stepped between Vincent and the bed.
“He needs rest.”
Vincent looked past her.
His gaze landed on Damian.
Then moved to the stopped watch.
For the first time, genuine fear crossed his face.
It lasted less than a heartbeat.
But Renata saw it.
So did Margaret.
Vincent smiled again.
“Of course.”
He turned.
Then stopped.
“Oh, Margaret?”
“Yes?”
“You should tell Hannah Bennett to pack her things.”
Margaret stared.
“Why?”
Vincent's voice remained soft.
“Because the Cross estate is no longer safe for her.”
He walked away.
Margaret waited until he disappeared.
Then whispered,
“He knows.”
Renata looked at her.
“Knows what?”
May you like
Margaret stared at the stopped watch.
“That Damian remembered.”
