Chapter 3 - The First Person Who Finally Spoke
Daniel stayed with Lily at his older brother Aaron’s house.
The next morning, his phone filled with messages.
Vanessa apologized for “losing her temper.”
Margaret blamed stress.
Two relatives told Daniel he was overreacting.
Then his cousin Rachel called.
“I should’ve said something.”
Daniel sat up.
“About what?”
Rachel had been at dinner.
She admitted she had seen Vanessa humiliate Lily before.
Not by hitting her.
By taking away food when Lily was slow to eat.
Putting her alone in another room during family gatherings.
Calling her “spoiled” whenever she cried for Daniel.
Margaret always defended Vanessa.
“She says Lily needs to learn she isn’t the center of the house,” Rachel said.
“She’s two.”
“I know.”
Daniel’s voice went cold.
“How long?”
Rachel hesitated.
“Months.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Months.
He worked long hours managing commercial HVAC crews throughout central Ohio.
Vanessa often handled evenings.
Margaret visited constantly.
Daniel had believed Lily was becoming clingy because she missed him.
Now he remembered other things.
Lily crying when Vanessa approached with bath towels.
Lily refusing to sit beside Margaret.
The way she ran toward the garage whenever Daniel’s truck pulled in.
He had interpreted all of it through the explanation most convenient to him.
A toddler going through a phase.
Rachel finally said, “There’s something else.”
“What?”
“Vanessa kept telling people Lily needed to get used to being treated like everyone else.”
Daniel frowned.
“She is treated like everyone else.”
Rachel went quiet.
May you like
“No, Daniel.”
Then she told him who Vanessa believed Lily was competing with.
