Chapter 6 - Vanessa Realized Daniel Was Serious
The attorney advised Daniel not to make impulsive promises or threats.
Document what he knew.
Preserve messages.
Keep Lily somewhere safe.
Arrange medical follow-up.
Do not allow unsupervised contact until he had proper guidance.
Daniel followed the advice.
Vanessa did not.
She arrived at Aaron’s house that evening.
Aaron met her outside.
Daniel stepped onto the porch but did not let her inside.
“You’re keeping my daughter from me.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“Don’t call her that right now.”
Vanessa recoiled.
“I raised her.”
“You also terrified her.”
“One bad night.”
“Rachel says otherwise.”
Vanessa’s eyes flashed.
“So Rachel’s suddenly an expert?”
“I found Megan’s photographs.”
That stopped her.
“And your mother’s notes.”
Vanessa looked away.
Daniel understood the look.
“You knew.”
“She thought we needed boundaries.”
“With a dead woman?”
“With your past.”
“Lily is not my past.”
Vanessa crossed her arms tightly.
“I never said she was.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Daniel showed her the photograph of Megan and Lily.
“My daughter learned to cry quietly in her own house because you resented this picture.”
Vanessa’s anger disappeared for a moment.
“I didn’t mean for it to become like this.”
Daniel almost softened.
Then he remembered Lily on the floor.
May you like
“What did you mean for it to become?”
Vanessa couldn’t answer.
